Lowering a deck stepped mast

[Zephyrzen]

I have a Contest 30 with the mast in a tabernacle. The mast would go down towards the stern. How many people do I need to do this? Would the the sidestays need to be loosened? Do I need to use a boom or something extended foward horizontally from the mast for leverage? Thanks for any help.
P.s. She is still on jack stands.

[bfomenko]

I don t know about a contest but on our nor''sea 27 we use the boom as a fulcrum and attach cables from the end of the boom to the middle upper shroud and from padeyes on the caprails near the cockpit to the same place on the shrouds. using a long main sheet, with the aft lower shroud off, and the back stay off, we lower the mast foreward. The cables keep the mast from swaying side to side. it is a very efficent system. one person can do it. the mast and boom together weigh over 150 200 lbs and is 30 feet off the deck. Make sure you have someone to check on you shrouds as they tend to hang up on things. remove everything you don''t need to lower it and lable it first.good luck. bob

[JamesK447]

bfomenko,

I'm brand new to SailNet, and just picked up this old thread on mast raising/lowering, and wanted to ask you some questions. I'm assuming, of course, that you still own your Nor'sea. I'm researching the Nor'Sea as a viable 'trailerable' boat that offers flexibility in terms of where I might take it; I like what it has to offer in terms of size, draft, amenities and so forth.

My concerns, as I read about the mast system, revolve around single-handing and raising the rig myself. How do you handle the cantilevering of the mast as it was slid out over the bow pulpit? Did you have some kind of roller setup on the pulpit? Is it difficult to keep the foot of the mast under control, to hinge it at the step, with so much projecting over the bow? It seems to me that a 35' mast reaching out that far would make stepping it somewhat of a challenge. As for raising the mast alone, did you use a winch so that you could stop at any point to check shrouds and running rigging? I read your description of how you rigged the boom and shrouds. It sounds a lot like other info I've come across.

Any resources that you can point me to, online or otherwise (videos, step-by-step photos, etc.), would be helpful.

[sailingdog]

James—

First, it is pretty unlikely that BFOMENKO will reply as his last post was in 2001.

Second, it depends on what you mean by trailerable. The NorSea 27 is not a trailerable boat by most standard definitions as it does generally require a travel lift to move it from the trailer to the water and a back. While the Norsea 27 can be moved by a trailer, can be stored on a trailer, it really doesn't qualify as a trailerable boat, especially since it weighs in at over 9000 lbs. for the boat with equipment and the trailer adds another 2000 lbs or so...making the entire rig about 11-12000 lbs.

As for stepping and unstepping the mast. If you're planning on using the boom as a ginpole, you would have to lower the mast forwards, and that would leave an extremely long section of the mast hanging off the bow.

If you have a sturdy enough tabernacle setup at the mast step, you can usually rig an A-frame to act as a gin-pole to raise the mast with. Depending on where the shrouds terminate in relation to the mast step, you may need to add guy lines to keep the mast centered as you raise it, and this should be easier to setup than trying to raise it using the boom as a gin pole, since the mast can be more easily handled by supporting it using a boom crutch or gallows in the cockpit.

[JamesK447]

I hadn't read that about launching the 27. Sounds more difficult and complex than what I've been able to find online, and I can't recall anyone ever mentioning the requirement of a travel lift. I might look at other smaller boats, then - I've read some good things about the ComPac 23, except for its windward abilities. I'm looking for a boat that can handle coastal cruising, and take on a good bit of wind, without the hassle of moorage; hence, the trailer idea.

[sailingdog]

The near 4' draft of the Norsea 27, combined with the full keel makes it really tough to trailer launch.

[Hartley18]

Originally Posted by JamesK447

I hadn't read that about launching the 27. Sounds more difficult and complex than what I've been able to find online, and I can't recall anyone ever mentioning the requirement of a travel lift. I might look at other smaller boats, then - I've read some good things about the ComPac 23, except for its windward abilities. I'm looking for a boat that can handle coastal cruising, and take on a good bit of wind, without the hassle of moorage; hence, the trailer idea.

Dunno why SD didn't mention it, but could you dry-sail it where you are?? Lots of people do that over here with boats up to 30'. That way you don't have the hassle of mooring and you get to leave the mast up.

All you need is a couple of lifting points fitted to the top of the keel (in the bilge) and a dock-side crane at the yacht club..

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by Hartley18

Dunno why SD didn't mention it, but could you dry-sail it where you are?? Lots of people do that over here with boats up to 30'. That way you don't have the hassle of mooring and you get to leave the mast up.

All you need is a couple of lifting points fitted to the top of the keel (in the bilge) and a dock-side crane at the yacht club..

I doubt many people dry-sail a Norsea 27. There are far better boats to drysail. Also, it takes a pretty beefy crane to handle a Norsea 27, as it weighs in at over 9000 lbs with gear and equipment IIRC.

[Sublime]

Originally Posted by JamesK447

bfomenko,

I'm brand new to SailNet, and just picked up this old thread on mast raising/lowering, and wanted to ask you some questions. I'm assuming, of course, that you still own your Nor'sea. I'm researching the Nor'Sea as a viable 'trailerable' boat that offers flexibility in terms of where I might take it; I like what it has to offer in terms of size, draft, amenities and so forth.

My concerns, as I read about the mast system, revolve around single-handing and raising the rig myself. How do you handle the cantilevering of the mast as it was slid out over the bow pulpit? Did you have some kind of roller setup on the pulpit? Is it difficult to keep the foot of the mast under control, to hinge it at the step, with so much projecting over the bow? It seems to me that a 35' mast reaching out that far would make stepping it somewhat of a challenge. As for raising the mast alone, did you use a winch so that you could stop at any point to check shrouds and running rigging? I read your description of how you rigged the boom and shrouds. It sounds a lot like other info I've come across.

Any resources that you can point me to, online or otherwise (videos, step-by-step photos, etc.), would be helpful.

I'm very unfamiliar with your boat, but I thought I'd offer that perhaps you should look into the mast raising system on a Hunter 260 for ideas? It's a 40 foot mast and the simple system lets you raise it single handed. Some use a winch, but I've put one up without using a winch.

[sailingdog]

I think you're a bit confused. The Hunter 260 DOES NOT HAVE A 40' long mast. I believe the 40' refers to the height above water from the waterline, not from the cabintop. I have a 28' boat and it has a 35' 6" mast. The Hunter 270 has a waterline to masttop height of 39' 9".

Originally Posted by Sublime

I'm very unfamiliar with your boat, but I thought I'd offer that perhaps you should look into the mast raising system on a Hunter 260 for ideas? It's a 40 foot mast and the simple system lets you raise it single handed. Some use a winch, but I've put one up without using a winch.