Is this something you want to do regularly, or is it a one-time thing? For the former, I think it's impractical. It might be better to cut the mast and convert it to deck-stepped, with a hinged step.So I've seen some clever Mast raising rigs... But has anyone built something for a keel stepped mast? 28-footer ... for raising and lowering the rig on your own?
That would require some careful engineering as well as lower the resale value of the boat.It might be better to cut the mast and convert it to deck-stepped, with a hinged step.
How many people would be involved in this?on your own?
This is true regardless of whether a crane is pulling the mast or a gin pole on deck. The pick is at the center of gravity and then a line is run to a secure point towards the base of the mast, either the goose neck fitting or the vang fitting. As the mast is lifted and turned vertical the weight is picked by the base and the line at the CG controls the middle of the mast and serves as a pivot point.I'm sure it can be done. The trick here is that you have to get that mast almost perfectly vertical and then lower it, straight and carefully, about 5', all while it's not supported by the regular standing rigging. And, while it's being lowered, you can't necessarily support it from the bottom of the mast, as that has to pass through the deck collar
No there are spreaders, but don't lift by the spreaders. The spreaders are designed to take compression loads from the rigging, not vertical loads as would be the case if the mast was lifted by the spreaders. The CG is typically a few feet above the spreaders on a keel stepped mast.This mast is about 41' (unless you have the tall rig option, which is 2' longer). There are no spreaders, so no convenient place to prop-up the mast.
Use the primary winches. Lower the mast the same way you lower someone down in a bosun's chair, slowly with good control. For a heavy mast, using 2 lifting lines lead back to the P and S primary winches is probably a better idea.You could construct some kind of an "A" frame and gin pole, but the big issue is going to be lowering it carefully into the boat.
Ah, yes, correct you are.No there are spreaders
They were pulling the mast with an undersized crane. The gin pole on the Travellift is designed to pick masts when the boat in the water. This boat was on the hard. They had to get it high enough and under control. It was the under control part that was a challenge because the mast was picked below the CG so it would be top heavy. As soon as it came out of the partners it would want to flip and crash on the deck.I watched the video from the 10 minute mark, they were pulling the mast with a crane. How is this apropos?
How many people would be involved in this?
What are you willing to spend on gear to make a mast-raising system?
Do you have a place to store the mast raising gear?
Is the mast to be raised while the boat's in the water, or on a trailer?
What's the position of the mast when you start to raise it, I mean, does it have to be carried into position?
I'm sure it can be done. The trick here is that you have to get that mast almost perfectly vertical and then lower it, straight and carefully, about 5', all while it's not supported by the regular standing rigging. And, while it's being lowered, you can't necessarily support it from the bottom of the mast, as that has to pass through the deck collar.
This mast is about 41' (unless you have the tall rig option, which is 2' longer). There are no spreaders, so no convenient place to prop-up the mast.
You could construct some kind of an "A" frame and gin pole, but the big issue is going to be lowering it carefully into the boat.
Sounds like a good excuse to buy a pickup truck with a larger towing capacity.But that is costly, so what I spend to create a system should be commesurate with the savings I would expect, about $1400/season if I can get a way to step the mast AND haul the 8klbs to my storage unit (<2mi away).