Winter Storage-mast or no mast

[Bill]

Opinions please.......getting ready for winter hauling of my C-400. The boat will be stored in RI where we get a fairly mild New England winter, but it can get nasty some years. The boat will be outside in the marina yard. What is the general opinion on removing the mast. Is it necessary. The boat is a 1999 and the mast was removed last winter. I've heard various opinions and theory. What are some thoughts...and rationale ?

 

[Richard Weaver]

Mast Down

Bill,Our winters in Wisconsin can be pretty severe. The thing I like about my mast being down is I can cover my boat more completely,rather that worrying about sealing the area round the mast with my cover.In fact I have my mast put on a storage rack so it's out of the way while I work on my boat in the fall and the next spring.Good luck with your decision !!Richard WeaverC27 "Only Child"

 

[Stanley J. Rogacevicz]

Mast up

Bill, I store my c320 at Greenwich Bay Marina with the mast up covered by a Fairclough cover which seals it all up. A Fairclough canvas cover for your 400 will cost you over $3000, but the savings in mast stepping over its 10 year life makes it an up front investment not so much a cost. It gives you a very blizzard proof work area to do your winter upgrades. General opinion seems to be to un-step your mast every few - maybe up to 5 years to check the rigging.Stan"Christy Leigh"

 

[Sean Ley]

Mast Up Is Fine

After considering this question for a long time - mast up doesn't hurt anything and we can get blizzards up here with high winds and -20F. I store in a boatyard with about 60 sailboats mast up. It is though by some that it's actually better for the boat to do this as there is less wear and tear stepping and un-stepping. I also don't even re-adjust any stays and have had no problem with the Catalina 38. However, make sure your halyards are very secure and don't clang on the mast. Check the mast seal to deck and if OK leave it alone.Sean

 

[Ernie April]

Mast up - but down every 5th or 6th year

Hey Bill,Above about 36 LOA, consider mast-up - especially if keel stepped. Reasons: 1. More expensive to un-rig and re-rig on a per-foot basis. 2. Greater chance of either boat or mast being damaged in the unrigging/rigging process. 3. Much greater chance of hardware being damaged. 4. Much greater chance of the mast being damaged in storage, dirt ground into the turnbuckle threads, fittings lost, etc. 5. If your mast doesn't leak at the deck, lucky you - keep it that way. However, every 5th year, I store mast-down so I can thoroughly check all sheaves, fittings, wire rigging, wiring, electrical fixtures, etc. and replace halyards. My mast has been up for four years - inspected and tuned annually. Next year I plan mast down storage for my C-42.Cheers-Ernie April

 

[Bill]

Thanks for everyones input

Thanks for the opinions. I think that I will be keeping the mast on and will invest in a cover (vs shrink) to better control "fit" and venting. Also, I have no "leaks" thus far at the mast/deck fitting....i'll keep it that way. I'll have the rigging checked again at the beginning of the season, re-taped, etc.Thanks again for all your suggestions. bill