Any hints for a 65 yr. old couple, first sailboat,in making the task of raising the mast easier each time we use the boat? Was thinking of a pulley fastened to the end of a two piece section of sliding square tubing located in brackets welded to the front area of trailer making it easy to assemble & portable. Total height could be 8-10 ft. Assuming the wife on this device & the husband (guiding/pushing/straining/hoping) on the mast, will this gizmo give enough mechanical advantage to actually work?
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M
Mark
Hello Gary
Go to the 240 and 260 site on the Hunter web site. Their method of raising the mast is simply brilliant. Perhaps you could use that for a start for ideas. The biggest problen is holding the mast mid ships as she comes up. Setting up a couple of blocks to pull the mast up from the bow is the easy part but holding the mast from falling over the side is a worry.
Go to the 240 and 260 site on the Hunter web site. Their method of raising the mast is simply brilliant. Perhaps you could use that for a start for ideas. The biggest problen is holding the mast mid ships as she comes up. Setting up a couple of blocks to pull the mast up from the bow is the easy part but holding the mast from falling over the side is a worry.
D
Dan McGuire
Two by Fours
I am 66 and my wife is 63. In general, it is not something I would want to do every time we sail. By the time every thing is done it takes us over two hours up and two hours down. I use a pair of 16 foot two by fours. I remove the lower shrouds from the chain plate. I run 1/4" bolts through the holes vacated by the lower shrouds. I bolt the other ends of the two by fours together with 5/16" bolts. I attach the main halyard to the 5/16" bolt and run another 3/8" line from the 5/16" bolt to a position in the the pulput of the boat. I start the process with the two by fours in a vertical position. I pull the mast up using the 3/8" line and my wife makes sure the mast does not fall off to the side using the lower shrouds. To drill the holes correctly, lay the two by fours out on the ground with one end together and the other ends about 7' apart. Drill straight across. Someone probably has a better method. The time consumed by us is not so much in raising the mast as it is in attaching all of the shrouds, installing the rudder and outboard, loading and unloading off the trailer, etc.
I am 66 and my wife is 63. In general, it is not something I would want to do every time we sail. By the time every thing is done it takes us over two hours up and two hours down. I use a pair of 16 foot two by fours. I remove the lower shrouds from the chain plate. I run 1/4" bolts through the holes vacated by the lower shrouds. I bolt the other ends of the two by fours together with 5/16" bolts. I attach the main halyard to the 5/16" bolt and run another 3/8" line from the 5/16" bolt to a position in the the pulput of the boat. I start the process with the two by fours in a vertical position. I pull the mast up using the 3/8" line and my wife makes sure the mast does not fall off to the side using the lower shrouds. To drill the holes correctly, lay the two by fours out on the ground with one end together and the other ends about 7' apart. Drill straight across. Someone probably has a better method. The time consumed by us is not so much in raising the mast as it is in attaching all of the shrouds, installing the rudder and outboard, loading and unloading off the trailer, etc.
T
Tom
The Mast raising system
Macgregor has a mast raising system which they have had for years. The system has three parts. The system comes with side stays which attach 5 -6 feet up the mast and a deck plate that attaches just in front of the mast and 2 feet to either side. Then a mast raising pole that attaches at the mast and standing up the top eyelet will attach to the jib halyard. Attach a block system to a deck eye and one end to the pole. Pull the block line and up comes the mast. Often times we sail out of harbors that have a bridge that we must go under in order to get out to sea. This is the system we use to lower and raise the mast to get under the bridge. Macgregor sells the system for $100-$120 dollars in think. Macgregor used to have detailed photos on the Mac 26X brochure. Good luck. I love the V23, it is a beautiful boat.
Macgregor has a mast raising system which they have had for years. The system has three parts. The system comes with side stays which attach 5 -6 feet up the mast and a deck plate that attaches just in front of the mast and 2 feet to either side. Then a mast raising pole that attaches at the mast and standing up the top eyelet will attach to the jib halyard. Attach a block system to a deck eye and one end to the pole. Pull the block line and up comes the mast. Often times we sail out of harbors that have a bridge that we must go under in order to get out to sea. This is the system we use to lower and raise the mast to get under the bridge. Macgregor sells the system for $100-$120 dollars in think. Macgregor used to have detailed photos on the Mac 26X brochure. Good luck. I love the V23, it is a beautiful boat.
B
Bill O'Donovan
Whatever you do...
...don't try it solo. Even if you have to snag a passerby for the ten seconds it takes to pin the forestay, it's worth it.
...don't try it solo. Even if you have to snag a passerby for the ten seconds it takes to pin the forestay, it's worth it.
D
Doug
if memory serves...
I'm a new Hunter 23.5, and we use a method identical to that described by Tom. Briefly, 2 small "mast raising" shrouds attach near the base of the mast (to prevent side movement during raising), a mast raising pole is stuck in the mast and connected to the jib halyard and also connected to the main sheet block and tackle, which has the other end attached to a fitting in the anchor well. From there, you pull on the main sheet. Here's what I was thinking: could you devise something similar to the main sheet block and tackle with additional pulleys? Am I remembering correctly (from high school physics no less!) that additional pulleys give you more mechanical advantage? Anyway, I hope this helps. Raising the mast on our Hunter is pretty straight forward, but does require a bit strength. Good luck and good winds. Doug
I'm a new Hunter 23.5, and we use a method identical to that described by Tom. Briefly, 2 small "mast raising" shrouds attach near the base of the mast (to prevent side movement during raising), a mast raising pole is stuck in the mast and connected to the jib halyard and also connected to the main sheet block and tackle, which has the other end attached to a fitting in the anchor well. From there, you pull on the main sheet. Here's what I was thinking: could you devise something similar to the main sheet block and tackle with additional pulleys? Am I remembering correctly (from high school physics no less!) that additional pulleys give you more mechanical advantage? Anyway, I hope this helps. Raising the mast on our Hunter is pretty straight forward, but does require a bit strength. Good luck and good winds. Doug
T
tom b
get this months copy of small craft advisor
they have a nice write up about raising the mast. even have a couple of websites listed that you can check out. also you can go to the archives and look up mast raising...it's easier than u think..
they have a nice write up about raising the mast. even have a couple of websites listed that you can check out. also you can go to the archives and look up mast raising...it's easier than u think..
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