how to step mast

CalebD · Feb 14, 2013

You should be able to do this as you suggested.
I'm not sure if it would be better to lower the mast towards the stern though. If there is a roller furling unit on the fore stay it would be best to lower the mast towards the stern.

Joe11688 · Feb 14, 2013

CalebD is right. This is what I would do. Check out my photo albums for more info on this.

http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=372&page=2

http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=2744

Joe11688 · Feb 15, 2013

Forward is easier provided that you have at least 55' of line on your Mainsheet. Think about it. See how far these blocks are stretched out?

bellnier · Feb 15, 2013

Wouldn't the side stays need to be disconnected to drop it forward? They don't if you go back

Joe11688 · Feb 15, 2013

bellnier said:
Wouldn't the side stays need to be disconnected to drop it forward? They don't if you go back

You are absolutely right.
I can only speak for the O'Day 222 and all I can tell you is that the chainplates on my boat are aft of the mast. It's impossible to lower my mast over the bow without messing with my stays. Even if I could lower my mast over the bow, the mast would be top heavy.
The distance from the tabernacle to the bow pulpit is shorter than the distance from the tabernacle to the stern rail. This also holds true with the O'Day 25 and 26 I believe.

OK. So this fellow really doesn't need to build anything elaborate to hold his mast from hitting the top of the cabin if he chooses to lower aft.

He can use two 2x4s and bolt them together like a giant pair of scissors and rope it to his stern rail. The mast can be lowered aft and will rest in the apex of this makeshift rig.
He could also secure a short step ladder to the rail for the mast to lay on.

All he needs to do is remove his boom. He can leave the sail tied to the boom and stow it in the cabin to get it out of his way.

Then loosen his forestay and remove the front pin on the tabernacle.
He can use his Jib halyard to hold the mast up by attaching the halyard shackle to the bow stem chainplate and cleating off the halyard.

The forestay can be removed and bungeed to the mast so that it doesn't flop around.

Close the sliding hatch and stand on top of it and hold the mast while his crew mate lets the halyard off and unshackles it.

Before the mast is let down, the crew mate walks aft to the cockpit, straddles the seats and is gets into position to assist in the mast lowering if need be. Nobody should be walking on that boat while the mast is being lowered.
The mast can now be let down by hand without the aid of a Mainsheet tackle.
These masts are a little cumbersome but they're not heavy. If he picks a nice quiet protected spot to anchor in, this operation will come off without a hitch.

Note: Instead of hooking the Jib halyard shackle to the bow stem chainplate he could do the following which I think is easier;

If he has a single sheave block he can attach it to the rear hole in the bow stem chainplate and run a 3/8" X 60' line through it and attach it to the Jib halyard shackle. Run the halyard all the way up and cleat it off at the bottom of the mast.

The line can be taken around the mast and over the goose neck fitting. Pull the slack out of the line and draw it up good and tight and tie it off to the bow cleat. With the line holding the mast, he could remove the forestay and bungee it to his mast. He could also untie the line and hold on to it tight and walk to the mast and get ready for his crew mate to get into position just in case he is needed.
I did this by myself for over eight years when I trailered my O'Day 222. Believe me, it's not hard. I did it so many times each week that I could do it automatically without thinking about it.
I wouldn't attempt it with a roller furler connected to the mast though. This is where a Gin Pole really comes in handy.

If he has to motor any great distance to get to the bridge, I would advise him to unpin the mastl, bring it forward, and tie it to the bow and stern rails. All the stays can be left connected and bungeed to the mast.

Brian S · Feb 16, 2013

Here's one way to do it!

http://youtu.be/OEx504WaE0I

This one works too. 80 foot mast, 65 foot bridge? No problem: http://youtu.be/CInYj5P4evA

Ooooo, this video is even better, following the boat as it goes under: http://youtu.be/epz6BBZm__0

Though I have to say, I like the first one with 2 guys hanging on the end of the boom by the topping lift...

Brian

capitolamike said:
What he really wants to do for now is to lower the mast forward just enough using the main sheet to have the top of the mast clear the bridge, which he will raise after he's on the other side. The chain plates appear to be direct even with the mast, so I think it can be lowered either way. Obviously, if he want to lower the mast to put the boat on a trailer, I think he should lower it aft and then secure the mast with the base forward.

Joe11688 · Feb 16, 2013

I can understand his reasoning for doing this but if it was my boat going under that bridge I'd take the time to get the mast down and into the crutches and motor under it to an area where I could anchor and get the mast back up again. All it takes is some idiot to go by and create a large wake and there goes your mast.

The drawbridge on the river that I have to have open for me has a 27' vertical clearance height with the leaves down and my mast is 27' long sitting on the cabin. One day as I was coming back from an overnighter on the bay I called the bridge for an "open" and the guy told me that the bridge had broken down and stayed open for hours with traffic backed up for miles. They were able to get it back down but they couldn't open it up again until the bridge got repaired,---the next day.

I went into a quiet cove and took my mast down and motored under the bridge. There were powerboats speeding up and down that river that day leaving large wakes but they didn't have any effect on my boat. All I can say is good luck!

how to step mast

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