got a nasty surprise yesterday

SycloneDriver

SycloneDriver

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Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
Will - I think your idea may work for my dock neighbor. The casting at the top of his mast failed and he lost his backstay. If he could heel it way over that would allow him to work on it without having to pay $425 for just the first hour and $125 every hour after. We could throw a sump pump in the boat for safety sake, it needs a good bath anyway.
 
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DArcy

DArcy

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Feb 11, 2017
1,703
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
SycloneDriver said:
Will - I think your idea may work for my dock neighbor. The casting at the top of his mast failed and he lost his backstay. If he could heel it way over that would allow him to work on it without having to pay $425 for just the first hour and $125 every hour after. We could throw a sump pump in the boat for safety sake, it needs a good bath anyway.
Click to expand
Heeling the boat with damaged rigging may not be a good idea. You're going to exert a fair bit of load on the mast, which normally it is designed for but with a broken mast head fitting, that could be asking for trouble. MUCH safer to lower the mast and check it out on the ground.
 
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SycloneDriver

SycloneDriver

.
Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
DArcy - lowering the mast would be idea. Keep in mind that we don't have a maintenance yard or a trailer for our boats. We could probably lower his mast at the dock but not mine. My thought on his boat was to use the main halyard as a backstay and heel the boat with the jib halyard, but it's probably not a good idea.
I'm really fascinated by the pictures of the boat on there sides.
 
jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,098
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Boats on their side is called careening the boat. Often used to work on the bottom i.e. cleaning.
Run boat into shallow water. Let tide go out and clean bottom as boat rolls on side.

There are some places that use Tide Grids to secure the boat so that the bottom can be cleaned.
8A41F03D-0433-4CD0-A86E-093817972A60.jpeg
Working on a broken mast head is a dangerous idea unless you remove the mast and work on it while it is at ground level.
 
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Will Gilmore

Will Gilmore

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Oct 19, 2017
7,746
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Motor the boat to a low bridge or pier that allows the masthead to be reached from there. Anchor with two or more anchors or tie up so as not to swing. Be sure of depth and avoid waves and wakes.
or
leave the main set to provide back support and a surface to work on.

Another option is rent one of these:

Seriously, aerial lifts can be rented by the day https://www.bigrentz.com/equipment-...45-ft-articulating-boom-lift-diesel-dual-fuel just an example for about $300/day.
If you have to fix the masthead, don't use it to pull your boat over. It isn't the mast that you're pulling on so much as the stays, which are connected to your masthead.
Just because your marina isn't a good spot to drop your mast, doesn't mean you can't find a good spot nearby. One of the great things about boats is their mobility.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
Whatfiero1

Whatfiero1

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Mar 29, 2017
576
Hunter 30t 9805 littlecreek
Home depot rents a trailerable boom lift. 35' high thou and you would need to put boat on a bulkhead next to parking lot to work on it
 
D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
11,411
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
SycloneDriver said:
DArcy - lowering the mast would be idea. Keep in mind that we don't have a maintenance yard or a trailer for our boats. We could probably lower his mast at the dock but not mine. My thought on his boat was to use the main halyard as a backstay and heel the boat with the jib halyard, but it's probably not a good idea.
I'm really fascinated by the pictures of the boat on there sides.
Click to expand
One just needs to be creative to lower a mast without a crane. Search the internet for how to lower a mast with a boat based gin pole. I used DuckDuckGo.com to search and came up with many hits. (DuckDuckGo does not track and sell ads like other search engines do, they have become my preferred search engine.)

Basically you set up a gin pole on the deck and then lift the mast off the step and lay it down. Putting it up, just reverse the process.
 
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jon hansen

jon hansen

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May 25, 2012
4,335
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
on my Ascow we use a jin pole to raise and lower the mast, way taller than yours, every time we go sailing. easy peasy.
on the alden, the topping lift is cable and used only when taking the main up or down. at the dock or motoring the boom is in a boom rest with no strain on the topping lift.

old school baby

i have used local bridges to do mast work but these modern PC types frown on such. it's only wrong if they catch you :)
 
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SycloneDriver

SycloneDriver

.
Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
Jon - The Syclone has amazing acceleration. I've owned it sense about 2000 and it's made countless 1/4 mile passes. Has about 48,000 miles on it. Still has the original motor in it. I've added a bigger turbo & intercooler, methanol/water injection, upgraded torque converter and lots of other modifications. Spent countless hours with a laptop editing the chip. It runs the 1/4 mile in 11.85 seconds @ 115 mph on street tires and pump gas. Best 60' time of 1.64 seconds, again on street tires.

To answer your question, I like it!
 
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Roadking Larry

Roadking Larry

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Mar 30, 2013
700
Allied Seawind MK II 32' Oologah Lake, Oklahoma
SycloneDriver said:
Jon - The Syclone has amazing acceleration. I've owned it sense about 2000 and it's made countless 1/4 mile passes. Has about 48,000 miles on it. Still has the original motor in it. I've added a bigger turbo & intercooler, methanol/water injection, upgraded torque converter and lots of other modifications. Spent countless hours with a laptop editing the chip. It runs the 1/4 mile in 11.85 seconds @ 115 mph on street tires and pump gas. Best 60' time of 1.64 seconds, again on street tires.

To answer your question, I like it!
Click to expand

I've known the man for more than a decade and I've never seen it :biggrin:
 
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SycloneDriver

SycloneDriver

.
Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
I guess I'll guess have to put a battery in it and some fresh gas. I haven't driven it in 2 years, I've been busy with other toys.
 
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SycloneDriver

SycloneDriver

.
Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
Back on topic. A few weeks ago I replaced the old main halyard for safety sake. Today we replaced the the topping lift and the bulb in the anchor light. Unfortunately the anchor light still doesn't work but the topping lift is great.
Special thanks to:
David for going up the mast!
Larry for making sure we did everything safely and the beer.
James for helping grind David up the mast, it wasn't as easy as it was 8 years ago.
 
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SycloneDriver

SycloneDriver

.
Jul 23, 2009
857
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
FYI The other two boats that lost backstays did so due to failed castings at the top of the mast. It must have been a heel of a storm:)
 
Charlie Jones s/v Tehani

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani

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Mar 1, 2012
2,182
1961 Rhodes Meridian 25 Texas coast
SycloneDriver said:
I don't have an electric windlass or winch.

Dropping the mast really isn't an option, the mast isn't hinged like my other boat. It sits on a plate with 4 or 6 small posts that keep it centered.

I will find a different method of securing the boom.
Click to expand
I will admit to being a fuddyduddy, but-
PLEASE don't say "dropping the mast" sets off horrible thoughts in my head- instead please say "Lowering the mast" :) :)
 
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