On my old Catalina 22 I only needed to release the 2 forward shrouds and the forestay in order to drop the mast. Is that true also for my O'Day 25??? I need to drop the mast because my mainsheet somehow got run up to the top of the mast and I either need to go up the mast (don't think so) or drop it. Thanks ken
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retrieve the mainsheet
i did the same thing (duh) i used my boat hook and golfball pole retriever with a coathanger duct taped together to retrieve it got lucky and hooked her on first try lol
i did the same thing (duh) i used my boat hook and golfball pole retriever with a coathanger duct taped together to retrieve it got lucky and hooked her on first try lol
Before you drop the mast---
Ken, if you have an extra halyard, try hooking a rope to the head shackle and tape a short piece of coat hanger with a hook pointing up, so you can snag your Main halyard. Put a bend in both ends of the wire hanger, and tape it to your spare halyard in such a way that it won't pull off the rope when you snag your Main Halyard. I did this last summer for a guy's Bristol 24 and was very successful. If you have to take your mast down, I'm pretty sure that the 25 O'Days have special plates on the stays for pivot bridles that attach to the end of your boom. The boom acts as a gin pole for letting down the mast over the bow with the aid of the topping lift and Mainsheet. The pivot bridles keep the boom straight. If you've never done this before, you need to talk to someone with a 25 or 26 OD who has, or get some directions off the web. It involves taking the rope out one sheave of each double sheave of the mainsheet to provide enough rope so that your mainsheet can have enough rope on it to let the mast all the way down. I don't think you need to loosen your side stays, but your back stay needs to be taken off. If and when you do this, disconnect the roller furler if you have one, and have someone guide the roller furler to keep it in line with the mast as it comes down. Also, and this is most crucial; make sure that the wind is coming directly toward the bow. No wind is even better. If you can,--give the coat hanger a try.
Ken, if you have an extra halyard, try hooking a rope to the head shackle and tape a short piece of coat hanger with a hook pointing up, so you can snag your Main halyard. Put a bend in both ends of the wire hanger, and tape it to your spare halyard in such a way that it won't pull off the rope when you snag your Main Halyard. I did this last summer for a guy's Bristol 24 and was very successful. If you have to take your mast down, I'm pretty sure that the 25 O'Days have special plates on the stays for pivot bridles that attach to the end of your boom. The boom acts as a gin pole for letting down the mast over the bow with the aid of the topping lift and Mainsheet. The pivot bridles keep the boom straight. If you've never done this before, you need to talk to someone with a 25 or 26 OD who has, or get some directions off the web. It involves taking the rope out one sheave of each double sheave of the mainsheet to provide enough rope so that your mainsheet can have enough rope on it to let the mast all the way down. I don't think you need to loosen your side stays, but your back stay needs to be taken off. If and when you do this, disconnect the roller furler if you have one, and have someone guide the roller furler to keep it in line with the mast as it comes down. Also, and this is most crucial; make sure that the wind is coming directly toward the bow. No wind is even better. If you can,--give the coat hanger a try.
Some Differences
Your Catalina had two sets of lowers, the O'Day only has one, so there is no forward (or aft) lowers, just the lower. Because there's only one lower on each side, and it's on the "pivot line" of the mast hinge, you don't have to disconnect it; in fact, you shouldn't disconnect it. However, you DO need to be careful when lowering and raising the mast that you don't bind the turnbuckles and bend them (it's real easy to do, trust me). Beyond that, the rest of the posts here pretty much sum up what you need to do. Use a gin pole, and have at least one other person helping you.
Your Catalina had two sets of lowers, the O'Day only has one, so there is no forward (or aft) lowers, just the lower. Because there's only one lower on each side, and it's on the "pivot line" of the mast hinge, you don't have to disconnect it; in fact, you shouldn't disconnect it. However, you DO need to be careful when lowering and raising the mast that you don't bind the turnbuckles and bend them (it's real easy to do, trust me). Beyond that, the rest of the posts here pretty much sum up what you need to do. Use a gin pole, and have at least one other person helping you.
Add to " Our Gin Pole" Previous post
Notice that the boat trailer style wench on our 2X4 gin pole is a reversing winch which allows us to winch the mast up, then reverse the lock cog and winch the mast down. It doesn't get any easier than that.. uaaahhh well maybe the electric winches, Hee He. You can do it on the trailer or in the water. Probably could do it single handed but I'm to chicken to.
Notice that the boat trailer style wench on our 2X4 gin pole is a reversing winch which allows us to winch the mast up, then reverse the lock cog and winch the mast down. It doesn't get any easier than that.. uaaahhh well maybe the electric winches, Hee He. You can do it on the trailer or in the water. Probably could do it single handed but I'm to chicken to.
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