How to Use a Gin Pole

[casampson]

I was wondering if you could step the mast on an Ensign yourself, and found this really excellent tutorial on using a gin pole online. It could be useful to sailors of boats under 25 feet. The only thing that is missing is how to make the gin pole itself.

http://www.sailsaratoga.org/content.asp ... e_id=67958

Chris

[John Stone]

I used a gin pole to step and unstep the mast on my J24. Easy as could be. The gen pole was an ex mast from some kind a sailing dinghy like a snipe or lightening. It can be from anything...an old boom, etc. just needs to be long enough you can manage the butt end of your mast. Ideally it’s taller than the half length of your mast but it’s not critical as long as you can hold the butt end down and maneuver it into the step without losing control.