Lowering Mast

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chris20636

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Feb 6, 2011
253
I searched through and read some of the mast lowering schemes from
this group. I also looked at some books, and web sites. There seem
to be many jigs and solutions to this problem. However, they all
seem to assume that the mast has some sort of tabernacle or hinge
installed. Has anyone unstepped and lowered the mast without
installing a tabernacle or hinge?

First, can anyone tell me how the early Vega is mounted to the deck?
From the outside, it seems to be just sitting on the deck. However,
I am assuming, the the mast is sitting on some sort of flange that
goes a few inches/centimeters up inside the mast.

How heavy is the mast? If the stays/shrouds were loosened enough,
could severeal people lift the mast up off this flanges (assuming
there is one). Can the bottom of the mast be safely secured by
muscle power, while the mast is lowered using some sort of A frame (I
have no boom or gin pole)?

Any suggestions or shared experiences would be appreciated.Chris
V265 Vinfalle
Chesapeake Bay, USA
 
P

pelagicasd

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Jan 28, 2001
694
Hi Chris, You're correct. The mast just sits on top of the plate and there
are a few internal flanges that keep it from shifting fore, aft and
sideways. Are you in the water? If so try and get into a slip between two
boats with taller masts then the Vega. (Not Hard!) A couple of lines over
the far side of their masts and over their spreaders taken to your mast will
be very helpful. Tie bowlines around your mast with the ends of the lines
and use your main halyard to raise them to your spreaders. Line handlers for
the other boats are needed. Beware, you have wires running through your mast
that go through a hole in the middle of the plate that the mast sits on.
Good luck. Walt
 
V

vega1860

.
Apr 28, 2000
691
Aloha Chris,

All things considered, personally I'd have the boatyard step the mast with their crane. The usual charge is around $75 and they are responsible for any damage. It's quicker, easier and safer, and IMO not prohibitively expensive considering the potential for damages and injury.

That's just my opinion; I could be wrong.

"Fair Winds"

Chuck

"walt/judy brown/allore" bestvega@... wrote:
 
P

pelagicasd

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Jan 28, 2001
694
Chris, Chuck brings up a very good point. That of liability. You can get the
mast down with the boom. Connect the main halyard to end of the boom and use
the main sheet to lowe the mast. Slowly play out the sheet ater disconecting
the back stay, uppers and lowers. I would recomend a couple of lines to the
mast above the spreaders and a couple of people on each side to control side
to side motion. One person at the base of the mast (you) another on the main
sheet and one on the foredeck. You might want to put a line on the base of
the mast and take it to the fore deck cleat so in case it does get off of
the flange it doesn't kick back to far. There is risk to this but it is
essentially how we got Lyric's mast down. The load is going to be on the
base of the flange so shear shouldn't be much of a concern. The flange is
screwed to a piece of wood embedded in the glass underneath. We found a lot
of rot in the wood after we got the mast down but it still didn't move. The
screws would have to shear or displace the glass lateraly. All in all I
don't think you have to much to worry about. Does anyone know if tabernacles
were an option on the Vega? Is Proctor still around? I know Steve Demonts
boat "Erendira" has a tabernacle. Walt, Lyric
 
C

chris20636

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Feb 6, 2011
253
From: "walt/judy brown/allore" bestvega@...
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2002 5:52 PM
Subject: Re: [AlbinVega] Re: Lowering Mast
 
P

pelagicasd

.
Jan 28, 2001
694
Chris, As I recall the flange is only about 1/2 to 3/4" high. The fit isn't
tight. There is also a large hole in the middle of the plate with a short
piece of pipe coming up through it. This is the below deck vent for the
famous mast ventilation system. The pipe is very short with the wall
providing a barrier for water under the mast getting belowdecks.
Walt
What do you plan to do to the mast while it is down?
 
V

vega1860

.
Apr 28, 2000
691
Hi All,

Sorry to hear that the easy way is not an option Chris. Walt, Lealea came with what I believe is the original equipment tabernacle; a sort of large stainless steel butt hinge with a flange that the mast base is attached to with screws. Using that, I've lowered and raised my mast several times, once by myself with no helpers. It is easy with two helpers and the method you describe below sounds as if it would work OK if used with caution. One point though, based on personal experience - make sure your mainsheet tackle is long enough before you start. The first time I lowered my mast I got it half-way down when I ran out of line on the tackle (That was exciting let me tell you!). Just to be on the safe side, I'd reeve a four part tackle with a hundred feet of half inch line using a cam-cleat block on the bottom just like your mainsheet tackle (Since my first experience lowering the mast I have permantently rigged my mainsheet extra long for that reason). You will also need either a helper or some arrangement of guy lines on the boom to keep it from flopping over to one side while you are lowering the mast. Be very, very careful."Fair Winds"

Chuck

"walt/judy brown/allore" bestvega@... wrote:
 
T

td76

.
Oct 31, 2019
50
I've uploaded a file called "Sprague.zip" to the files section of the group.
Within the zip file is "Sprague.pdf", an article by John Sprague on raising and
lowering the mast. The zip file is about 300K. The pdf file is slightly more
than 18 megabytes. PDF files may be read with Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
freely downloadable on the web.
 
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