Macgregor 26M Mast Raising System Fix

[Jim26m]

I often raise or lower the mast in a cross wind. The mast tends to sway more than I'm comfortable with, using the stock M raising rig. Raising stays attach to the stanchions at one end, and to the mast raising connection at the mast. So, at about 6 feet off the deck, the rig allows an 8" (approx) range of motion - which is significant (feet) at the 30 foot mark. It doesn't feel really good until the standing rigging catches it near the full up position. The stanchion connection points are NOT inline with the mast pivot point, so it is not merely a matter of connecting stays directly to the mast to eliminate the slop. Finally got time to relocate the stanchion attachment points.

As you can see, the stanchion attachments were almost 2" high and 3/4" too far toward the stern. Once I got the stanchion points relocated, I attached the raising stays to the mast bail bolt at the raising bail. Now the mast goes up and down with virtually no swaying.

Full disclosure, I did practice on a few stainless bolts to dial in the settings before I welded the loops back on. Yes, I welded them in place. They aren't easy to remove. Always a good day when you finish welding and neither the boat nor the house is on fire.

 

[Jim26m]

Related generally to mast raising and trailering is headsail furler management. The factory does not supply a carrier bracket or support, so there are various designs. The previous owner of my boat used the old tried and true crutch support.

It is tedious to put it on and not very secure. So I made a variation of the plastic drainage pipe support.

1/8 x 3/4 aluminum strapping, hand formed to join the two pieces together. I'm using captive Velcro straps to secure the support to the mast, and the furler to the support.

The finished product. Note the pipe coupling pieces on the aft end of the mast piece. These were added to rest on two halyard cleats. There is a small treated wood block added to the front of the mast piece that meets the mast step bracket (where the pipe curvature meets a flat surface on the bracket). Now, I can toss the furler support on the mast and it won't fall off while I'm trying to remember which bungee cord I need to secure it. In fact it sits securely on the mast without fastening the Velcro straps. Although difficult to see, there is a Velcro strap just behind the furling drum to secure the front end for trailering.

It's a bit heavier than the aluminum crutch, but much quicker.

 

[Hunter216]

The stanchion connection points are NOT inline with the mast pivot point

Nice welding job!

Interesting that the original design didn’t have these in the right place.

 

[RussC]

Nice job Jim! hilarious that someone took the term "mast crutch" literally.

 

[Jim26m]

Nice welding job!

Interesting that the original design didn’t have these in the right place.

Thanks @Hunter216. Just starting to learn TIG, and I really enjoy it.

There are a few things about the boat that I just don't get. That misalignment is probably the worst one - since they seemed to get it right on the earlier models. And, even an idiot like me can tell it's wrong. To add a little spice to the mix, the gin pole has a bracket at the bottom that collapses if you get much side load on it. So, allowing the mast to wander can get dangerous. Actually, if you happen to lean on the gin pole while it's under load, you can have a real problem. Side stays for the gin pole will probably be my next project, possibly with a brace for the lower bracket...

 

[Jim26m]

Nice job Jim! hilarious that someone took the term "mast crutch" literally.

Thanks @RussC. He kept the boat on the hard with the mast up, about 500 ft from the ramp. I don't think he trailered very often, so I guess the crutch never bothered him. But, even in Alabama, that's a Rube Goldberg special.

 

[Jim26m]

Added another stanchion loop for gin pole stay attachment.

Added loops to the gin pole sides also.

Rolled her outside and set the stay lengths.

Used clamps instead of crimping, so wrapped it in rigging tape and coated with liquid electrical tape. Not thrilled with the look, but it won't cut my hands.

 

[Jim26m]

Final look after liquid tape application.

Not a thing of beauty, but functional.

 

[Tom McCormack]

I have no welding skills. So I attache into the stanchion base support. I also raise in t fierce crosswinds. I use a light block and tackle on each side so I can adjust the tension as necessary. This has saved me more than once as the wind kicked up.

 

[Jim26m]

I have no welding skills. So I attache into the stanchion base support. I also raise in t fierce crosswinds. I use a light block and tackle on each side so I can adjust the tension as necessary. This has saved me more than once as the wind kicked up.

Great idea! More than one way to skin a cat!

 

[walt]

Different boat so maybe a different issue but here is a data point of what Mac was doing back in 1990 with the baby stays and I thought it was actually somewhat clever. The perfect deck attachment spot for the "baby stays" (these keep the mast from going side to side during raising) would be exactly in line with the mast pivot point and also at the exact same height as the mast pivot point.

But the deck slopes downward on the 1990 26S side to side. So you would need to significantly raise the baby stay attachment point off the deck if those attachment points were exactly lined up side to side with the mast pivot point.

To compensate for NOT raising the baby stay deck attachment point to the same height as the mast pivot point (which would be a toe stubber if you are walking up in that area), they just moved the baby stay attachment point forward about 3.5 inches. With this I do get a little slop allowing the mast to one side as its being raised but I have never thought it was excessive and a pretty clever compromise. And if there is some wind when Im raising the mast, I generally try and orient the boat in the same direction as the wind. This has worked well for me for how simple it is to use and I think I have raised and lowered that mast well over 100 times in all the years Ive owned the boat.

FYI, I cant say for sure those attachment points were from the factory as I did not buy the boat new. If not, someone overall did a good job figuring out a good (and I thought clever) spot for them.

 

[Jim26m]

Thanks for posting that @walt. How high on the mast are your baby stays attached? Mine are 6 ft up on the mast. If I understand your photo, your baby stays may start tight and get more slack as your shrouds start to catch the mast. Mine was wondering to the point that I was worried about damaging the mast step brackets, or deck. Longer stays might make that 3.5" offset less of an issue. At the surface, I'm taken aback by the look of it.

I have virtually no choice in wind orientation during raising or lowering, unfortunately. Also, I've had to drop the mast on the water before, so I'm trying to make that uneventful as well.

Certainly another very interesting data point.

 

[walt]

your baby stays may start tight and get more slack as your shrouds start to catch the mast

Exactly right..

My 26S mast raising baby stays attach to the mast at 61 inches - looks like a bit lower than on the newer boat. I bought the boat when it was about 17 years old so once again dont know if what I have is mostly stock but would guess that it is. I have left all the baby stay attachment points (mast plus deck) where they were when I got the boat but have beefed up the mast attachment and made sure the deck attachment had backing plates on the underside. I made the baby stay cables themselves when I first bought the boat (man.. I think 13 years ago now) from 1/8 inch ss cable, ss thimbles and copper swage crimps... Seems no problem.

When I have the mast in the crutch but connected to the pivot, the baby stays are tight.. Tight enough that its a little bit of a hassle getting the mast base pivot bolt in but I think that is a good thing.. As the mast is raised, the baby stays will loosen a little and the mast will list to one side so that only one of the baby stays is carrying the load. At some point, the actual mast stays tension and take all the load off the baby stays. Ive never measured exactly how much it lists (complete guess at maybe an inch or two max at about 5 or 6 foot up??)but Ive never felt it was even coming close to bending or damaging something.