Length of mast raising pole

Apr 5, 2017
4
MacGregor 26m Bradenton
I'm interested in buying a used MacGregor 26 in order to get from my home to Sarasota Bay, FL. I need to go under a bridge with a 10 foot clearance. I believe the boat would fit, but not the mast raising pole unless I disconnect it from the boat. I think I need an 11 foot clearance. Am I correct? If so, has anyone shortened the mast raising pole? Any other suggestions?
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
If I remember, my gin pole was about 6' long. But I bought it from BWY and it was for a 26M. A 10' clearance would be real close. I don't think older Macs used a pole. There was just a block and tackle system. So it would just depend on how low you can lower the mast. The boom will cause you some grief if you get real low. Find an old manual like for a '92 and you'll see the system I'm trying to describe.
 
Apr 5, 2017
4
MacGregor 26m Bradenton
Thanks, Justin. Do you remember what the absolute lowest height is, like when it's ready to trailer? What do you think about a quick release mechanism on the gin pole?
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Cheryl, I'm not the person to advise you. I always slipped ours during the sailing season and left the mast up in the boatyard. Never really used the Mac as it was designed for. I'm sure others will chime in who deal with bridges. Best of luck with your boat.
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
I just measured my gin pole (26S - slightly shorter mast than the 26M) and with the connection bracket, its about 6 foot 3 inch. I have been using a beefy quick connect on it for years.

If you do that often, I think a jib furler would just be a huge pain to deal with plus more likely to damage something in the process of raising and lowering so you might be better sticking to hank on jib. You may also need some sort of custom mast crutch. A longer mast crutch holds the end of the mast higher making it easier to raise the mast but it also would result in the end of the mast being too high for your clearance. You would sort of want a very low crutch to go under the bridge but a high crutch for raising and lowering the mast.. And its possible that with a stern rail, you just cant get the end of the mast low enough without also disconnecting the base of the mast and bring it forward like you would do for trailering..

And.. another "problem". If you have a fairly high mast crutch, you can simply disconnect the boom from the mast and leave the main pretty much all set up when the mast is lowered. Makes for a quick re-connect after the bridge. However, this has limits on how for down the mast can come. If you need to really bring the mast "way" down, you may have to also remove the main sail slugs.. etc. Sounds like a hassle.. but you probably could make it work.
 
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May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
A low tide you will have additional clearance to get under a low bridge. Get the tide tables for your area and factor in the time differential to the bridge location. Florida tides are not steep but generally can buy you a foot twice a day. Your problem seems to be the gin pole, go ahead and shorten it but realize you are loosing leverage and will need additional force to raise the mast. Perhaps a mechanism with more purchase or muscle assistance can make up for the decrease in lifting ability..
 

Sumner

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Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country

If the gin pole attaches like mine above it would just take a second to remove the bolt that pins it to the base and set it aside while going under the bridge. I never put that nut on but hand tight as I only have the gin pole attached while raising or lowering the mast. If you keep it attached then maybe drill a hole in the end of the bolt and put a pin in it so that all you would have to do is pull the pin and the bolt,

Sumner
===================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...

MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
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Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
How far have you guys been able to lower your mast without removing it from the base? Is the height from the waterline to the top of the mast < 10' ?
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
I have a bail on the mast about 7 foot up that I quick clip a cable to. The other end of the cable is connected to the end of the gin pole. I think the 26M mast raising setup is somewhat similar (since this is where I got the idea for this).

With this quick connect, there is no need to remove the gin pole at the base or to cut it down. Just unclip the cable from the bail and rotate the gin pole down to the deck - out of the way. This of course assumes the mast is supported in the rear by something other than than the gin pole such as a mast crutch. Super fast to get the gin pole out of the way, super fast to attach the gin pole for raising or lowing the mast. I cant remember the load rating on that quick clip as I put that on there a bunch of years ago but it was a lot higher that I needed.

For Justin's question, with my my mast resting in the crutch in the rear (sort of a high crutch to make raising easier) and still attached at the base, the end of my mast is about 15- 16 foot above ground ON THE TRAILER.

quck1.JPG
 
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Aug 24, 2012
50
Sailstar/Bristol/Herrshof Courier 26 Kemah , TX
Cheryl,
I have a wonderful mast droping /elevating system , made for s/v Spirit by Danny Klacko who owns Klacko Spars in Canada. If you get in touch with Danny Klacko he will help you determine what you need and how to do it. +1 905-825-0015 is the tele . he is excellent at devising mast elevating systems , usually from pretty economical or even used components You will not be regretting having invested your dime in ringing him up, eh ?
Fair Breezes !
Ol'Dony Bland ; s/v Spirit USCG No.1275012
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Well.. the Mac mast raising system is particularly well suited for the bridge application. Confession time... I actually have never removed the gin pole from my boat the whole time I have owned it.. All of the hardware (gin pole plus leverage system, baby stays, mast crutch) for raising and lowering the mast is all on the boat in the picture below and always is on the boat.. Part the reason I can set the boat up in under 45 minutes with no help at all.

gin_pole1.JPG
 
Mar 9, 2009
84
Macgregor 26S New Port Richey, Fl
Like Walt's picture above, I always leave my gin pole attached. When sailing, I stand it, still attached to the base, and lash it to the mast with the baby stay lines which are rope lines. The jin pole then stand about 2" apart from the mast which leaves room for the main sail cover. You do have to be careful when lashing the jin pole that you do not lash the main sail halyard or other lines running up the mast to the mast. The reason I like standing up the jin pole is that the front deck is clear.
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
Tradoffs.. My only down wind setup is using a whisker pole (could change in the future). I am copying a friend of mine who leaves the whisker pole clipped up againts the mast when stored so that its very easy to deploy and you can also see the whisker pole "clip" a few feet up from the bottom of the mast in the picture I posted. So. Im somewhat stuck with the gin pole where its at on the deck.. I can also barely use the front vent hatch but that area is storage only on my boat - we sleep in the back.. Somehow Im completely used to the gin pole where it is but its certainly not optimal. It also wouldn't be that difficult to add a quick clip where the leverage system attaches to the deck so the whole thing could be easily removed - which is would be the AL bar plus line plus blocks plus quick connects.
 
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MrB

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Apr 7, 2015
1
MacGregor 26S LKPG
I've got a Mac26C and use a bicycle light on the end of the mast for towing at night.. I'm 6'3" and can just about reach it.. so I'd guestimate at 9ft.. certainly less than 10ft...
 
Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
If the mast raising pole will not fit under the bridge I doubt the top of the mast will fit under either unless you get the mast horizontal.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
That's why I suggested the old Mac system that didn't use a pole. In the end, the tip of the mast has to be low enough.
 

walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
I think I had the stock system for a 1990 classic (before I modified it) and it does use a gin pole - just attaches to the mast differently at the upper end and uses blocks instead of a brake winch. If the mast is not supported by the gin pole/raising system when going under the bridge such as would be the case if the mast was resting on a crutch, the pole is not an issue as it can easily be out of the way.

I think I could work out something with my 26S that would handle the 10 foot clearance if I had a "telescoping" crutch that allowed the mast to rest low in the back and then raise the crutch to aid bringing the mast up. But if I had to do this twice every time I went sailing because the bridge was between where I kept the boat and where I wanted to sail the boat.. Id probably just leave the mast at home most of the time.. but that is not the sport I participate in. You could probably do this.. you would just get very tired of it quickly and seriously tired of it with jib roller furling.
 
Jul 7, 2004
8,402
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
Has the OP ever been back? I never heard if this was a one time passage or not. She could motor with the mast in transport mode if this is just a way to get it home.
If the bail on the mast is 6'or 7' up on the mast, a block and tackle could be attached to the bow pulpit. A pole wouldn't be necessary. The angle should give plenty of advantage and keep the total height down.