Help Me Make "X" Travel Brace for Mast in Down Position?

[MacNCheese]

Sad? Very sad. But I failed at making the very basic Sailboat project. The "X" shaped travel brace to put in the cockpit to give support to the mast while it's in the down position.

I used two boards tied together with a rope in the middle in a "X" shape and placed it snuggly under the mast in the cockpit. The result? Stays put 1 mile and then falls over :cry:

Is this mast support really necessary for an hour's travel? If so, can you please post up any advice or pics for the engineeringly challenged? How can i make this silly thing stay in place?

My Mast thanks you

 

[centerline]

im not familiar with your abilities as a rigger, but I would think the x piece should have a bolt through the middle of where they cross each other to hold them together securly, so the rope doesnt slide down on the boards and let the x fail you.
then... if you lash the lower "legs" of the x to the taff rail and lash the top of the x to the mast so it cant slide either way, I dont see how it could fall over. BUT... you must also bungie the mast to the pulpit rail at the front of the boat so it doesnt move fore and aft. otherwise it could slide one way or another and pull the rear crutch over. sometimes you cant get rope tight enough to hold the mast from shifting. i have found bungies to be very secure, although a piece of rope for safety is good insurance in case the bungie breaks.
as for the need to have it in the rear crutch for an hours travel I cant say.... whats the difference of driving it for an hour that way or 1000 hours that way? it either rides ok or it doesnt. if there is any potential for wear or damage to ANYTHING, then its not ok in my opinion, for even a 5 minute ride.
I am not sure how the 26D had the mast support crutch at the rear of the boat but someone will chime in and let you know how the original setup was supposed to be. good luck

 

[MacNCheese]

im not familiar with your abilities as a rigger, but I would think the x piece should have a bolt through the middle of where they cross each other to hold them together securly, so the rope doesnt slide down on the boards and let the x fail you.
then... if you lash the lower "legs" of the x to the taff rail and lash the top of the x to the mast so it cant slide either way, I dont see how it could fall over. BUT... you must also bungie the mast to the pulpit rail at the front of the boat so it doesnt move fore and aft. otherwise it could slide one way or another and pull the rear crutch over. sometimes you cant get rope tight enough to hold the mast from shifting. i have found bungies to be very secure, although a piece of rope for safety is good insurance in case the bungie breaks.
as for the need to have it in the rear crutch for an hours travel I cant say.... whats the difference of driving it for an hour that way or 1000 hours that way? it either rides ok or it doesnt. if there is any potential for wear or damage to ANYTHING, then its not ok in my opinion, for even a 5 minute ride.
I am not sure how the 26D had the mast support crutch at the rear of the boat but someone will chime in and let you know how the original setup was supposed to be. good luck

Thanks!

 

[vwjon Mac25]

another way

I screwed two stainless eye bolts into a pressure treated 2X4. It just hangs on the rudder pintles. The roller on top helps when rigging.

 

[Knuttle]

from the factory

I screwed two stainless eye bolts into a pressure treated 2X4. It just hangs on the rudder pintles. The roller on top helps when rigging.

That is the way the Venture 21 came from the factory. The arrangement has successfully done its job for 40 years.

Venture 21 = Macgregor 21

 

[finding41]

Mac in the cockpit on the back there are or should be two SS brackets. They hold a 1x4 that holds up the mast on that end. (From the factory)
I don't have any support in the middle of mine and don't think it needs any. It should be bolted to the pulpit at the front and tied to the brace at the back. Bungee your rigging lines up nice and off you go.
The picture shows how mine is positioned. I think mine is a home made replacement.

 

[MacNCheese]

Mac in the cockpit on the back there are or should be two SS brackets. They hold a 1x4 that holds up the mast on that end. (From the factory)
I don't have any support in the middle of mine and don't think it needs any. It should be bolted to the pulpit at the front and tied to the brace at the back. Bungee your rigging lines up nice and off you go.
The picture shows how mine is positioned. I think mine is a home made replacement.

Thanks for everyone's input! I will get a 1x4 & find these ss brackets. And if my boat no longer has them, I'll use the other method described from the rudder pindles.

 

[timebandit]

This is what I made because I have about 50 miles of ahahahahah bouncy road to the ramp. U bolts hold it to the pushpit.

 

[MacNCheese]

This is what I made because I have about 50 miles of ahahahahah bouncy road to the ramp. U bolts hold it to the pushpit.

I got to thank everyone as I took your advice and made this setup below. It was a successful trip yesterday, except for the tailight fuse continually blowing (anyone had that problem?) It's a former saw horse. A little ghetto, being held together by bungi cords and duct tape but it worked!

P.S.: Does anyone know what those two white plastic tubes are for that I bungied the bottom of my saw horse legs to? They appear to be fishingpole holders, but on a sailboat?

 

[Doc_holiday]

The brackets are just port side of center at the back of the cockpit in your pictures. A 1x4 with a v notch cut in the top slides down into those brackets and the rear of the mast rests in the v. A cleat is screwed to the 1x4 and you can use a small rope to tie the mast down into the V

The white plastic tubes look like fishing rod holders. Drop the handle of the rod down in and the reel mount sits down in the slot

 

[MacNCheese]

The brackets are just port side of center at the back of the cockpit in your pictures. A 1x4 with a v notch cut in the top slides down into those brackets and the rear of the mast rests in the v. A cleat is screwed to the 1x4 and you can use a small rope to tie the mast down into the V

I brought with me several lengths of 1x4's with plans to slide them into those silver brackets you mentioned.
Possibly due to my boat being among the first 26D's off the line in '88, my brackets are made for a 1x3 instead of 1x4. I didn't feel like going back to the hardware so I improvised.

 

[Doc_holiday]

It may be 1x3, you could rip it to size. It stows nicely too and if lowering the mast by yourself, it's easy to hit the V. I'll upload a pic later today

 

[MacNCheese]

It may be 1x3, you could rip it to size. It stows nicely too and if lowering the mast by yourself, it's easy to hit the V. I'll upload a pic later today

Thanks, I'd like to see

 

[Doc_holiday]

Sorry for all the leaves and debris, just got her home and didn't clean her out after Sandy yet anyway...

Crap! Water sits on top of the slider on the companionway and as soon as I opened it, it all went into the cabin

I also like what some others do, when the mast is laid in its cradle and bolted to the bow, they took a 3" PVC pipe section and bolt it to the tabernacle and cut a v in it too as a center support so the mast doesn't sag in transport. I'll make one of those before I transport OHANA again.

Anyway, the cradle is longer than I would like it for transport but if shorter, the mast may hit the pop-top glass when lowering it. Once it's lowered, unbolt the mast, and slide it forward to the bow and bolt it there

 

[MacNCheese]

Sorry for all the leaves and debris, just got her home and didn't clean her out after Sandy yet anyway...

Crap! Water sits on top of the slider on the companionway and as soon as I opened it, it all went into the cabin

I also like what some others do, when the mast is laid in its cradle and bolted to the bow, they took a 3" PVC pipe section and bolt it to the tabernacle and cut a v in it too as a center support so the mast doesn't sag in transport. I'll make one of those before I transport OHANA again.

Anyway, the cradle is longer than I would like it for transport but if shorter, the mast may hit the pop-top glass when lowering it. Once it's lowered, unbolt the mast, and slide it forward to the bow and bolt it there

Thanks! This is what I'll make tomorrow then

 

[Doc_holiday]

For what it's worth, I just measured it at 53 3/4" long.

 

[MacNCheese]

For what it's worth, I just measured it at 53 3/4" long.

Thanks Doc! I made it tonight and your measurements were just what I needed.

While I was on the bow trying to turn the mast enough so that the skinny side was down to make it fit into the slot, the worst thing happened. The masr fell off my wooden aft stick and came crashing down onto the pop top! It was bone crushingly loud so I knew my pop top was a gonner.

Thank the Lord that I happen to leave a smal metal cake pan full of nails and that had cushioned its fall leaving the pop top intact!
Below is a picture of my now crushed cake pan that I'll always have in the boat for good luck.

Hopefully my pics aren't too dark.

 

[finding41]

Hey Doc and Mac; Can you lift the pop top up all the way with the mast at that height?
I mean the 53 3/4"... Is that the length of the board?

 

[finding41]

Hey Mac; What is that aluminum post with white handle coming out of the laz into your motor well?
And yes those are fishing rod holders. How else you going to catch supper...?

 

[MacNCheese]

Hey Doc and Mac; Can you lift the pop top up all the way with the mast at that height?
I mean the 53 3/4"... Is that the length of the board?

Yes that is the length of the board but I haven't tried to open the pop top since adding this new board so let's see what Doc says. By Thursday I'll have a chance to test it myself.