how to build a mast raising rig?

[allen-deckard]

thought about that but it doesn't work.

Because of the angle and where the pole is the forstay would go threw the rollers on the pole.

Add to that with the current way of doing it you have a nice tension on the mast after it's up and you have all the time in the world to hook things up like the forstay without disconnecting anything.

On my system as well I have a cdi roller furling and I don't take it off to raise and lower the mast. Infact I leave my head sail on as well since weight isn't an issue makes the whole thing work better.

But your idea isn't bad in theory I thought the same thing it just doesn't work.

 

[hcheadle]

Ok there's my horrible picture. I don't normally draw obviously but since I'm such a nice guy I gave it a whorl hehe anyway you should be able to get the concept.

OK now here is also a utube video. This IS NOT MINE I don't really care for some of his setup and I don't think it was put together with much more than spit and bailing wire but the concept is solid and it's close to what I did with mine and he's got a video which helps

Hi! This attachment of the drawing is no longer showing. Does anyone happen to still have a copy of the drawing / plans? We are working on designing an electric winch mast raising system on the trailer of our Hunter 26 and researching Pro Tips in doing so thanks in advance! Hannah

 

[T_Cat]

I use a homemade gin pole 2x a trip. So far no problems.

 

[hcheadle]

I use a homemade gin pole 2x a trip. So far no problems.

Do you happen to have the specs on how you made it and what supplies we'd need to do the same? Thank you so much in advance!

 

[AaronD]

Do you happen to have the specs on how you made it and what supplies we'd need to do the same? Thank you so much in advance!

@hcheadle: Mine looks pretty similar to @T_Cat's. Here's a little detail of the setup.



It's just under 7' long, with a 800-lb Fulton brake winch and Amsteel winch line. The brake winch is more expensive than a regular trailer winch, but highly recommended, as it won't free-wind (and drop the mast) if you release the handle (the same reason the C-22's swing-keel uses a brake winch). I put aluminum plates at the base, so it can't split or slip off of the mast.

My C-22 mast is 25' long and weighs about 75 lbs. If the center of gravity is at the midpoint, that would be 12.5' * 75 lbs ~= 940 pound-feet of torque at the mast base*. Divided by a 6.5' gin pole, we get ~144 pounds of force on the winch line. So I could have used a 350-lb winch. Fulton and Dutton-Lainson are both reliable brands. You can do the same calculations for your own mast. The masthead casting and spreaders probably place the CG a bit higher than the midpoint, but the mast starts already at a slight angle on the mast crutch, so these calculations are probably close enough.

* Thinking of this as torque wasn't immediately obvious to me, but an engineer friend talked me through it - imagine attaching a big wrench to the pivot point at the mast base and using that wrench to lever the mast up - the gin pole plays the role of that wrench).

I used a Harken 096 upright block to turn the winch line through the pole, so the winch is mounted on the top of the pole and the line clips to a padeye on the bow, but you can mount the winch on the bottom and use a regular block.

You can see the little stainless 2-screw pad-eyes near the bottom, used to cinch-strap the pole to the mast. I used cheap stainless pad eyes for everything except the one the forestay line attaches to (that's the only one that takes the actual mast-raising load, so I used a real marine pad eye there).

I have lots of ideas for improvements, and may build a new system someday (possibly from 2 aluminum pole sections, so it would break down and store in the boat, just in case we ever needed to lower the mast on the water). But this has been a big win over our old system.

 

[hcheadle]

I use a homemade gin pole 2x a trip. So far no problems.

Would you be so kind as to share also a photo of how the wood gin pole is attaching to the mast? Are the steel pieces on each end to give it extra strength where it inserts into mast? Thanks Aaron!! Hannah

 

[AaronD]

Would you be so kind as to share also a photo of how the wood gin pole is attaching to the mast? Are the steel pieces on each end to give it extra strength where it inserts into mast? Thanks Aaron!! Hannah

I'm sorry - it looks like I don't have any pictures of the gin pole on the mast, and the boat is 150 miles away, so I can't run out and snap one (when we've raised the mast, apparently I've been too occupied to take pictures).

But you can get the idea from @T_Cat's shot if you blow it up a little. The blue strap in that picture is a ratchet cinch strap (AKA motorcycle strap, ratchet tie-down, etc.) We use the same thing - the aluminum 'ears' on the end of our gin pole would be mostly covered by that strap, and they rest on either side of the mast.

I don't have a hole or other mounting point in the mast itself, so nothing inserts into the mast, the semi-circular end of the pole and aluminum ears rest around the mast, and the strap holds it in place. If your mast has a pre-configured mount point for the pole, that might be even better.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[hcheadle]

I'm sorry - it looks like I don't have any pictures of the gin pole on the mast, and the boat is 150 miles away, so I can't run out and snap one (when we've raised the mast, apparently I've been too occupied to take pictures).

But you can get the idea from @T_Cat's shot if you blow it up a little. The blue strap in that picture is a ratchet cinch strap (AKA motorcycle strap, ratchet tie-down, etc.) We use the same thing - the aluminum 'ears' on the end of our gin pole would be mostly covered by that strap, and they rest on either side of the mast.

I don't have a hole or other mounting point in the mast itself, so nothing inserts into the mast, the semi-circular end of the pole and aluminum ears rest around the mast, and the strap holds it in place. If your mast has a pre-configured mount point for the pole, that might be even better.

Hope that helps a bit.

THank you so much!!

 

[T_Cat]

I took some pix this morning
2x4x8 fir stud
Pix 1 low-tech plywood mast guides. Blue strap holds mast tight when in place.
Pix 2 harbor freight 1000# boat trailer winch
Pix 3 a couple of eye bolts and pulley
Pix 4 position of pole looking from the bow. Cable connects to front stay, jib sheet halyard connects to top eye bolt and is cleated off.

I have the winch set so it doesn't free spool while raising the mast. That makes it easier to free caught stays.
FYI it is a pain to raise and lower in cross winds. When lowering I usually have the disconnected stays in my left hand to guide the mast down. You must never release the winch handle when lowering or it will free spool and crash down ( just ask me how I know LOL)

I single hand this every sail.

I hope this helps

Russ

 

[T_Cat]

This is set up and ready to raise.