Mast Storage

[Bob J.]

Just curious on what's the best way to prepare the mast for winter storage.

My mast is laying across a couple of saw horses, all the standing & running rigging is still attached. Come January it will be under snow. Should one strip the rigging & spreaders to prevent the effects of water freezing?

Thanks!
Bob

 

[higgs]

Most usually remove the spreaders and pull the rigging against the side of the mast. Using a long piece of small diameter line bind the rigging to the side of the mast. I like to tape a plastic bag over the furler and remove all masthead adornments. This has worked for me for many years. If you are concerned about snow and ice you can use that packing plastic that is sort of like saran wrap and wrap your entire mast with it.

 

[tommays]

In the toms backyard storage area one of the bigger issues is any cover you put on the mast may do more harm than good in chafing the paint or lifting the paint as water can collect in the wraping and paint is NOT happy with that

Its pretty easy to take off the J24 standing rigging on the Cal 29 its a bit of a PITA

 

[Bob S]

Definitely cover the ends I use a small tarp or plastic sheeting from HD or Lowes. Birds love to nest in them.

 

[Rick I]

Over the years I've used different materials to cover the mast. I have found the best to be a roll of saran wrap. Wrap tightly in saran wrap, just go round and round with the roll, works very well.

 

[tkanzler]

One thing I've noticed is that if you wrap the furler up tightly, it may end up full of water. Better to either do nothing (meh), or make sure water, including condensation, can get out the bottom.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Same issue here. Two more trips to the lake and the painting will be done. Then how to cover for the winter? My spreaders and rigging are all off the mast. Having the wire against the mast and then moving it around is, I think, the reason my mast was so scarred. Our marina wraps the masts for storage in large sheets of plastic. I am thinking 2 mil plastic painter's tarps will work. If the new wire was on the mast I would wrap twice, once under the wire and again over the whole works.

 

[higgs]

I agree that covering the hollow end is important. Otherwise it is a great place for a gull'snest.

 

[Bob J.]

Lots of great advice, thanks!