Mast Raising on H-260

[Sam Morgan]

Last year I was having a lot of trouble raising the mast on a used H-260 I had recently purchased. With the help of a fellow Hunter owner here in Las Vegas (Marcel) I found that the port mast strut was one inch too long. I have reduced the length of that strut and things are working a lot better. It seems that the extra inch of length was enough to keep the mast raising system out of column.

 

[Brigg Franklin]

Short struts

I also had problems initially with the adjustment. The threaded rods that are welded to the tangs on the sides of the mast were screwed too deep into the nuts in the end of the long hollow shafts. The first time I raised the mast it broke the two ears on the mast shoe where the pivot pin goes through. We didn't see the break until after we had sailed all day. Getting the mast back down was a little scarry. Z Spars sent me another mast shoe and I re-adjusted the length of the struts. The problem now is at the right length I only have about three threads, on the threaded rod, screwedinto the nut. I've considered taking the tangs to a machine shop and having them weld new longer threaded rods on the two tangs, but haven't had any problems so far. Let sleeping dogs lie?Did you have to cut the threaded rod shorter or did they just screw into the long tube?Brigg

 

[Sam Morgan]

Answer on threads

My 260 was also used. The port strut had the threaded mount screwed out quite a bit while the starboard strut was out only about a half an inch. The extra length on the port strut caused it to be bent (curved) when the mast was up which was the clue that this might be the problem. i took the strut to a machine shop that straightened it out. Then with the mast down but pinned to the step, I centered the mast on the boat. Next I adjusted the length of both struts such that the pin would go through the struts and the mast with no binding.

 

[Marcel]

Initial rigging

Hey Dave, I was involved with helping Sam find out why raising the mast was such a hassle, and the problem was the initial rigging of the side struts. Sam could not find it in the manual, and other people have had this problem, so could you please tell us the official way to initially rig the side struts?

 

[crazy dave]

Ugh on the intial

That is always a problem during the intial set up with the struts. Here it goes.With the mast down and resting on the crutch, make sure it is in midships with the boat. Measure the hole on each side of the mast to the outer edge of the boat or to the strut base. Make sure the hole is straight thru the mast and if not, compensate for that. Now place the struts on with the tops adjusted. Rasise the mast. Make sure the struts do not bend. If they are bent, remove with mast up and readjust and then lower. If you find that the mast is hard to unpin, make sure it is amidships and the mast is not tilted sideways. I have found that filing the mast base pin holes do help. also, you may have to do one more slight adjustment with the mast struts. Then it usually works right. IF you are trying to unpin and find it difficult to remove the pin, I always ask some one to do the wiggle wiggle. That is to take the spreaders and wiggle them which makes unpinning easier. I hope that helps.I do the wiggle wiggle all the time when my exterior goes walking. Ha!Also, help out with Jason on his inquiry regarding Hunter and MacGregor. ThanksCrazy Dave Condon