Mast Question...

[SailorDave5050]

First year as a sailboat owner. Now it's time to take the mast out to trailer the boat to its winter resting spot (ie: my backyard). The mast is about 25 feet hollow aluminum and goes through the deck fastening down at the keel. What do most folks do to remove a mast like this? Dock alongside a high pier and lift it out, or ?? Any suggestions greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[Fly_H23]

Sounds difficult. Would it be possible to store it on the hard at a local marina with the mast up?

I'd think about hiring someone with a small crane to lift it out. If it gets loose and falls it will be very pricey to replace.

 

[MrUnix]

It is unusual to see a 22 foot 'day sailer' with a keel stepped mast, but I guess that is what you got. I doubt you can do it by hand.. that is a lot of stick to balance from below (and it is longer than 25 feet according to the specs over at sailboatdata.com). You need to pull it out from above, meaning you need a crane, tall bridge or something higher than the top of the mast to tie on to. Improvise, but be safe and make sure it's tied off good before you start yanking it out. That much mast can do a lot of damage if it gets away from you

Cheers,
Brad

 

[JoyRide28]

If it was me I would seriously consider a modification whereby the mast gets cut at the deckline. The lower portion becomes a compression post and the upper portion gets a hinged/pinned base.... But that might be for a future year...

 

[Tom J]

We had a 23' O'Day with a keel stepped mast. For years, we had a crane pull the mast out and lay it on cradles on the foredeck and cockpit. Just part of the annual hauling-out procedure. Finally, we had the boat at a yacht club, and the boat would just be hauled and stored with the mast up. Much easier!

 

[simpsoned]

You might consider an A frame rig to pull it...there was a post on here earlier in spring along with a link to a U tube site that showed how to construct and pull the mast...
Good luck..

 

[Kermit]

Or, you could do like the video that was posted a couple of times. Put it on the trailer with the mast up, hoist the sails and sail it home on the city streets.

I'm pretty sure that'll work. Yeah, that's the ticket!

 

[Joe]

If you can find a high pier to dock next to... that would be the easiest and cheapest. Hiring a crane is costly. An A frame mounted on the boat won't give you enough lift.

A block fixed up high on the pier. The lifting line looped midway round the spar to allow you to pivot the load once the bottom has cleared. The tail tied to the mast cleat for lifting. Run the free end up through the top block, back down to a lead block then back to a winch.

 

[higgs]

You don't have much choice but to get to a boat yard and have them pull your mast.

 

[kendall]

If it was me I would seriously consider a modification whereby the mast gets cut at the deckline. The lower portion becomes a compression post and the upper portion gets a hinged/pinned base.... But that might be for a future year...

Would work, but I'd say do the cut at a point slightly above the cabin top so it could be pivoted down flat onto the roof. My old trailer sailor had the step just in front of the doghouse, and having to place the mast on the step, then lever it up/down was a real pain because the mast had to be at roughly a 45 degree angle just to get it into the step. I had actually built a true tabernacle for the boat that would bring the pivot up higher when I sold it. While I never installed it, dry runs in the back yard were very promising.

 

[mark_swart]

If you are at or near a sailing club, lots of them have jib booms that you can use if you are a member, or often for a 'donation' if you are not. A fork lift would also be a cheaper option than a crane. Lots of marine lifts also have a mast lift built into the side of them.

 

[wflowe2]

If you can get permission and park in a slip between two larger boats, you can use their halyards on either side of your boat, connected at about your spreader level, and with coordinated winch work on both boats, you can lift, balance , and lay the mast on your boat. I have participated in this activity with the mast on a 33' boat.

 

[SailorDave5050]

Contacted Ontario Yachts and they estimate the weight to be 60-70 pounds. That may change everything. I have a nice high wharf I can dock at, at low tide. Like Joe said...but maybe even easier.

 

[JohnS]

You don't need to lift from the top. The balance point on the mast will be close to half way down from the masthead. I lifted a heavy (300-400lb) wood 36' mast off my boat using a frame I made out of sistered 2x4s that was maybe 23' tall. I doubt your mast weighs even half as much as mine.