Mast Crutch for 1984 Hunter 23

[tdboss]

The boat I got did not come with the factory mast crutch/holder. Does anybody have a used one, know of a location that has them or a drawing to fabricate one. I see the drawings to fabricate a a gin pole assemble to lower the mast. I will be fabricating that to help in lowering the mast to go with the mast crutch.

Thanks in advance
Terry

 

[rgranger]

I could snap some pics of mine with a tape measure in the pic.

You could buy the aluminum pole at Lowe’s over in the chain link fencing section. Then hire a welder to put the other pieces on the pole. You would have to cut the pole to the length you want. I bet you could get it done for under $150

 

[tdboss]

Appreciate the effort. I will take you up on the offer. Also, I am sure somebody in the future would appreciate this information on the forum.

 

[decktosser]

I think here may be an easier way. Buy two pieces of square steel tubing...the kind with all of the holes in it. Purchase the sizes so that one will fit inside the other. The eyelets for the rudder pintals need to be 24 inches apart. Those need to be on the outside piece and a simply through bolted. For those you can use eyelet bolts. The inside square will slide down as far as the upper eye bolt and then (depending upon the length that you want) can be pulled up and two safety pins can go through the other holes to hold the inner part secure from sliding back down. With a little imagination you can fashion a holder on the top so that you can use a roller. That will make getting the mast out there very easy.

 

[isaksp00]

Mine is similar to what decktosser said. It is two square steel tubes with one fitting inside the other. The larger one has two "gudgeons" welded to it, each about an inch or so long, spaced so the bottom of each sits against the base of the pintles on the transom when mounted. Just measure yours to get spacing. My tubes dont have holes except where through drilled to support the tubes in the extended and lowered positions. The nest of the top cradle piece should be at the right height to support the mast so the spreaders are just above the deck. The cradle is a steel pipe bent into an arc shape and welded to the top of the smaller tube, so it sits side-to-side when the tubes are nested. I don't have lengths and may not be where the crutch is for a few days.

 

[Kermit]

Don’t confuse the crutch for the H23 with the one for the H26. They’re not the same. A round pole will NOT work.

 

[rgranger]

Appreciate the effort. I will take you up on the offer. Also, I am sure somebody in the future would appreciate this information on the forum.

Okay
I’ll be back at the boat monday