dropping the mast on a CD25- without a crane...

[steve]

I'm hoping to lower the mast on my cd25 (next month) without the help of a crane... Any comments/suggestions or (this will be my first try)step by step procs would be greatly appreciated...

thanks,
steve



smm64@email.msn.com

[keith]

Steve....this Spring, my wife raised the mast with little assistance. She used the boom as a crane with a bridle attached to the shroud chainplates which kept the boom amidships...a book "the sailor's sketchbook" by bruce bingham shows the set up on page 35...worked like a charm and with little effort.

good luck

keith

I'm hoping to lower the mast on my cd25 (next month) without the help of a crane... Any comments/suggestions or (this will be my first try)step by step procs would be greatly appreciated...

thanks,
steve

aurora@capital.net

[tom Foley]

Try this. Loosen all side stays and the back stay several turns. Remoe the two front stays from the chain plates. Tie a 20-25 foot rope to both ends of the jib/genoa halyard. Wrap the rope twice around the bow pulpit. Take the pin out of the front stay. Hold rope and gently push mast aft.Ease the mast back using the rope,and have 1-2 friends stand on the side of the hatch to catch the mast as it gets to about 40 degrees. Lower to horizontal. Remove the hinge pin from the step. Carry the mast forward and secure to bow pulpit and stern rail. If you are in salt water you can tie up to a floating dock at or near low tide and tie the rope to a pipe on the stationary pier instead of the bow pulpit. A fork made of a 2X3 about 6-8 feet long and two pieces of 1X2 about a foot longcan help catch and lower the mast. You can reverse the process in the spring. Good luck.

I'm hoping to lower the mast on my cd25 (next month) without the help of a crane... Any comments/suggestions or (this will be my first try)step by step procs would be greatly appreciated...

thanks,
steve

alewifehouse@mainecoast.net

[Bill Bloxham]

I made a 4:1 tackle using Home Depot wash line pullys and a cheap rope for about $12. I tie it to the bow pulpit and the jib halyard. My Ty mast is easy to handle, but I think a gin pole (your boom, or a 2" x 3" 8' long) could help a lot. My spouse catches the mast for the last few feet, and starts it up in the spring.
I mount/dismount in the water, and need to get the mast off the boat fast after dismounting. 16d nails are subsituted for the clevis pins before the lowering, and I can get them out in seconds after the mast is down. Same for going back up.
I have the neatest trick for anyone on whips. I set the whip ropes to the middeck spring line cleats and swing the bow away from my bulkhead. Two lines P&S tie the stern to the bulkhead/pier. I lower the mast top onto land, and walk it off the boat. Settup is easy, too.

Good luck
Bill



mmmmmmbill@aol.com

[Vern Campbell]

I used Tom's method last fall with only one friend to help, and it worked like a charm.

Vern Campbell
CD25 Teacher's Pet

Try this. Loosen all side stays and the back stay several turns. Remoe the two front stays from the chain plates. Tie a 20-25 foot rope to both ends of the jib/genoa halyard. Wrap the rope twice around the bow pulpit. Take the pin out of the front stay. Hold rope and gently push mast aft.Ease the mast back using the rope,and have 1-2 friends stand on the side of the hatch to catch the mast as it gets to about 40 degrees. Lower to horizontal. Remove the hinge pin from the step. Carry the mast forward and secure to bow pulpit and stern rail. If you are in salt water you can tie up to a floating dock at or near low tide and tie the rope to a pipe on the stationary pier instead of the bow pulpit. A fork made of a 2X3 about 6-8 feet long and two pieces of 1X2 about a foot longcan help catch and lower the mast. You can reverse the process in the spring. Good luck.

I'm hoping to lower the mast on my cd25 (next month) without the help of a crane... Any comments/suggestions or (this will be my first try)step by step procs would be greatly appreciated...

thanks,
steve

sailingteacherspet@hotmail.com

[Chris Reinke CD330 Innisf]

Steve - One interesting method I witnessed a few weeks ago incorporated the use of a second boat, in addition to the one with the mast to be lowered. The two vessels tied up broadside, bow to stern, with the boat whose mast is to be lowered to the rear. They then secured the mainsheet halyard of the forward boat, to the jib halyard of the rear boat. Once the forward shroud was released, the forward boat utilized their winches to gradually lower the mast of the rear boat. The whole process took about 10 minutes and was easily accomplished by two people. The two boats I watched perform this maneuver where of equal size. I would assume the leverage and control would work even better if the forward boat had a taller mast.

Just an interesting thought.

Good Luck,
Chris Reinke

I'm hoping to lower the mast on my cd25 (next month) without the help of a crane... Any comments/suggestions or (this will be my first try)step by step procs would be greatly appreciated...

thanks,
steve

chris.reinke@transamerica.com

[Dave Bristle]

I can see the bow-to-stern part... What do you mean by "broadside" in this case?



bristle@att.net

[chuck yahrling]

I'm hoping to lower the mast on my cd25 (next month) without the help of a crane... Any comments/suggestions or (this will be my first try)step by step procs would be greatly appreciated...

thanks,
steve

The slickest setup I've seen was a fake mast pole with forestay and shrouds. It was about 1/2 the mast height and was temporarily stepped next to the real mast. A "halyard" with lasso loop attached under the spreaders of the real mast. They disconnected the real mast and lowered it down next to the boat (which was on a trailer). Then the fake mast was the easily unstepped and stowed. Only one person was necessary for the whole operation. This was done by a prof. hauler that did both unstepping and hauling, BTW.



cyahrlin@cisco.com

[Chris]

Both boats were tied up with their starboard side broadside (along the side of) the same dock finger, in this case the fuel dock. This provided a rigid connection between the two boats so they moved together in the event of any wave action or outward stress from the lowering. It was definitely "cool" to watch and I think they were rather talented and not just lucky. I guess if the step were to kick out the potential would exist for the mast to swing into the forward boat if it is not secured with a safety line (which they did not have).


Chris

I can see the bow-to-stern part... What do you mean by "broadside" in this case?

[Don Sargeant]

But this technique requires a hinged tabernacle. With a hinge you can easily lower the mast using the boom as a gin pole. If the boat has a hinge I can give you directions for two people -- I've done with the snow flying. If the mast is stepped on deck without a hinge, or even keel-stepped, the false mast system described above is best.
Don Sargeant
~~COQUINA~~
CD25D # 189
Wishing she had a hinge in Greenwich Cove

Both boats were tied up with their starboard side broadside (along the side of) the same dock finger, in this case the fuel dock. This provided a rigid connection between the two boats so they moved together in the event of any wave action or outward stress from the lowering. It was definitely "cool" to watch and I think they were rather talented and not just lucky. I guess if the step were to kick out the potential would exist for the mast to swing into the forward boat if it is not secured with a safety line (which they did not have).


Chris

I can see the bow-to-stern part... What do you mean by "broadside" in this case?

don@cliggott.com