Tabernacle Mast Info. Requested

BlueWaterBlair · #1 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

I am making the move from powerboat owner to sailboat owner. I love where my current boats are slipped, and don't want to move. I am located in Mission Bay, in Southern California.

Because of bridges, i will need to have a boat with a tabernacle mast. I would like to own a boat in the 38-42 foot range. I hope to purchase a boat 1992 or newer.

I know that Catalinas can be tabernacled, but not sure if this is possible with any other boats.

I would appreciate any and all constructive advice.

thank you.

BWB

sailingdog · #2 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

I would point out that very few boats in that size range can be outfitted with a tabernacled mast. The spars are just too heavy to really do that with successfully or safely IMHO. The spar on a 38' boat is going to be 45' long or more.

What is the minimum air draft of the bridges you need to pass under?? What is the depth at the marina you're at???

BlueWaterMD · #3 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

I have a 23' sailboat and if I had to raise the mast every time I went sailing, I would quit all together. Outside of small daysailers, this is just not practical. If you really want to sail, get a new slip.

bljones · #4 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

A gaff rig or a gunter rig might be the ticket, but I can't think of a single newer production boat, other than small daysailers, utilizing either rig.

tager · #5 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

You could do it... at significant expense and redesign of the rig. It would be inconvenient compared to using a different marina.

knothead · #6 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueWaterBlair

I am making the move from powerboat owner to sailboat owner. I love where my current boats are slipped, and don't want to move. I am located in Mission Bay, in Southern California.

Because of bridges, i will need to have a boat with a tabernacle mast. I would like to own a boat in the 38-42 foot range. I hope to purchase a boat 1992 or newer.

I know that Catalinas can be tabernacled, but not sure if this is possible with any other boats.

I would appreciate any and all constructive advice.

thank you.

BWB

There is no reason that a boat in the range that you are considering can't be tabernacled. It' won't be cheap and it's not a procedure to be taken lightly so I doubt that you will be going out for day sails much. But it's certainly possible.
Bruce Bingham describes and illustrates the basic principal in The Sailor's Sketchbook. His design is for smaller rigs.
My Nor'Sea 27' is tabernacled and there is no reason that the same principals won't apply if you scale it up.
The boom is used as a strut and the main sheet is used as the purchase.
Again, the tabernacle itself would have to be really beefy, the main upper shrouds would have to be modified and you would have to have bridles made.

tager · #7 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

Theoretically you could make it a convenient arrangement with an automatic winch and some ingenuity. Again, expense and planning would be a lot.

knothead · #8 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by tager

Theoretically you could make it a convenient arrangement with an automatic winch and some ingenuity. Again, expense and planning would be a lot.

A winch would probably be necessary for a 40 footer. Still, I can't see anyone wanting to do this very often with a boat that big. You have to disconnect the backstay and aft lowers. If you have a furler, you have to disconnect that and bring it aft over the side. Then you have to have to control it while the mast drops. Not as easy as it sounds.

BlueWaterBlair · #9 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

Thanks for the input everyone.

at the present time, i have no desire to leave my marina. i know this would be the easiest and cheapest thing to do, but i really am happy where i am at.

being in Mission Bay versus San Diego can also shave 2-3 hours of time going to Catalina Island, which is my main destination.

we have about six boats in the bay with that set up, so i know this can be done. they are all Catalinas with the largest being a 38.

the guy with the 38 is a single hander, and can lower the mast in less than 15 minutes. he does have a power winch to do this.

not sure how tall the bridges are, but the depth in my slip is about 13 feet.

we also have a 34 with a manual winch in my marina. i have never seen the boat leave the dock, so not sure how this works for that owner.

has anyone heard of any other brand of boats that they know of this being done on?

thanks again for your time.

BWB

sailingdog · #10 (**permalink**) 02-28-2010

Knothead—

While it is technically possible to do tabernackle a mast on a boat 38–42' LOA, for the reasons you've just stated, it really isn't FEASIBLE to do so.

Also, you have to consider how far forward of the boat the lowered mast would extend. Assuming a 40' boat with the mast lowering forward so you can use the boom as a gin pole—the mast is 17' or so from the bow as a rough guess, and the stick is 50' long or so... meaning that 30' or so of the mast is unsupported forward of the bow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by knothead

A winch would probably be necessary for a 40 footer. Still, I can't see anyone wanting to do this very often with a boat that big. You have to disconnect the backstay and aft lowers. If you have a furler, you have to disconnect that and bring it aft over the side. Then you have to have to control it while the mast drops. Not as easy as it sounds.