Mast Raising

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Jun 7, 2004
7
Morgan 28 O/I wakefield.R.I
Hello All,
Here in Rhode Island i pay around $400.00 to have my mast stepped...(800.00 up & down).
She (Puffin) is a 28 Morgan Out Island...I sure would like to raise and lower the mast by myself....Anyone know how ths can be done?
Thank You,
Ray Roberts
Wakefield .R.I
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Is the mast deck stepped or keel stepped. It makes a big difference.

Edit to add: Stepping a mast is not a brand specific problem or task.
 
Jun 9, 2008
1,771
- -- -Bayfield
Well, not sure if I can explain this in writing very well, but one way of stepping your mast is to get another old (but straight) mast section and somehow attach a foot to the base to protect your deck. Something like some plywood with carpet that is permanently attached to the bottom of the mast (like another mast step casting, etc.). The mast should be taller than the height of your spreaders by several feet.
You then want to install a halyard in your new mast. Perhaps you have a masthead casting with sheaves, or you can attach a big enough block near the top with a hound or solid eye strap, etc. You also need to be able to four point the 2nd mast section so it is supported by itself (just like a real mast, but the deck attachment points will be different than your working mast (cleat, slotted aluminum toe rail, etc. - something sturdy). The halyard on the shorter mast could be wire and lead to a trailer winch mounted about 4' off the deck. This is not a single-handed job. You could use a regular winch too, but then you need someone to crank and someone to tail and someone to hold on to your working mast.
After you have all the components together, you, with the help of friends, stand up the short mast and place the foot next to the mast base for the working mast. Attach your shrouds (4-point it) so it stands alone.
Then attach the halyard to a sling or loop which is around the other mast - the loop being below the spreaders. Tie a line from the loop down to the gooseneck area, perhaps the winches, etc. and secure it so that when it stretches out, the loop will remain below the spreaders (not putting too much strain, if any, on the spreader bases). It can also fit under the lower shroud attachment points too.
With the halyard from the short mast attached to the loop beneath the spreaders (I believe the Morgan OI 28 was a single spreader rig. If a double spreader rig, then you must go to a point between the two spreaders and secure the loop in position with the line attached to the lower end of the working mast).
Essentially you will raise the working mast, which I assume is lying on the deck of your boat, with the shorter mast. Someone needs to hold on to the bottom of the working mast so that it stays put and also guides it towards the mast base where she is to be stepped upon. When you get the working mast upright and pretty parallel with the short mast, then you must four point it, so it stays in place.
You then remove the short mast and get it away from the boat so you can tune and finish rigging the working mast.
To be safe, you can take a halyard from the now stepped working mast and attach it to the short mast to lower it in a controlled manner while your helpers guide it down. Otherwise you need enough people to walk it down like a ladder, which could be a little scary.
I hope this makes sense. It is a bit of a job, but you can eliminate the need for a marina, but keep in mind, even though there is a cost, the marina will do it safely and if there is a problem, it is their problem.
But, that is one say a DIY can do it.
 
Feb 19, 2008
42
pearson 26 Pearson 26 Knowlton.
WOW!!!!sorry,but have just come in from a few brews at the club,but,barnacle blew me away!!!(now MaineSail can call me the great white father)I am sorry that I don,t know what sort of mast step you have but if you can post a picture it would help....I have spent most of my Big boat sailing in an area where I have wanted (NEEDED) to raise and lower on my own so have made my own mast step with provision to do so (read tabernacle) I must admit my latest on Tumbleweed,a Pearson 26 won't win a beauty contest it works like a charm and has been used on two others with no ill effects...A 30 ft rebuild design by Bill Roue (of the Bluenose design) and a 37 ft ketch of my own build I don't have at present a picture but will try to get one in the next few days.
 
Feb 19, 2008
42
pearson 26 Pearson 26 Knowlton.
at 400.00$ each way all I can say is that I hope you get a kiss with that as I always like to get a kiss when I get s......! sorry but I could'nt pass on that as I have never paid more than about $ 200.00 for total launch...
 

CalebD

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Jun 27, 2006
1,479
Tartan 27' 1967 Nyack, NY
While I doubt that you could raise the mast on a 30' boat by yourself I do believe that it could be done by you with some helpers. Since the mast is deck stepped it should be easier then if keel stepped. The tabernacle has already been mentioned which is a piece of shaped metal where the foot of the mast sits on deck and holds it in place while being raised.
You don't say what year your 28' Morgan OI is from so I have no idea how heavy your mast is. My 1967 27' Tartan's mast weighs close to 300# but is pretty heavy because of the year. My 19' Lightning's mast weighs a lot less and I can lift it on my own but I can not step it on my own as it is keel stepped (at least I have not figured out how to without help).
The old school technology on this relies on a riggers knowledge. http://www.slowflight.net/upgrades/tips-GinPole.html
For a mast the size your boat probably has you would want an 'A' frame of some kind to keep it centered as well as a Gin Pole. The 'A' frame could be lines or 2x4's that keep the mast from on the boats center line. If the mast foot is held in place by the tabernacle and you rig up the appropriate lines you could do this yourself with about 3 or 4 others.
If anything went wrong though it could go wrong in a big way. That is why most people just use someone with a crane. You might be able to rent a cherry picker of some kind for less then the marinas price.
Google search for 'mast raising gin pole'. Stuff like this comes up:
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance-articles/19986-small-boat-mast-stepping.html
Good luck.
 
Oct 19, 2005
14
Morgan 24 Warner Robins, GA.
Ray, I raise and lower the mast on my Morgan 24 all the time by myself. I use a gin pole with a winch, but some times just use a spinnaker pole with a 6X1 block-n-tackle. If you are interested in seeing what I do and maybe some additional links to what others do, then check out this website. http://members.cox.net/morgan24site and look under Morgan Sailboat Info. Hope this helps. Bob Horan
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,007
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
if you want to raise and lower it by yourself your mast should be rigged with a "hinged tabernacle". This will allow the mast base to remain stable as you winch it up or down. You can use a gin pole or A- Frame device to give you the proper leverage and stabiliy. If you google "mast raising systems" you'll find a lot of examples. Here's a good link for a boat your size.

http://www.hereintown.net/~jsiehler/Stepping/Stepping.html

If your mast base is not hinged and you just need to take it down for storage or maintenance you can build a simple wooden A-Frame system similar to the one in the attachment. I this system the author suggests 2x4's but I recomment investing in some good quality 2x6's. Don't try this system without at least 3 people. One or two at the mast base and two to operate the lifting winch....
 

Attachments

Jun 19, 2004
365
Island Packet IP 32 99 Forked River, NJ
I don't know about the gin pole thing, but maybe either we're very lucky or you're being overcharged for stepping the mast. Here in NJ, we pay $160.00 to step the mast on our M28OI (deck-stepped also).
We had ours stepped this winter so we could replace the upper shrouds and install new spreader lights.

Jim & Barb
Ocean Gate, NJ
 
R

ronbloom@bellsouth.net

Info on a Morgan OI 28

Jim I saw you have a Morgan OI 28ft. I also have have one here in GA. I'm looking for a fuel gas cap key. It is made of brass ( so it does not spark) do you know where I can get one? Thanks in advance.. Ron Bloom 770-740-1446
 
Aug 16, 2009
1,000
Hunter 1986 H31 California Yacht Marina, Chula Vista, CA
I have a 1986 Hunter 31 and recently flushed some termites from under the mast step. The mast is deck stepped. I would like to remove the step and see what damage has been done, and repair and/or treat as necessary, including the compression post, and reseal the step. I am wondering if I need to lower the mast to do this, or just find a way to move the base a few inches and rest it on something that will not damage the deck so I can lift the step and peer nervously underneath. Is the step best sealed with caulking or something else. I have a picture of the step without the mast, but have never seen how it looks with the step removed. All ideas are greatly appreciated.
 
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