Lowering the Mast
- Thread starter JasonC
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I have a S model, and lowering is real easy.
Not sure if the M is the same.
I don't even bother with the gin pole. I run about a 10-12 foot rope from the bow pulpit to the end of the jib halyard, then take the other end of the halyard under its cleat, to the cockpit and start letting out rope. The mast will begin lowering towards you. Having the halyard under the cleat creates enough friction that you don't have to hold a lot of tension to control the descent. When it gets low enough to reach I just catch it and let the halyard go, and set it in the mast crutch.
I started that way, but ended up grunting it out, I was not sure I old hold onto the rope, while I knew I could hold the mast.
I use the system solo. When cruisers come by, and send me nice 3 feet waves, I just winch it up a little, and then try to synchronize it down and finally succeed. LOL. The system is very, very sturdy.
The most important is to settle everything right first, so that nothing gets mingled. VERY important.
If something gets mingled up, just winch back, fix it and get back to it.
Nice system.
The most important is to settle everything right first, so that nothing gets mingled. VERY important.
If something gets mingled up, just winch back, fix it and get back to it. Nice system.
I'm old and getting older. I just hoisted it up there a couple times, but then thinking about the consequences of a slip on my part to me and/or the boat reverted me to...
.. the mast raising system. I feel it is well worth the couple minutes it takes to hook up and with it even Ruth can winch it up.
More on it here...
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/rigging-2.html
Sum
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Our MacGregor S Pages
Mac-Venture Links
.. the mast raising system. I feel it is well worth the couple minutes it takes to hook up and with it even Ruth can winch it up.
More on it here...
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor/rigging-2.html
Sum
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Our MacGregor S Pages
Mac-Venture Links
putting the mast down is easy so if you go under a low bridge or something it's a snap(with the stock mast raising system). Raising the mast back up takes some care so you don't get any of the cables twisted. I did manage to crack a solar panel once, they are mounted on the sliding hatch, and learned to always close the hatch before lowering the mast. This only applies if you have cells on the hatch.
I have this theory that us Mac people are possibly going the wrong way with the masts?
Nothing to purchase as the boom does what the Mast Raising System does. No extra pole to store, or wench to purchase / store.
I am going to try it this way this spring.
See photo
Nothing to purchase as the boom does what the Mast Raising System does. No extra pole to store, or wench to purchase / store.
I am going to try it this way this spring.
See photo
A couple things you might want to consider first. One is that in the picture above they have baby stays attached to the boom to help stabilize the whole deal side to side. Once the mast gets above where it is in the picture they are going to do very little. Maybe there is something else out of the picture that we can't see.I have this theory that us Mac people are possibly going the wrong way with the masts?
Now the real deal breaker for me would be that we trailer with the ....
....foot of the mast up forward on the pulpit. Then we just slide the mast back to the deck plate on the cabin top, which is not that far away. One of the great things about the Mac is that all of the shrouds and backstay stay attached and are in proper tension once the mast is up and the forestay is pined. You only have to adjust it and some don't.
Now if you are going to use the boom you have to get the mast so that the foot is trailed at the back of the boat or turn it all the way around before raising it. How are you going to do that and also keep all of the standing rigging attached? Also if you do have it turned around on the trailer and will put up with reattaching all of the rigging you have a long ways to move the foot of the mast to the cabin top and while doing that what is going to be supporting the mast ahead of the boat?
Also on our boats the forestay tensions the rigging not the backstay, so if you raise it like in the picture you have to keep the mast from coming over backwards. That means attaching the forestay first and the backstay last. Next you would then have to go back and mess with the forestay tension again. I think from your other posts the CM has a different shroud setup vs. the fractional rigged Mac, so what they are doing will work on that boat, but would be a real mess on the Mac as far as I can tell.
The Mac is one of the few boats that you can store and raise the mast without messing with rigging tension except for the forestay. Why get rid of that great plus? I think I'll stick with my little gin pole. If we can get enough supplies on the boat for over a month on the water with out re-stocking and can still get the gin pole aboard I think we are set
,Sum
Our Endeavour 37
Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida
Our MacGregor S Pages
Mac-Venture Links
I would not waste my time trying to reinvent the wheel.
The mac's shrouds (side stays) are set back behind the mast so that when the forestay is released they ease their tension as the mast is lowered aft.
Conversely, when the mast is raised they tension themselves.
If you attempt to lower the mast foward you will have to remove all but the forestay and the line holding the boom from moving left or right will not prevent the mast from falling over the side.
Now if you are just thinking of using the boom as a gin pole and lowering the mast to the rear, that could work.
If using the boom for a gin pole check the length to see if it will clear the pullpit.
The mac's shrouds (side stays) are set back behind the mast so that when the forestay is released they ease their tension as the mast is lowered aft.
Conversely, when the mast is raised they tension themselves.
If you attempt to lower the mast foward you will have to remove all but the forestay and the line holding the boom from moving left or right will not prevent the mast from falling over the side.
Now if you are just thinking of using the boom as a gin pole and lowering the mast to the rear, that could work.
If using the boom for a gin pole check the length to see if it will clear the pullpit.
A few people have put wheel house conversions on their Macs, and they are stepping the mast from the bow, and not the stern. I will look the issue over in the spring when I unwrap the boats. I have yet to raise the mast, only watched someone else take it down. Spring will be a time of learning. I just do not want anyone getting hurt. Our marina has a mast raising boom set up to use. I may use that.
One other thing to think about.
The mast is 28 feet long and the distance from the mast step to the pulpit is about 11 feet so that when you let the mast down it will want to teater totter over the rail when you unbolt it.
If you want to have some fun just take the mast and stand it up on the ground and see what it takes to balance it.
When I do raise the mast it looks easy but I have had a lot of pratice.
Come to think about it I do not have one bit of dedicated mast raising equipment and yet I have all I need.
My gin pole is my jib boom, block and tackle is from my main sheet control, soft ties are used to attach motorcycle tie down to stantions or hand rails.
The baby stays are the motorcycle tie downs I use to secure the ice chests to the fore deck or anywhere I want.
I thinking that if I had a pilot house on my boat I would use the marina's set up.
The mast is 28 feet long and the distance from the mast step to the pulpit is about 11 feet so that when you let the mast down it will want to teater totter over the rail when you unbolt it.
If you want to have some fun just take the mast and stand it up on the ground and see what it takes to balance it.
When I do raise the mast it looks easy but I have had a lot of pratice.
Come to think about it I do not have one bit of dedicated mast raising equipment and yet I have all I need.
My gin pole is my jib boom, block and tackle is from my main sheet control, soft ties are used to attach motorcycle tie down to stantions or hand rails.
The baby stays are the motorcycle tie downs I use to secure the ice chests to the fore deck or anywhere I want.
I thinking that if I had a pilot house on my boat I would use the marina's set up.
You can just see my jib boom/gin pole/longest boat hook hanging on the port life line out of the way, it is nine feet long.
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