In need of a little informational help!

[Rward021]

Hi guys

I have just purchased my first boat. I am to believe it is a 1972 macgregor venture 24. I bought it from under a mans shed that has been sitting there for quite

awhile. It came with a main, a jib and what I am assuming a genoa. He could not tell me much information about the extras that were added on by the previous owner.

Now to the real fun!

There is a swivel mount on the foredeck that I am not sure what is. There was also a pole that was in the boat that I cant seem to find any information on.

The closest thing I could come up with is that it is some sort of bowsprit setup. In my limited sailing adventures with friends I have never been on a boat that used a bowsprit setup so I cant be sure of how it works if I am right.

Anyhelp would be great!

Thank you for reading and I am looking forward to learning more about this hobbie now that I have my own boat!

 

[dlochner]

Congratulations on your first boat!

As for that pole and fitting. I'm guessing it is some kind of gin pole to assist with raising the mast. A line would go from the mast head over the top of the vertical pole and then to someone on the ground or through a block at the stem and back to a winch.

The mast probably has a tabernacle or some kind of hinge at the base. By running the line over the top of the pole, a better angle is achieved to lift the mast head making the mast vertical.

All that is probably a terrible description for a new sailor. Search around for stepping a mast on a small boat. Maybe someone has some helpful photos.

 

[higgs]

I vote for the mast raising theory.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

It could possibly be a boom for the jib. making it self tending. Does it clear the mast when attached? jNeed better pics

 

[DArcy]

Welcome to sailboat ownership! There will be plenty of mysteries as you get going.
It looks like the pole could be a jib boom from this photo.

 

[Benny17441]

Is too far back to be a self tending jib boom and awkwardly positioned to be a mast raising auxiliary, my best guess is that it attaches to the clew of a genoa to keep it open when sailing wing to wing or in light air. From the pictures I do not see a deck fixture that would make it into an adequate bowsprit. If that base swivels it is a whisker pole holding bracket.

 

[dlochner]

There is a block at the top of the pole along with 2 cleats and an eyes strap. Run lines from the cleats to stanchion bases and a line from the eye strap to the stem, as if it were a mast and these were the stays. The heavy line goes through the block at the top of the pole to the main halyard which is run to the top of the mast. One person picks up the end of the mast and starts walking it forward and up while another person hauls on the line to pick up the load and stabilize the mast while the forestay is attached.

Cap shrouds are loosely attached to stabilize the mast from side to side and tightened once the forestay is attached.

 

[Ken Cross]

Show us the fittings on the ends of the pole. Many MacGregor's use a gin pole to raise the mast.
It makes it easy for a single person to raise the mast. The pole is then removed and stored until time to bring the mast down.
We need pics to be sure.

Ken

 

[jssailem]

@Rward021 Welcome to the adventure. As you can see there are a lot of knowledgeable sailors here.
As always the responses are only as good as the information you share. @Ken Cross makes a good point, send us pictures of as much of the items you want help with. It helps for us to better understand what you are seeing and to give you responses that will help.
@dlochner has a lot of experience and his description of a "Gin Pole" setup is right on.

The challenge is that what your showing could be a lot of things that a previous owner thought valuable to put on the boat.

The picture of the Ushaped metal thingy with a bolt running through it, is exactly the design used on a boat I owned. It is sometimes called a tabernacle and was used as a mast step for my 15 foot sail boat. It can just as easily be used to attache a gin pole to help raise the mast. It also is a trip hazard if you are jumping to the bow to lower the jib.

Again welcome to the fantastic life with a boat..

 

[Rward021]

Thank you all for the input!
It came with a mast raising system also which I am pretty familiar with, a 2×4 with a winch on it.

It looks like the picture DArcy posted. I have limited experience with whisker poles but they have always attatched tp the mast.

I will get some more photos of all the fittings on the pole.

Again thank you for the input, and i am looking forward to learning more about this hobby and the many adventures to come!

 

[Rward021]

Alright so this is the poles fittings.
The pole is 7ft long

 

[justsomeguy]

Alright so this is the poles fittings.
The pole is 7ft long

I'd try to get that pad eye or the block on the gin pole to line up with each other.
Even better, lose the pad eye and tie off your lifting line to the baled block. You may want to change the block's mounting orientation, I think.

 

[Jaybernard]

Hi RW, saw your posting. I have owned a couple of these boats however I have never sailed one. I bought one for the trailer and ended up trading it to an ex Marine who had the same boat however his was a piece of sh__ so i scrapped it and sold the trailer. So i think I might have an extra main sail for your boat. If you can measure your sail & take some pics

 

[Jaybernard]

If it fits you can have it

 

[Rward021]

Sorry for such a delayed response @Jaybernard. I will get it out tonight and pull some measurements.

 

[Jaybernard]

no worries i have been busy also

 

[Rward021]

no worries i have been busy also

22ft 9 by 10ft

 

[Rward021]

22ft 9 by 10ft

Will get some pics when this weather clears up

 

[Rward021]

no worries i have been busy also