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Precision 23 Gin Pole Mast Raising System

9K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  prskier17 
#1 ·
I am new here, or at least have not posted in a very long time, I forget which. In any event, I have owned several sailboats over the last 15 years since I began sailing, including an M-16 Scow, MacGregor 25, Flying Scot, Sirius 17, O'Day 20, Com-Pac 16, and recently purchased a 1994 Precision 23. I have typically slipped my bigger boats on Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota, which is what I plan to do with the P-23. I typically single-hand and like to be able to do it all by myself, including raising and lowering the mast, which on the P-23 is impossible without a mast raising system. After much research and finding no resources online, let alone made to order systems, but knowing the general concepts, I decided to build my own. Materials used include a ten foot section of conduit cut down to 8 feet, two eye bolts, two U-bolts, a section of 2x6 board notched out on one end to fit wround the mast step, and a couple bolts and nuts to connect the base of the board where its notched out to the mast step, through which I drilled two holes for connecting the gin pole to the step. To keep the mast from swaying while being raised I connected chains between the stanchions on each side of the boat that straddle the tabernacle, then used line tied to one chain perpendicular to the step, ran up to the mast about six feet where I wrapped it around and then ran it over to the other chain and tied it off at, again, a point perpendicular to the step pivot point. This is sort of a jury-rigged baby stay system, which is removed once the mast is raised. I connected the jib halyard to the aft eye-bolt at the end of the gin pole, making sure the angle between the pole and mast was slightly less than 90 degrees. I also used my main sheet system for mechanical advantage, connected between the bow and forward eye bolt on the gin pole. I tested the system out today and it works pretty well, though I think I am going to flip the system over from now on so the pole ends up on the top of the 2x6 board once the mast is raised, as today I damaged my connector plug for my mast light and need to fix it now. These pictures illustrate what I did.
 

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#3 ·
Where on Mille Lacs?

When I got my 22 I considered Mac's Twin Bay, but ended up keeping the boat in town on Lake Nokomis. But I would like to trailer up and check out Mille Lacs sometime.

How's the sailing up there? I imagine the wind can really build up. It's a big lake.
 
#4 ·
The sailing is great since its wide open. You can set the sails and concentrate on steering and making a few sail adjustments here and there, and just sail across the lake, which can take a couple of hours or more. I try to avoid going out when its rough, but have been caught out in it a time or two. I sail out of the West side, just South of Garrison, so with the prevailing winds being from the NW the fetch is short and the waves usually not too bad where I am, but if its reversed and coming from the South or SE, they can build up to some nice rollers.
 
#5 ·
Thank you, Jonny. I have a similar situation, just bought a 1986 Precision 23 in good condition, but no mast raising system. I am familiar with MacGregor and Corsair 31. The Corsair system is even simpler, no lines attached to the top of the pole, only a fork at the top. You can see it here: .

But for a relatively light mast on Precision 23 this is great.
 
#7 · (Edited)
The more recent Corsair/Farrier mast raising systems have changed. there are indeed wires attached to the end of the gin pole to prevent the mast from rotating on its axis if it sways in a side wind. If the mast rotates as it sways laterally a foot or more in s cross wind, the gin pole is pulled out of column, and that can cause the gin pole to buckle.

Here are some links to the newer Farrier 2018 F22 mast raising system.

One of the nicest features of the system is that it effortlessly handles the furler.





And here are three short videos on a similar system I built for my 1992 F24, mostly using stuff we had hanging around. Watch how the system controls the furler extrusion during mast raising or lowering.







Judy
 
#12 ·
Here is my improved version of jonnyonthespot's mast raising pole. See below.

All you need are a few parts from Home Depot and a bit of tinkering.

The bracket is made from a Galvanized Standoff Post Base, after you separate/cut the end that is joined together. The rest of the job is fitting the parts together, drilling a few holes, etc.

For the pole, I used an 8 feet garden post, also from Home Depot.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Simpson...-Standoff-Post-Base-for-4x4-PBS44AZ/100374846

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Charlot...sch+40+bushing}:nr+qu:{dwv+sch+40+bushing}:qu

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fernco-1-1-4-in-x-1-1-4-in-Flexible-PVC-Coupling-P1056-125/100055392

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Charlot...MPT-x-S-Male-Adapter-PVC021091200HD/203811644
 

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#13 ·
Nice job, notname. I am thinking of going to a metal fab shop and having them weld me up a one-off steel bracket to attach to the bottom of the gin pole because the 2x6 isn't cutting it. Also thinking about adding a brake winch to the pole in lieu of using the blocks system. I will follow up with some new pics if/when I get this done. Figure I may as well go high end on this since it will be a permanent accessory with the boat.
 
#14 ·
Hello,
We moved our 23' sailboat to Mille Lacs last season after sailing on Minnetonka for a couple years. We are keeping it at Izaty's which has been really nice... we have young kids so the pool and other amenities are great. Being on the south side we definitely get some waves, but it's mostly fun. I'd like to get to know other Mille Lacs sailors, are you returning this year? Do you have a slip at Terry's

Best regards,
Chris
 
#15 ·
Yes I will definitely be slipping my boat on Mille Lacs again this season. I had my Mac25 at Izatys back in 2008; nice facility they have there. They are actually not too exensive. I think like $850 for the season. I think Terry's is $800. Izaty's is closer for me, but my pops has a big ice fishing house i use as a cabin to sleep in overnight when I go up, and its at Terry's. The drive, about an hour and 15 minutes, is long enough to make me wanna sleep over and sail Saturday and Sunday, or sometimes Friday-Sunday.

I have had no luck finding a fabricator to make my one-off gin pole base plate.
 
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