Installing Maststeps on 35.5

[Steverhnm]

I am seriously considering adding maststeps to my 35.5. I had just purchased the boat and found the upper forestay birdcaged and decided to replace it since it appears the forestay is the only thing holding that mast up, the lower shrouds are swept back so far the pull the mast back...... I had to send someone up that time but I don't want to need someone else every time I want to check my rigging.

A couple of things concern me. Without the forestay, it looks like that mast would have toppled back when I checked by loosening the halyards to test. We used the jib and spinnaker halyard to pull the mast forward when replacing the rigging, but I gotta say, if we didn't have those halyards connected to the bow we would have lost the mast. Is everyone else's mast like that? Seems like a lot of rake.

This concerns me because I am about 280 Lbs and want to go up the mast. Does anyone have any experience with someone that size going up the mast? Is this a really bad idea, or do-able, but be cautious. I am thinking the moment-arm aloft might be too much.

I would like to use mast steps because I think they have the most control for a singlehander going aloft along with a bosun's chair and one halyard for safety. The other halyards for safety on the forestay.

I would like to be comfortable being able to asses my rigging anytime I want, instead of the dangerous cable gymnastics the riggers do to take themselves aloft. I am OK with having mast steps on my mast. I am actually thinking of having them made and selling them if they work out.

Does anyone know how thick the wall of the mast is? I would intend to use Monel Rivets but don't want them intruding too far into the mast, any suggestions as to the size of rivets? experience?

Any experience with Mast steps on your boat?
Do they get in the way?
Are you glad you put them in?
How did you fasten them, type size of fastener?
Did you use any anti-corrosive fluid on the fasteners?
What type did you install?
What was the separation between steps?

Thanks.. Steve

 

[David in Sandusky]

Thoughts

I believe your boat has a B&R rig. Search this website for links explaining how the rig carries the load of your sails and how to tune it. The B&R is a very strong and stable rig.

280 pounds is a fraction of the stress your sails put on your rig, and while sails pull the rig forward and to the side, your weight only pulls it down. As a result, your weight is no problem for rig strength or stability. (I went up our h27 mast, a much lighter rig, at over 300 pounds!)

The argument for steps is your comfort going up, and the ability to go up the mast without assistance.

 

[Steverhnm]

Re: Thoughts

Thanks David, I looked up the info on the B&R, However, my expereince in real life is that without that forestay its coming down, even if there is no load. Would have been nice to have some forward lowers, but hen that would have defeated the idea of the B&R I suppose. Part of me wants to add a second forestay on the rig.....

So no one else has added Mast steps to their masts or has them installed? In the entire Big Boat group?

 

[neilleparkerjr]

Steve,

If your boat is from the "Legend" series from approx. 1988-1996 as I believe most if not all boats with the .5 in their name are, it does not have a B&R rig. Those were used in the Hunter line prior to the Legend series with backstays and diamond stays. After the Legend series B&R rigs were used ever since, with diamond stays and NO backstay. Go to the Marlow-Hunter website and ask them, you will likely get a response from Eddie Breedon, who knows everything that ever happened on the Hunter line throughout its entire history. He is a godsend and can help you with. Whatever questions you may have concerning the initial build. Try that kind of question with Hinckley, Sabre etc. and see how much they know about what happened on the production line in any given year.

Enjoy your boat, that's what life is about!

Neill

 

[Steverhnm]

Thanks Neil, Absolutely love the boat. It does have a back stay, so it is the predecessor of the B&R. I will try contacting Hunter on my questions.

Hard to believe no one else has put mast steps on their rig in the larger boat series.

I was concerned that the rig has an aft-leaning tendency. The rake is substantial, even with the tension off the backstay. Anyway, I put a new forestay on and it looked solid. My other boat has lower fore-shrouds and loosing the forestay, while bad, is not catastrophic.

 

[MetricMountie]

Steve
I have mast steps on my 1992, 35.5 but only two near the base that I use to adjust the main cover. Due to vertically challenged stature I installed the steps to allow me or the Admiral to step up and pull the mast collar on the cover into the best position to allow for a nice snug fit for the cover on the mast and boom.

As to your point of climbing the mast to work on the furler, I've been up the stick several times when things have gone wrong with the furler or halyards. I use the spinnaker halyard as a temporary forestay attached to the loop on the anchor roller and climb in a chair using the main halyard as the lift and the spinnaker top lift as my backup line. I've never experienced any problems with mast security using this method. All the best from the frozen North.