I recently purchased a 1974 Portager 22 and I am having some trouble getting the mast raised. I tried it and got it 95% of the way up and then it got really tight so I figure it was the side stays too tight. I then removed them and tried again. I am using a pole to prop the mast up the first bit and then using the D-Ring at the top of the mast I have a rope attached which runs down to the bow it then goes through a block and back alongside the boat to the sail winch in the cockpit. Also, my boat's mast bracket has two holes one is slotted and is forward of the other which is just a round hole. I figured that one was to pivot the mast and the other for sailing but am unsure? Any help would b greatly appreciated!
Mast Set Up
- Thread starter hharperson
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You got the right idea
Object is to raise the mast as in the statue of Iwo Jima.
But you absolutely need another person.
Snare anyone walking by and tell them the plan.
"As I raise the mast, you pull on forestay. Pin it to the bow."
That's it. Take 2 minutes, then tighten the shrouds.
Object is to raise the mast as in the statue of Iwo Jima.
But you absolutely need another person.
Snare anyone walking by and tell them the plan.
"As I raise the mast, you pull on forestay. Pin it to the bow."
That's it. Take 2 minutes, then tighten the shrouds.
but be careful. The more hands the better.
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=127225
http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=127225
You can rig a gin pole and baby stay. You can raise it yourself, yes alone. Check the MacGregor forum.
I use to do that on a 26 footer.
I use to do that on a 26 footer.
Perhaps when the mast is 95 percent up, your tackle is not pulling the mast FORWARD, but is more like pulling it DOWN, towards the deck. It's geometry- you need to alter the triangle of the rigging. Move the anchor point forward or upward, or maybe put a second line lower arouind the mast- maybe at the spreaders?
Portager 22-23
I can not find anything on the rigging of this boat, so will have to give you some thoughts on other models and past experiences.
First the two holes on the mast base setup; you’re correct in using the back hole as a hinge for raising the mast and then when all stays are attached place an additional bolt or pin in the second hole to stabilize the base from twisting.
You say the mast will only go up 95 percent, how are you calculating this? the second hole in the maststep will not line up, the forestay is a short of length to attach, or the mast looks like is leaning towards the back of the boat when the other two items work.
If the front of the maststep will not go down enough to attach the second bolt then you’re correct. You say you removed the two baby stays, which is correct, then two possibilities; one is the backstay is bound at the top of the mast or there is too many kinks in the stay from storage. Using the line you’ve attached to top front of the mast and run back to a winch will have to be cranked real tight to stretch the kink problem, you may have already tried this. The other problem that no one has yet seen or heard of, that I’ve seen is; the underside of your hull has weaken to the point where setting on the trailer bunks the boat is bending in the middle so that the maststep base is pushed up and actually higher than the original alignment with the stern and the bow.
The work around on this situation is to place the boat in the water and then raise the mast.
We had an older Rhodes 22 at the lake, they have somewhat a flat bottom, solid keel with a drop board, I do not know if the hull was weak or the keel was carrying all of the weight on the trailer, but the only way to step the mast was in the water not on the trailer. The owner was very old who had the boat and never sailed it very hard, he has past away and the boat was sold and removed from our lake so, I do not know what future problems are with this boat. There have been a couple other Rhodes 22’s at the lake that never did this!
If the mast base works with the 2 holes and the forestay is many inches short there may be an additional adjuster missing between the end of the forestay and the bow attachment.
If everything hooks up but the mast, from a distant, looks sloped towards the stern then maybe it was designed that way, we call this mast rake!
I can not find anything on the rigging of this boat, so will have to give you some thoughts on other models and past experiences.
First the two holes on the mast base setup; you’re correct in using the back hole as a hinge for raising the mast and then when all stays are attached place an additional bolt or pin in the second hole to stabilize the base from twisting.
You say the mast will only go up 95 percent, how are you calculating this? the second hole in the maststep will not line up, the forestay is a short of length to attach, or the mast looks like is leaning towards the back of the boat when the other two items work.
If the front of the maststep will not go down enough to attach the second bolt then you’re correct. You say you removed the two baby stays, which is correct, then two possibilities; one is the backstay is bound at the top of the mast or there is too many kinks in the stay from storage. Using the line you’ve attached to top front of the mast and run back to a winch will have to be cranked real tight to stretch the kink problem, you may have already tried this. The other problem that no one has yet seen or heard of, that I’ve seen is; the underside of your hull has weaken to the point where setting on the trailer bunks the boat is bending in the middle so that the maststep base is pushed up and actually higher than the original alignment with the stern and the bow.
The work around on this situation is to place the boat in the water and then raise the mast.
We had an older Rhodes 22 at the lake, they have somewhat a flat bottom, solid keel with a drop board, I do not know if the hull was weak or the keel was carrying all of the weight on the trailer, but the only way to step the mast was in the water not on the trailer. The owner was very old who had the boat and never sailed it very hard, he has past away and the boat was sold and removed from our lake so, I do not know what future problems are with this boat. There have been a couple other Rhodes 22’s at the lake that never did this!
If the mast base works with the 2 holes and the forestay is many inches short there may be an additional adjuster missing between the end of the forestay and the bow attachment.
If everything hooks up but the mast, from a distant, looks sloped towards the stern then maybe it was designed that way, we call this mast rake!
A portager 22 is essentially a Venture 22. Almost identical in design with a different rub rail around it. You should connect the back stay and the side stays. Put the base of the mast in mast step hinge. If there is a slot in the base, then the pin is threaded into that. I assume it is L-shaped so that the mast pin pushes in from aft and then falls down as you raise the mast. That should suffice for sailing. The other hole is not used in mast pivoting. After you walk the mast up like a ladder another person puts the forestay pin in giving the mast a 4-point support. If you find that half way up the mast will not go further, then your side stays are too tight, or your backstay is catching on something, or your turnbuckles or stay adjusters are not pivoting at the chain plates properly (binding). It was the case with a Tanzer 22 that spacers (like a carabiner) was put in between the turnbuckle toggle and the chain plate to give the upper side stays enough extra length to assure that the mast had enough room to swing through that "over center" position half way up. After the mast was up, then you could hook up the inner shrouds and remove the outer shroud spacer. Perhaps this is needed for the Portager 22 as well.
Bottom of this page will help you raise the mast under control.
http://mac22.valentina.googlepages.com/mods
The bolt goes in the slot and a forked pole goes in the front round holes for the gin pole.
http://mac22.valentina.googlepages.com/mods
The bolt goes in the slot and a forked pole goes in the front round holes for the gin pole.
Not to derail this thread, but if you wouldn't mind telling more about that anchor line spool (pm is fine, if you like) on your pulpit, I'd love to hear about it. Looks like a slick solution for these boats.
Sounds like you are okay if moving forward to 95%(?)
Something I do that really has taken the chore out of stepping mast.
I took an old section of a extention ladder, added slats, making a ramp. Then, I attach the ramp to the handrails at hatchway, so it does not slip, start at the stern, walk up the ramp while lifting mast. It was like night vs. day in trying to get up from lower seating area to top of hatchway, and such a back saver. Also, I left space in the slats on the ladder so I can use it to get up from ground-to-boat, in parking lot; when, I do not bring my usual step ladder.
Also, I park trailer on a slight downhill, bow first, in parking area. After mast is fully up, gravity helps in keeping mast forward, as you attach forestay.
Something I do that really has taken the chore out of stepping mast.
I took an old section of a extention ladder, added slats, making a ramp. Then, I attach the ramp to the handrails at hatchway, so it does not slip, start at the stern, walk up the ramp while lifting mast. It was like night vs. day in trying to get up from lower seating area to top of hatchway, and such a back saver. Also, I left space in the slats on the ladder so I can use it to get up from ground-to-boat, in parking lot; when, I do not bring my usual step ladder.
Also, I park trailer on a slight downhill, bow first, in parking area. After mast is fully up, gravity helps in keeping mast forward, as you attach forestay.
Design must be described or many scenarios.
If your situation is what “Barnacle Bill“ is saying then the easiest way to remedy this would be to attach the forestay and disconnect the backstay and raise the mast from the bow.
A lot of manufactures maststep and base of mast is designed to be raised in only one direction, if your maststep and mastbase with two holes looks like it will work in either direction then try it from the front.
I started making you illustrations of different maststep base ideas with slotted holes in the cabin top bracket and then I reread your original statement. “my boat's mast bracket has two holes one is slotted and is forward of the other which is just a round hole”, and then “timebandit” said the round hole is for the gin pole.
If the holes you’re describing is in the bottom of the mast and not the cabin top bracket then I would say Barnacle Bill and timebandit are both correct. If the slotted hole goes through the mast and in the front section of the mast and the other hole is a single hole pointing towards the stern then the design is with a gin pole and the mast should be raised from the bow to over come the arc problem Barnacle Bill describes.
If your situation is what “Barnacle Bill“ is saying then the easiest way to remedy this would be to attach the forestay and disconnect the backstay and raise the mast from the bow.
A lot of manufactures maststep and base of mast is designed to be raised in only one direction, if your maststep and mastbase with two holes looks like it will work in either direction then try it from the front.
I started making you illustrations of different maststep base ideas with slotted holes in the cabin top bracket and then I reread your original statement. “my boat's mast bracket has two holes one is slotted and is forward of the other which is just a round hole”, and then “timebandit” said the round hole is for the gin pole.
If the holes you’re describing is in the bottom of the mast and not the cabin top bracket then I would say Barnacle Bill and timebandit are both correct. If the slotted hole goes through the mast and in the front section of the mast and the other hole is a single hole pointing towards the stern then the design is with a gin pole and the mast should be raised from the bow to over come the arc problem Barnacle Bill describes.
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