26' mast weight

[Windtherapy]

Does anybody happen to know the mast weight on a 1985 26'?

Building a mast raising system and trying to determine if I can use chain link fence rail which is EMT. This would be for the A frame type of system.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I don't know the weight but I've worked with galvanized fence materials. I would not recommend them. The rails are thin and soft. One small dent and they can collapse. YMMV

 

[Ward H]

I found O'day 25 specs a few years back listing the bare mast weight as 65 lbs. The 26 should be close to the same.

 

[Rick Webb]

Perhaps an idea.

We were reconstructing the pig stick for our clubs flag pole (flag mast?). We epoxied a closet rod into a piece of PVC pipe and it was remarkably rigid.

 

[sailnewbie]

I use my spinaker pole which is super thin aluminum, there doesn't seem to be much load on the pole anyways it's all on the haylard and your pulling system

 

[Windtherapy]

Thanks everybody. I plan on using a high mast crutch and not sure yet if I will go to the single or double gin pole set up. I am thinking the double (A frame) style to offset the port and starboard movement of the mast on the raise.

The only thing I am not sure of yet though is how to properly secure the base of each pipe to the deck without any damage being done to the deck or the stanchion it would rest up against.

 

[agprice22]

The tubes on the a-frame should have very little load unless you pull the mast off center. They are only there to prevent side-to-side movement, which is what scares everyone. I have used one made of 2x4 lumber. The fit up against the shroud chainplates is where you have the most problem, but the one I had just rested against the chainplates, as the shrouds on the oday are centered on the mast, so they stay connected during raising and lowering.
I prefer the gin pole. I simply steer the mast into the crutch with the gin pole. We do it on the water or on land.
I have some shroud cleats to tie preventers onto the shrouds, but it really was more trouble than it was worth.
Haven't dropped a mast.... yet!