Mast raising options?

[Sawtooth]

I have a Hunter 26 WB and am looking at mast raising options such as a telescoping mast crutch on the stern or options for getting more lift/height when pushing up the mast from the cockpit. I'm using the gin pole and block from the bow but need the initial raising from the stern to be easier for the crew.
Any suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Whatfiero1]

Attach jib haylard to bow put on a winch and winch with your foot while holding and pushing up on mast

 

[Sawtooth]

Thanks, I'll try that.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

If you are raising by yourself, get a longer mainsheet and run it back to the cabin coach winch. If there is a second person, have that person raise the mast at the back of the boat with about 20 pound of push and that relieves the strain of the person who is raising by nearly 50%. I had my daughter 12 years old raise a mast on a Hunter 26 on live tv by herself winching it up. I know the system all too well as I am credited for it by Hunter.

 

[Sawtooth]

Hey CDC- great idea, I was planning to tie another line to the mainsheet to get it back to the winch. Your daughter doing the whole job by herself will be encouraging to my gf that this is do-able. Thanks.

 

[rgranger]

If you are raising by yourself, get a longer mainsheet and run it back to the cabin coach winch. If there is a second person, have that person raise the mast at the back of the boat with about 20 pound of push and that relieves the strain of the person who is raising by nearly 50%. I had my daughter 12 years old raise a mast on a Hunter 26 on live tv by herself winching it up. I know the system all too well as I am credited for it by Hunter.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Rgranger provide pictures you rascal. You owe me a beer. As for my daughter raising the mast it occurred around 95 on a Roanoke tv station. Go fishing for it

 

[ChrisLee]

Any idea on how to attach a winch in the anchor locker? Or somehow hook it to the pad eye in the locker to keep the geometry of the original system correct?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Winch in the anchor locker? Please explain

 

[sailme88]

Put a step ladder in the cockpit, then put mast atop it..

 

[ChrisLee]

I am wanting to step the Mast using aN electric winch instead of my back and the main sheet. The sheet connected to the anchor locker for stepping so that is where I want to mount the winch. I’m asking how to secure it in that location. And have it be removable once the mast is up.

 

[rs1sensen]

I'm not an expert on this boat (just bought a H260 this month), but If you were dead set on electric, a simple option might be to follow Dave Congdon's advice above with the longer mainsheet, and then use a drill adapter like this one.

 

[DrJudyB]

Can You use the winch on the trailer? that’s what i use to raise for my 35 foot mast, which is heavier than most. It takes very little effort and I’m a small woman. It’s a self-brakIng winch, so it’s safe going up and going down. I can stop at any time

And just a caution: It’s not very safe to stand under a heavy mast in the cockpit during mast raising, unless it’s really a tiny rig you can easily lift and easily control with your bare hands. If anything goes wrong, it could come crashing down on somebody standing in the cockpit.

Using the winch on the trailer lets your stand in front of the mast while you raise and lower it.

Judy B

 

[ChrisLee]

Hi Judy, I thought about mounting to the trailer winch but that would cause the gin pole to drop out half way through the lift. Also, the bow of the boat where I am mounting the winch is the safest place to be when stepping the mast, I won’t be under anything up there.

 

[Revv up]

This system looks pretty slick and uncomplicated, not sure how good it works but I have started making one so I can ditch the gin poles and baby stays

 

[Tedd]

Can you simply use a longer gin pole? An extra foot or two will make a big difference. The gin pole on my Mac 26S is a little over nine feet long. With a 4-pulley block and tackle I can start it up from horizontal with one hand--no assistance needed from the aft end.

 

[ChrisLee]

Ted, that is worth exploring, I would probably need to extend my anchor point further forward as well to make that work though.

Revv, that is a sweet looking system that guy made, also worth looking into, but it’s also a lot of extra gear to haul around too.

 

[DrJudyB]

Hi Judy, I thought about mounting to the trailer winch but that would cause the gin pole to drop out half way through the lift. Also, the bow of the boat where I am mounting the winch is the safest place to be when stepping the mast, I won’t be under anything up there.

if you build the system right, the gin pole won’t fall out. Here’s the system I built for my boat.

 

[sailme88]

if you build the system right, the gin pole won’t fall out. Here’s the system I built for my boat.

Pretty cool...even for a boat with training hulls...

 

[sailme88]

This system looks pretty slick and uncomplicated, not sure how good it works but I have started making one so I can ditch the gin poles and baby stays

Crikey..... does the stern tower come with the set up ?