Height of mast when on trailer?

[Tedd]

Can someone tell me the "air draft" of the mast on a Hunter 260 when it's stowed and on the trailer?

I have a Mac 26S that I keep on its trailer in my driveway, under a Shelter Logic carport-canopy. I'm planning to sell the Mac and buy a Hunter 260 in the near future and I'm trying to decide how much I'll need to raise the canopy so it will fit. The inside peak of the canopy is 9'4" above the driveway, which gives small-but-sufficient clearance for the Mac mast. I'm pretty sure the Hunter mast will be higher, so my plan is to raise the canopy, but I don't yet know how much I'll need to raise it.

[Anticipating some responses: I know the Hunter is wider and, yes, it'll be a tight fit, but I'm not worried about that. I also know that the lifeline stanchions are a clearance concern, but one thing at a time.]

 

[Rick Webb]

For my 23.5 I made a support that slips over the rungs of the ladder and brings the mast up off of the bow rail and puts the mast parallel to the deck of the boat. That allowed me to get the boat in the carport of a previous house.

 

[Tedd]

Thanks, @Rick Webb , that's a good idea. I think I'll still have to raise the canopy, but that would probably help.

 

[Rick Webb]

Mine was made from a pressure treated 2 X 6 you may want to use a 2 X 8. Screwed blocks to match up with the rungs on it to keep it at the right for the mast then longer pieces on top of the blocks to make hooks to keep it from slipping off.

Another option if it is for infrequent use is to put smaller tires on to park it. With the brakes you can probably only go as small as 12" but if you are only short a couple of inches it may be enough.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The highest point of the 260!on a trailer is the backend of the mast aft of mast carrier. You can lower that some by angling the front of mast upward. Take a 4X4 treated lumber placing it across the top of bow pulpit and mark where sitting on bow pulpit and mark it cutting 1 inch off marked area so wood will sit securely on bow pulpit. Cut off 1 inch on top of wood for mast to sit in. That will lower mast some

 

[Rick Webb]

Check the archives I think this may have been asked before. In fact I think I asked it.

I also thought it maybe that you can get a few more inches by lowering the mast crutch. Again if this is for longer term like over the winter storage a new or segment the mast crutch you have now bringing the mast down to deck height.

Wonder also if a cradle could be rigged across the bow rail and across the stern rail seats using a 2 X 4 with a loop of line or a ratchet strap to get it at the right height with a seat cushion on top of the mast step to support the middle.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Look above regarding bow pulpit

 

[philiefay]

As Dave said, I added blocks of wood horizontally across the bow pulpit, this lowered the angle so I could get inside a 12ft roll up door. The air draft is about 12ft 4 inches prior to doing this. You could also cut some length of the vertical support for the stern cradle I think but I did'nt need to do this.