Oday 272 mast step process
tmeissner
Here is the real info on lowering your mast. I own an Oday 272 LE 1989 and have lowered mast manually, with hoist and with homemade A frame. The hoist is the safest and least strain on man and boat.
After viewing another owner's design a built an A frame with 2x4's and a hinge. Cut 2x4's to length measured from furler /forestay to the chain plates. At the chainplate end make a notch approx 1x1 inch on the lower side to fit over the chain plate between the shrouds. At the bow end place a hinge - use a long fence gate type hinge and fasten both 2x4's with this hinge. This becomes the lever to lower the mast. Next I tied a line around the hinge/ 2x4s securely and attached that line around the furler or to the forestay securely and include a block attached to this line. This A frame will rise up holding the furler/forestay the same distance from the mast base as when it is secured to the bow. Tie lines around the chainplates to secure the 2x4's at that end in case they pop off the chainplate. Now attach a small block to the deckplate to which the furler/forestay are atraced - mine deckplate has 2 holes so use the extra unused hole for the block. Now run a heavy line from cockpit forward - I run it through the hook loops at bottom of each stanchion up to the bow and through the block you placed on the deckplate then to the block on the line around the furler/forestay and back again the deckplate where the end is tied off. This is the mechanical advantage. The base of the mast - I have an Isomat mast - has 2 pins for and aft. I remove the forward pin so the mast will pivot back. Then I detach the furler/forestay from the bow while the lend end in the cockpit is secured around the self tailing winch. The furler/forestay and A frame assy will begin to rise slightly until the line from the cockpit gets tight - I pull the line fairly tight when locking it around the winch. Now I return to the cockpit and begin easing out the line using 3 wraps on the winch. The mast moves down slowly at 1st then more rapidly as it decends. At the stern I have a receiving roller - a heavy black pipe mounted on a bolt through the rudder gudgeon with a nut to hold it in place. The pipe is about 7 feet long with a roller system at the top. It is held in place by a board with a hole cut for the pipe to pass through. This is secured to the aft safety rail with - tada Ductape. When the mast comes down it then rests on this roller. Now the A frame is high in the air holding the furler/forestay. - long explanation but this process has worked many times even singlehanding. Next you pull the forward pin from the mast base and pick up the mast base and walk it forward to the bow and place it atop the pulpit. Be careful as the A frame comes down as you move forward and you actually have to hold the mast back a bit as it wants to run forward with the A frame coming down. I have also reversed the process the raise the mast alone. I am not a big guy - 5'6" 140 lbs and over 60 years old.
After doing the manual process 1 time I will never do that again. The mast nearly fell on the guys and these were 2 very large college football players doing the work. Way too risky.
Only downside of A frame is the pressure put on the chainplates. If the bulkhead has any weakness - as mine did last year - this could cause it to bend/crack from the pressure. Otherwise this is the safest and most effective method in lieu of a hoist and can be singlehanded up and down with some practice and patience.
Hope this helps.
