How Do you Raise the Mast On a Typhoon?

[Scott F]

Could someone explain how the mast is raised on the TYphoon? I'm looking for a little more description than 'raise it up'. I'm sure you attach the sidestays first, but maybe you don't need the backstay to hold the mast up?

Does the mast base have anyway to pivot the base of mast or does the mast have to be lifted nearly straight and then set down into something?

Is there any sort of mast crutch on the stern?

Thanks.

[Appleton68]

I have a Typhoon Weekender & this what I do. My boat is in the water when I do this, but it would work with the boat still on land and even might be easier that way.

I take the mast with all the stays attached and set it on the boat such that when raised up everything will be in its proper location.
I have a "V" shaped homemade apparatus which fits on the stern to hold up the base end of the mast. The top of the mast is resting on the bow and the middle of the mast is resting on the top of the bulkhead.

I then proceed to put the pins in the turnbuckles and add the cotter pins to all the stays except the forestay. Once that is completed I check to make sure the stays are not crossed, etc. I then pick up the mast off the deck and slide it back until I can insert the bottom of the mast into the holding piece on top of the bulkhead.

I secure the jib halyard to the cleat on the bulkhead and add extra line to the halyard. I then recruit two people for a short period of time. I have one hold the extended halyard on the dock and the other hold the mast and walk it up. I am on the bow and when the mast is upright. I secure the forestay and the mast is up.

Some people on this board put the mast up by themselves. I do not. You do not really need two other people, but at least one other makes it simple. With yourself and one other you can do the same thing. You walk the mast up and have the second person on the halyard. Once upright, the person holding the halyard remains holding the halyard & you go secure the forestay.

Remember, when walking or pulling the mast up, if there is any undue tension then something is wrong with the stays, too tight, crossed, etc.

Good luck.

[Serge Zimberoff]

For trailering I have a mast crotch on my trailer ahead of the bow that is even with the cabin top...in answer to the question of a mast crutch on the stern. Fenders on the cabin distribute the weight of the mast.
Raising is very similar to Greg's info, except we do it on land for stability. Also I put a running hitch on the forestay to provide the upward pull since I like the extra leverage that the fractional rig point of the jib halyard doesn't provide.
The most care must be given to the shrouds staying untangled. I leave the rear ones attached, which lets me keep them adjusted from the previous season. It just seems to me that the forward shrouds will have tension on them swinging through that arc...I could be wrong.
In answer to the tabernacle...it has a stern facing opening that takes the pins on the side of the mast base and allows the mast to pivot upwards. I had the base of our mast modified to clear during this pivot but the leading edge has a reinforced plate that just mates with the tabernacle when fully raised.
It isn't hard to attach the forestay turnbuckle with the pulling line still attached.
(Speaking of stepping the mast...once when unstepping we were in such a high wind that we had to physically pull the mast down! My wife stopped helping after that time.)
Serge

[Serge Zimberoff]

I got a mast crotch part from a Hobie trailer and modified it to bolt temporarily onto my outboard mounting board with carriage bolts and wing nuts. It allows the mast to be supported at the stern while getting ready to raise it. Actually the mast crutch that was inquired about in the initial post.
Serge