I need to lower the mast on my CD 25 for installation of an antenna and wind vane.Boat is in water alongside my dock. I have searched the archives where I found reference to the project, but no details. I had no trouble raising and lowering the mast on my old Typhoon singlehanded with a snubber on the forestay. The 25 has the same set up only bigger. Could someone with experiance give me a helping hand? I do not want to climb the mast nor do I want to drop it and break things. Thanks Ron B
RDBRASS@aol.com
CD 25 lowering mast
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Kurt
Re: CD 25 lowering mast
I suggest you take a look at the May/June 2001 issue of Good Old Boat magazine....read the "No Fear Mast Stepping" article...I used the described procedure on my CD26 (29 foot mast)this spring and it worked like a charm. If you can't find the issue, send me an email and I'll FAX or snail mail you a copy of the article.
kjlgpw@aol.com
kjlgpw@aol.com
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Will W.
Re: CD 25 lowering mast
I lowered and raised my mast on Suzi Q several times (long story) this year before I went in the water. I think as long as it is a calm day with little wind you could do it in the water.
Here is what I did. I actually used two set-ups both worked fine. However one was better lowering and the other was better for raising for reasons I will explain.
The first time I lowered the mast I used an A frame set-up. I took two 2 by 3 pieces of cheap lumber from Home Depot. Lay them flat one on the other and drill a hole through the boards about 18 inches from one end. Put a long bolt throught the hole and fasten the nut. Tighten the nut but let the boards move so that when you stand it up you can make a large X with the short end at the top. The bottom ends of the X will rest on the bases of the side stays; upper not lower. I like to pad the board with a towel to prevent the deck from getting scratched. The line you will want to run will run from one of the jib winches up to a block attatched to the bow cleat. If you take your X and put it in place the cross point will be just about right over the bow cleat. I then wrapped the line around the cross point of the X several times so that the end wrap brings the knot in the end over the top of the X facing the mast so that you can attatch the Jib halyard to this knot. Now get the X frame in place with lines taught. Make sure the jib halyard is tied off and the line you have run to the cockpit is pulled very taught as this set-up will be holding the mast up once you disconnect the forestay. You will want to disconnect the foreward lower stays and loosen the side upper stays before lowering. Also consider what will catch the mast. I made another X and put the base in the motor well. Make sure you secure the feet of the X, I used two cinder blocks. You can lower the mast right into this X and leave it there. Make sure you do not let the mast sway side to side when you lower it or you will break the tangs of the mast base. For this reason and the fact that you are in the water I would have at least one and preferably two helpers. Then uncleat the line on the winch and slowly lower it to the cradle. This set up will also raise the mast but make sure you use low stretch line if you do.
.
The other thing I used was an idea I got on this site and I will provide a link to the site that descibes the Mast Raiser so I will only tell you what I thought of this devise. I put one together for about $85.00. I lowered and raised the mast with it but it was much better at raising in my opinion. When lowering the winch runs free so you really have to hold on. The biggest reason this is better for raising is that you can make sure the wiring does not bunch up and get pinched in the mast base. This is a serious problem because moast of us who do this are adding several wires thus taking more space in the hole. This is the reason I to raise and lower so many times. In the end I did something that made it much easier. I removed the through bolt that goes through the hole the wires must use. In order to hold the plate to the mast base I used two fat short bolts and taped them in place on either side. This will hold the plate on while you raise the mast and allow plenty of space for the wires to go up the hole while you raise the mast. You can replace the through bolt once the mast is up. The mast raiser allows you to closely watch the mast base while you raise the mast.
Don't forget use masking tape to tape the attatched stays in an upright position so that the lower turnbuckles will not twist as you raise the mast.
Other things to consider are that if the wiring in the mast is original you should replace it. Mine was original and it was in bad shape even though it worked. Consider adding an anchor light and spreader lights if you don't already have them. I did all this this year and ran a vhf antennea thought the mast. All this wiring goes thought the hole in the mast base. I did run one larger ground wire for the entire mast instead of several small ones to save room. The hardest part of this is running the wires from the panel to the mast base. Fishing the wires through the mast is a breeze compared to fishing them thought the headliner and bulkhead. E-mail me if you have more questions.
Will Wheatley, Just back from 5 days at sea on
Suzi Q
CD25
Sailing from Chesapeake Beach, MD
willwheatley@starpower.net
Here is what I did. I actually used two set-ups both worked fine. However one was better lowering and the other was better for raising for reasons I will explain.
The first time I lowered the mast I used an A frame set-up. I took two 2 by 3 pieces of cheap lumber from Home Depot. Lay them flat one on the other and drill a hole through the boards about 18 inches from one end. Put a long bolt throught the hole and fasten the nut. Tighten the nut but let the boards move so that when you stand it up you can make a large X with the short end at the top. The bottom ends of the X will rest on the bases of the side stays; upper not lower. I like to pad the board with a towel to prevent the deck from getting scratched. The line you will want to run will run from one of the jib winches up to a block attatched to the bow cleat. If you take your X and put it in place the cross point will be just about right over the bow cleat. I then wrapped the line around the cross point of the X several times so that the end wrap brings the knot in the end over the top of the X facing the mast so that you can attatch the Jib halyard to this knot. Now get the X frame in place with lines taught. Make sure the jib halyard is tied off and the line you have run to the cockpit is pulled very taught as this set-up will be holding the mast up once you disconnect the forestay. You will want to disconnect the foreward lower stays and loosen the side upper stays before lowering. Also consider what will catch the mast. I made another X and put the base in the motor well. Make sure you secure the feet of the X, I used two cinder blocks. You can lower the mast right into this X and leave it there. Make sure you do not let the mast sway side to side when you lower it or you will break the tangs of the mast base. For this reason and the fact that you are in the water I would have at least one and preferably two helpers. Then uncleat the line on the winch and slowly lower it to the cradle. This set up will also raise the mast but make sure you use low stretch line if you do.
.
The other thing I used was an idea I got on this site and I will provide a link to the site that descibes the Mast Raiser so I will only tell you what I thought of this devise. I put one together for about $85.00. I lowered and raised the mast with it but it was much better at raising in my opinion. When lowering the winch runs free so you really have to hold on. The biggest reason this is better for raising is that you can make sure the wiring does not bunch up and get pinched in the mast base. This is a serious problem because moast of us who do this are adding several wires thus taking more space in the hole. This is the reason I to raise and lower so many times. In the end I did something that made it much easier. I removed the through bolt that goes through the hole the wires must use. In order to hold the plate to the mast base I used two fat short bolts and taped them in place on either side. This will hold the plate on while you raise the mast and allow plenty of space for the wires to go up the hole while you raise the mast. You can replace the through bolt once the mast is up. The mast raiser allows you to closely watch the mast base while you raise the mast.
Don't forget use masking tape to tape the attatched stays in an upright position so that the lower turnbuckles will not twist as you raise the mast.
Other things to consider are that if the wiring in the mast is original you should replace it. Mine was original and it was in bad shape even though it worked. Consider adding an anchor light and spreader lights if you don't already have them. I did all this this year and ran a vhf antennea thought the mast. All this wiring goes thought the hole in the mast base. I did run one larger ground wire for the entire mast instead of several small ones to save room. The hardest part of this is running the wires from the panel to the mast base. Fishing the wires through the mast is a breeze compared to fishing them thought the headliner and bulkhead. E-mail me if you have more questions.
Will Wheatley, Just back from 5 days at sea on
Suzi Q
CD25
Sailing from Chesapeake Beach, MD
Ron Brassord wrote: I need to lower the mast on my CD 25 for installation of an antenna and wind vane.Boat is in water alongside my dock. I have searched the archives where I found reference to the project, but no details. I had no trouble raising and lowering the mast on my old Typhoon singlehanded with a snubber on the forestay. The 25 has the same set up only bigger. Could someone with experiance give me a helping hand? I do not want to climb the mast nor do I want to drop it and break things. Thanks Ron B
willwheatley@starpower.net