An A-Frame Question

[...3TacksontheWater]

After confirming that I should no longer raise and lower the mast without help I turned to the C-22 Tech Manual and cobbled together Dick King's write up of George Gilson's A-Frame. I did modify the adapters for the lower eyebolt to match Jim's suggestions for an articulating connector:

The mast is currently up so, the first test of the A-Frame will be lowering the mast. Since I've never used an A-Frame, is there anything that I need to watch for or, is this going to be as simple as the various videos make it out to be?

A second question is that even with a "mast up" (in my case the Rudder Craft version) getting the mast up all the way up is a bear. How low can you have the mast above the transom and still be able to raise the mast using the A-Frame? Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

George

 

[Daveinet]

My opinion is this is WAAAY over complicated. When you arrive at the ramp, you need a very simple quick easy way to get the mast up. I've pulled up to the doc and had my boat ready to back into the water before the guy next to me even had his mast ready to raise.
First off, forget the rigging mess to the baby stays. Install a couple of U-bolts to your cabin roof. These should be as wide as possible for stability. They should be in line with the pivot point of the mast step. Install quick disconnects on your baby stays, so they can quickly positioned to the U-bolts. I use a single gin pole with cables for stability that also clip to the same U-bolts. The forestay lays across the top of the gin pole. I use the main sheet and fiddle blocks to attach between the forestay and its fastening point on the bow. Using the main sheet and fiddle blocks means I can stop at any point and untangle lines that may catch on something. Once the mast is up as far as the main sheet will raise it, it is stable enough to release the baby stays and cleat them to their normal position. I use the line for raising the jib to raise the mast the final few inches (cleated to another bracket on the bow). Install the forestay and we are good install the boom and sails. It shouldn't take more than ten minutes to have the mast from transport position to sailing position. Develope a routine, so you don't forget anything, and are minimizing the number of times you have to go from inside the cabin to get stuff, to the bow to attach.

To answer your last question, I have made a PVC pipe with a V-wheel to cradle the mast. This pipe sits on the rudder and is held in place by tie straps. Standing on the transom, the mast rests as about head height. This is the position for raising the mast as well as the transport position. I do not see the need to have the mast down and level for transport. Its not hurting anything. Again, reduce the number of steps required to get you from transport to sailing. (I guess I should clarify, yes the base of the mast is run forward for transport, but the height at the transom is the same.)

 

[morbidfollower]

I just use a remote controlled winch on my trailer hitch to help raise the mast. Easiest method by far, I stand on the cabin top and just keep it straight as I run it up.