I have an O'Day 25 and my cable halyard is hanging up. I just bought a new main sail for her and before I put it on, I'd like to take the mast down and get this halyard situation fixed. My question is about the need to build a rig to get the mast down. In reading the specs for the boat, it looks like my mast is about 33' tall and around 65 pounds. I helped a guy raise and lower the mast on a West Wight Potter 19' and think it should come down pretty easy without building anything. Thoughts?
O'Day 25 mast
- Thread starter daverippetoe
- Start date
Dave,
I would think the same thing. I have a '73 O'Day Mariner and it is very easy to take up and down. Once past the center of balance you won't be holding the whole 65 lbs until the mast is disconnected from the tabernacle. I would recommend two people, one on the forestay and one walking the mast out into the cockpit. If it is just you, a line from cockpit through a block attached to the bow to the forestay, should allow you to stand aft of the mast while you let it down to where you can catch it as it leans back. Here is the usual warning about watching out for obstructions, both overhead and aft as the mast swings down. the most important advice I can give is watch your footing and have a clear, line-free path to walk the mast down.
I just muscle my mast up and down without any of that, but it is only 24' and probably weighs in the 45lb range. I think you could do it without the tether, but the extra precaution is a good idea.
Good luck and here's a picture I found while checking out the 25's tabernakel configuration. Enjoy.
-Will (Dragonfly)
I would think the same thing. I have a '73 O'Day Mariner and it is very easy to take up and down. Once past the center of balance you won't be holding the whole 65 lbs until the mast is disconnected from the tabernacle. I would recommend two people, one on the forestay and one walking the mast out into the cockpit. If it is just you, a line from cockpit through a block attached to the bow to the forestay, should allow you to stand aft of the mast while you let it down to where you can catch it as it leans back. Here is the usual warning about watching out for obstructions, both overhead and aft as the mast swings down. the most important advice I can give is watch your footing and have a clear, line-free path to walk the mast down.
I just muscle my mast up and down without any of that, but it is only 24' and probably weighs in the 45lb range. I think you could do it without the tether, but the extra precaution is a good idea.
Good luck and here's a picture I found while checking out the 25's tabernakel configuration. Enjoy.
-Will (Dragonfly)
I just had another thought. If you are in a marina with other sailboats as neighbors, perhaps you could use the next slip neighbor's halyard to attach to your forestay and let your mast down from there? You would have to keep the mast from swinging off the centerline as you lowered it, but the direction of pull would be from above instead of deck level.
This really adds complexity to a job I think should be simple and straight forward.
-Will (Dragonfly)
This really adds complexity to a job I think should be simple and straight forward.
-Will (Dragonfly)
Did you see these instructions from the manual? I've never done this either.
https://oday.sailboatowners.com/dl/downloads.php?task=model&mid=127&model=25
https://oday.sailboatowners.com/dl/downloads.php?task=model&mid=127&model=25
I see you raise and lower your mast in the opposite direction from mine. You would use the backstay instead of the forestay. A swim noodle wrapped around your pulpit might be a good precaution.
-Will (Dragonfly)
-Will (Dragonfly)
Two things.
1) If your mast sheaves are OK and you just need to run a new halyard, you can attach a LONG thin messenger line to the end of the old halyard then pull it out. Un-attach the old halyard, and attach new halyard. Then pull it back up and back in place.
2) If you have to drop the mast, do NOT underestimate how heavy that will be as it starts to lean off vertical. Its not a daysailor or WWP stick. I'd have two strong helpers, working on a solid base. Do it in the direction that the docs say. Its often because a boat will have cabintop interference behind the mast.
1) If your mast sheaves are OK and you just need to run a new halyard, you can attach a LONG thin messenger line to the end of the old halyard then pull it out. Un-attach the old halyard, and attach new halyard. Then pull it back up and back in place.
2) If you have to drop the mast, do NOT underestimate how heavy that will be as it starts to lean off vertical. Its not a daysailor or WWP stick. I'd have two strong helpers, working on a solid base. Do it in the direction that the docs say. Its often because a boat will have cabintop interference behind the mast.
This ^.
I owned a 25 and we had a few pucker moments just winching it up and down in my driveway before my first launch. Used a gin pole crane at the club to raise and lower it. It is not a easy thing to do with that size of mast.
I'd like to add to the thoughtful comments already written by others in this thread.
I've got 20+ years worth of experience raising and lowering masts on a regular basis and, in my experience, the biggest risk is damaging the mast hinge/tabernacle/step when that one of the following happens: a) the mast rotates about its long axis, particularly if there is a furler that rests on the spreaders or if there's a side wind or b) the mast head moves laterally, off center line. Or both simultaneously.
If you are not going to use bridles to stabilize the mast laterally, you still need to keep the mast on centerline in the event something unexpected happens.
To keep the mast on center line, I would recommend the following:
Assign one person to hold onto a spare halyard to guide the mast laterally as it is lowered and raised.
If possible face the boat stern to the wind, avoid side winds
Do it when the water is calm. If the boat rocks sideways, the mast will rotate and/or leave the centerline.
As for preventing the mast from rotating along it's axis, the only sure way I know of to do that is with a gin pole with a bridle on the end that keeps the mast from rotating.
My current boat has a mast that's about 35 feet long, and weighs around 100 pounds including all the hardware, cables, radar reflector, instruments, lights, and halyards attached to it. The system has one bridle to keep the mast from deviating laterally off center line, and one to keep it from rotating on the long axis. We raise and lower it every time we trailer it. One person cranks the winch, the other person watches for shrouds and lines that get caught. I can do it single handed, but it's heavy lifting for me to slide the mast off the carrier and into position to pin the foot in place.
I've got 20+ years worth of experience raising and lowering masts on a regular basis and, in my experience, the biggest risk is damaging the mast hinge/tabernacle/step when that one of the following happens: a) the mast rotates about its long axis, particularly if there is a furler that rests on the spreaders or if there's a side wind or b) the mast head moves laterally, off center line. Or both simultaneously.
If you are not going to use bridles to stabilize the mast laterally, you still need to keep the mast on centerline in the event something unexpected happens.
To keep the mast on center line, I would recommend the following:
Assign one person to hold onto a spare halyard to guide the mast laterally as it is lowered and raised.
If possible face the boat stern to the wind, avoid side winds
Do it when the water is calm. If the boat rocks sideways, the mast will rotate and/or leave the centerline.
As for preventing the mast from rotating along it's axis, the only sure way I know of to do that is with a gin pole with a bridle on the end that keeps the mast from rotating.
My current boat has a mast that's about 35 feet long, and weighs around 100 pounds including all the hardware, cables, radar reflector, instruments, lights, and halyards attached to it. The system has one bridle to keep the mast from deviating laterally off center line, and one to keep it from rotating on the long axis. We raise and lower it every time we trailer it. One person cranks the winch, the other person watches for shrouds and lines that get caught. I can do it single handed, but it's heavy lifting for me to slide the mast off the carrier and into position to pin the foot in place.
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The guy I bought my 25 from was able to muscle the mast up on his own. He was 6” taller and 50 lbs bigger then I. I tried it and was in able to do it. I found 2 helpers and it went right up.