Climbing the mast

N

nverbenec

.
Aug 5, 2026
2
Hunter 240 Perry Yacht Club
I have some work to do on the mast that requires me to climb it. Its about the end of the season in my area. The question that I have, do you recommend climbing the mast when the boats in the water or on the trailer. While I do have the option to lower the mast in my marina, the work that needs done doesn't warrant putting that much effort into it. I just want to install a Windex and check on the condition of everything topside.

Thanks for any bits of knowledge.
 
S

SteveHughessails

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Jun 10, 2024
339
Hunter 240 Okanagan Lake
It would take me 20 minutes to drop the mast and put it back up. I am assuming by your signature you are going to climb the Hunter 240 mast? Nope, I couldn’t do it. :)
 
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D

dlochner

.
Jan 11, 2014
14,197
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Climbing a mast is risky. Climbing a mast on a small lightly ballasted boat is very risky. Climbing a mast on a small boat sitting on a trailer, is riskier yet.

Take the mast down to work on it. When up, the mast will act as a lever, the force generated by the lever will easily over whelm the righting force of the keel.
 
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P

PEBI

.
Sep 30, 2026
22
Homebuilt 35 muck
dlochner said:
Climbing a mast is risky. Climbing a mast on a small lightly ballasted boat is very risky. Climbing a mast on a small boat sitting on a trailer, is riskier yet.

Take the mast down to work on it. When up, the mast will act as a lever, the force generated by the lever will easily over whelm the righting force of the keel.
Click to expand

There is no righting force on a keel while in a cradle on land. I only say this because if
nverbenec
thinks there is even a little righting force he might just try it because he's feeling lazy.
 
D

dlochner

.
Jan 11, 2014
14,197
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
PEBI said:
There is no righting force on a keel while in a cradle on land. I only say this because if
nverbenec
thinks there is even a little righting force he might just try it because he's feeling lazy.
Click to expand
A trailer is not a stable platform. The boat is balanced over the axle which affects fore and aft stability and the springs affect lateral stability. Boats can blow off of trailers. Adding 200 lbs at the top of the mast does not enhance stability.

In the water the hull fully supported by the water and the hull form adds stability. On a trailer it is only supported in a few places which point loads any forces on the hull. It is not unusual for someone up a mast to swing away from the mast, if this should happen the probability of the boat falling over increases.
 
Stu Jackson

Stu Jackson

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Feb 26, 2004
23,507
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
I used to have a C22. Whether the boat is more stable on a trailer or in the water is actually not the issue, I think.
The conclusion, however, is clear: take the mast down. It is too small a boat with physically limiting dimensions and weight distribution disturbances with someone aloft to warrant the chances of something, big time, going wrong.
 
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