Mast raising Hunter 25

[Kamanodental]

Aloha

I just inherited a Hunter 25 2006 and I need some help with the mast system. The book states "Tension the halyard by pulling it from the exit at the line stopper....Lock down the line stopper and securely cleat the halyard to the black plastic cleat on the side of the deck outboard of the line stopper" I tried this and it doesnt work!!! There is too much tension on the halyard at the stopper and I cant get the mast up. I used a winch and it still was too much tension where the halyard exits the mast to the stopper.

Does anyone have a picture of the function of that system or a diagram of the halyard scheme. "I really dont know what I am doing wrong." I have a roller furling system.

Mahalo for your kokua
Kamano
Hilo Hawaii

 

[isaksp00]

There are a number of pictures and videos of mast raising systems, search on this site for "mast raising". Also, Google for a term like "texas sailing hunter mast raising" - that site has a good video of one approach on a Hunter 23.

Not sure what you mean by "too much tension" - this is where the halyard exits near the bottom of the mast? Maybe you haven't raised the top of the mast above the stern so it is at an angle, ather than horizontal. Also, I would use some sort of gin pole system like that shown in the video on Texas Sailing. I do my 23 with a somewhat similar gin pole (except mine is a single stout aluminum tube bolted to the bottom of the mast, at right angles to the mast). I remove the furled jib from the furler, so it just has the stay/foil hanging from the top of the mast. I then run the jb halyard to the end of the gin pole, which has an eye bolt through it, with an eye on either side. The lower eye has a double block attached to it, with a similar double block attached to the trailer tongue (actually, to a vertical tube sticking up from the trailer tongue). A line goes through both double blocks (giving me a 4-1 advantage) and then back to the one of the jib sheet winches, which I use to winch it up. Not a one man job, by the way - prob 3 minimum if you want to be safe.

 

[soling42]

Sounds like Isak got it right. 1st, Are you using the gin pole?? Are all the shrouds and turnbuckles free to rise?? Is there anything pinched or misaligned at the mast base?? Before the final tensioning, while the rig is loosely upright, make sure that the lower turnbuckles and upper shroud connections are properly seated and not askew. It shouldn't be that hard with right configuration of gin pole leverage and a friend pushing it up during the first few feet of the lift.

Don't get frustrated if you're trying to figure out all the right steps without having seen it done. It's an easy procedure once you get the sequence figured out and are aware where the pitfalls lay.

You did the right thing by stopping and asking before something expensive breaks or someone gets a knot on their head.

Be safe, your sailing area can be pretty demanding.

 

[Kamanodental]

Mahalo for your help. I do have a gin pole but, my question should be does the halyard go from mast to the halyard block at the mast step then tie off at the clutch stopper or somewhere else.? Does this make sense????? I have a Hobie that I can lift the mast by hand. This is a great step for me..I also have Hawaiian out rigger that takes 3 people to raise the mast. So, please pardon my ingnorance or lack of a real boat experince. I know how to sail...Hawaiian outriggers ( sailed each Hawaiian Island on one) This 25 sounds like a lot of fun when you know her!! Mahalo again.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I am not sure exactly what you are doing but let me advise as I know this system.

Insert the mast raise pole into the mast tilting it upward toward the top of the mast a little but making sure no pressure of the pole is against the mast hole. Make darn sure you never grab the middle of the mast raise pole or you could bend it to a point that the pole would fail and damgae and/or injury could occur whether or not under tension.

Attach jib halyard to gin pole and secure. Make sure the jib halyard runs freely thru the mast. The supplied mast carrier has enough angle to raise the pole when being raised. Secure the end of the jib halyard to the cleat beside the winch whether or not the line is still attached to winch. Why? What would happen if the rope clutch failed? This is why you tie off to the supplied cleat.

Attach the mainsheet to the lower section of the mast raise pole or gin pole and the other end to the eye used for anchor in the anchor well. Make sure the block with the the retaining jaws for the mainsheet is attached to the anchor well. One word of caution, wear a shoe and use your foot when releasing the line in the anchor well when there is tension on the mainsheet or you could loose a finger.

You can pull up the mast by hand. Never bend over but use your knees when pulling as you want to avoid injuring your back. Make sure no lines or shrouds are caught on anything and check to make sure the shroud turnbuckles are not twisted in the chain plate. When raising, it is the most difficult for the first 30% but gets alot easier after that. IF there is another person then have that person next to the transom apply 20 to 25 pounds of lifting pressure to the mast without actually raising the mast. This helps tremendously reducing the exertion by the person pulling on the mainsheet or even using a winch too. Try to do this on the trailer as it is more cumbersome in wavy waters.

Make sure there are no overhead obstrucitons to include trees, etc but mostly paying attention to overhead wires from where the boat is to the ramp and vice versa.

When raising and you feel alot of tension all of a sudden happenning, stop and look to see what is caught. If you have to stop in the middle of raising and must drop the mainsheet line, as an added precaution, tie the line off to something should it come loose ifromthe mainsheet block.

When the mast is nearly all the way up, stop and look at your turnbuckles to make sure they are straight and not caught or twisted at the shroud chain plates.

Pull exta hard on the mainsheet and attach forestay. use foot to lossen the tension off the mainsheet and you are done in mast raising .

I hope from an easy explanation that this will helpl you.

crazy dave condon

davecondon@mindspring.com

 

[isaksp00]

Dave's explanation is right on (he doesn't sound so crazy to me?).

Only one note that I do a bit differently on my 23. The prev owner left me a pair of double blocks, more or less like what's in the main sheet (though no cam cleat to lock it) and a long line. I attach one block to the bottom eye on my gin pole, the other to a tube attached to the trailer (sticking up to near the bow). I could use the eye in the anchor well, of course. I run the free end of that line back to a jib winch next to the cockpit and use that (with about 4 turns) to raise, rather than pulling on the line by hand. It is actually rather easy, and I feel you don't need an electric winch as some have used (though of course you could). You just have to be careful that you watch for anything being caught, or that the shrouds don't twist in their sockets. I use electrical tape to tape the shrouds to the mast (the forestay, and all four sidestays) so they don't twist, but you have to watch it - mine have in fact twisted, and I had to lower and redo.

Also, because I once had my mast sway sideways on lowering and it broke the aluminum base plate off the mast tube, I fashioned a pair of side baby stays to help keep it vertical (side to side). You may not need this if you get at least 2, better 3, helpers who will reliably keep the mast from swaying. While others say they can do theirs alone, I would never try it - I think I'd want at least 2 others.

Mahalo (whatever that means), Peter

 

[Kamanodental]

Aloha Peter and all.
First "Mahalo means Thanks in Hawaiian" Also, Mahalo for all your help!!! The mast went up fine with lettle problems...the back is a little stiff but it worked out fine. This was a trial period for me not having to sail a "Hawaiian double masted outrigger" but a real sailboat. Its really quite different. Now the question???? I do note that there is a small tear at the opening where the jib halyard exits the mast to the winch. It looks as though it was hammered back in place. It is about 3.5 inches up the mast from the exit point. I dont have any pictures and wouldnt know to include them. Should I be worried or can this be welded or strapped with aluminum plate? Raising the mast went fine and thats when I noticed the crack or split that was hammered previously. It doesnt seem that bad as everything went fine and the split is the same. ( Tear a piece of paper and put it back together with a slight crack showing... thats what it looks like to me.)

Thanks
Kamano









Any help on this one...? BTW (Kokua means help)

Kamano

 

[soling42]

Pictures would make it crystal clear as to whether it's a problem or not. Undoubtedly it needs a repair of some sort. Glad to hear it went well.
Mike

 

[isaksp00]

I guess it wouldn't hurt to strengthen it. I assume the exit hole at the mast base has a fitting riveted, rather than through the bare aluminum tubing. Does the fitting seem well attached? On mine, that fitting doesn't really bear any load, it just protects the line from fraying. Does the crack seem to affect the mast tube strength? I guess you could try riveting an aluminum plate about the same gauge as the mast tube over the crack, or maybe even just strapping one or a few stainless hose clamps from a big box store at the crack, around the mast. I know they make them big enough, as I use one just below the mainsheet track (slot) to hold the main slugs up once I install it at the beginning of the season.
Peter

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

First a picture is in order to determine what exactly is going on and then a recommendation by me will be forwith coming. Please copy the photo to davecondon@mindspring.com as I know the boat too well.

The one thing most important is the mast and I have heard of many trying alot of things with many failures of course. Please send me the photo and I will let you know my thoughts.

crazy dave condon

 

[soling42]

Personal attention is great but if the challenge and solution are not posted on the board then the next person with the issue looses, and insight along with unique opinions shared here by others is lost. I'd encourage keeping it public.

 

[Jesse21835]

I'm with Soling 42. Keep it public!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

So often, many things can go off into tangents without getting to the crux of why or what caused the failure to occur on these posts. When dealing direct with the person as a former investitgator plus the fact I was involved with these designs and experience of sailing these boats, I can ask the questions and get to the specific cause and then a cure.

Twice I have posted the cures after dealing direct with the issue and no one has noticed. Now you know.

crazy dave condon