Misadventures: Stepping the mast (Laguna 26)

Oct 26, 2008
6,305
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Why do you do that instead of hiring a professional crew with the right equipment? :facepalm:
 
Oct 26, 2008
6,305
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
28ft mast that weighs maybe 50lbs on hinged step. it's a very simple task. i have the same boat.
I counted at least 5 guys … is everybody's time worth so little? ;) All the set-up looked pretty complicated to me and somehow the winch broke? I get it … it's fun, but if it was worth a safety talk, is there some liability to boot?
 
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Jan 11, 2014
13,065
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Stepping your own mast on a smaller boat is often done, especially if there is hinged tabernacle. Been there done that and then had the yard step the mast with a gin pole. Unless the cost is exhobitant, it is faster and safer for the crew and the boat to use a gin pole. If you lose the mast, it is likely the step and tabernacle will be damaged along with wherever it lands.

What kind of winch is that? It looks like it is made of plastic.

I also suspect the fully rigged 28' mast weighs somewhat more than 50 lbs, that would be less than 2 lbs a foot.
 
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Aug 10, 2020
538
Catalina C25 3559 Rocky Mount
I counted at least 5 guys … is everybody's time worth so little? ;) All the set-up looked pretty complicated to me and somehow the winch broke? I get it … it's fun, but if it was worth a safety talk, is there some liability to boot?
I agree 5 people is a lot. I have done mine by myself in less than an hour. I prefer to do it with 2 just to make it easier and safer. The winch is totally unnecessary. I use my mainsheet and a ratchet strap. I don't do the "gin pole" or "leverage pole" thing.
 
Aug 10, 2020
538
Catalina C25 3559 Rocky Mount
Stepping your own mast on a smaller boat is often done, especially if there is hinged tabernacle. Been there done that and then had the yard step the mast with a gin pole. Unless the cost is exhobitant, it is faster and safer for the crew and the boat to use a gin pole. If you lose the mast, it is likely the step and tabernacle will be damaged along with wherever it lands.

What kind of winch is that? It looks like it is made of plastic.

I also suspect the fully rigged 28' mast weighs somewhat more than 50 lbs, that would be less than 2 lbs a foot.
It's light. I am a little guy at 155lbs and can easily move it around by myself. I took mine off the boat yesterday. Out of curiosity I will see if I can weigh it.
 

PaulK

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Dec 1, 2009
1,418
Sabre 402 Southport, CT
I counted at least 5 guys … is everybody's time worth so little? ;) All the set-up looked pretty complicated to me and somehow the winch broke? I get it … it's fun, but if it was worth a safety talk, is there some liability to boot?
Looks more like an excuse for a party to me. Who brought the beer? We used to step & unstep the mast on our Soling without a tabernacle or gin pole with just two people. Nowhere near as much fun.
 
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Apr 26, 2015
663
S2 26 Mid On Trailer
I stopped using the mainsheet as tackle. It's easy to get away from you especially lowering the mast when you have to snap it out of the cam cleat. Went back to a brake winch (no pawls to break) for total control up and down. I raise and lower the mast (30') on our S2 26 (8.0) alone.
 
Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
I counted at least 5 guys … is everybody's time worth so little? ;) All the set-up looked pretty complicated to me and somehow the winch broke? I get it … it's fun, but if it was worth a safety talk, is there some liability to boot?
We used to have a 26-foot boat on a trailer. That requires you to step and unstep every time you go out. After a couple of years, I found I could do it in 20 minutes if I had help or 45 minutes if I had a lot of help. Solo it took 30 minutes because you had to get on and off the boat multiple times. I wouldn't consider hiring it done.

Now on my 30-foot boat with my 50-foot mast clearance, I think hiring it done has more credibility.
Ken
 
Jun 15, 2020
38
Laguna 26 Laguna 26 Lake Washington
Stepping your own mast on a smaller boat is often done, especially if there is hinged tabernacle. Been there done that and then had the yard step the mast with a gin pole. Unless the cost is exhobitant, it is faster and safer for the crew and the boat to use a gin pole. If you lose the mast, it is likely the step and tabernacle will be damaged along with wherever it lands.

What kind of winch is that? It looks like it is made of plastic.

I also suspect the fully rigged 28' mast weighs somewhat more than 50 lbs, that would be less than 2 lbs a foot.
Do you have any photos you could post of the gin pole setup you use?
 
Jun 15, 2020
38
Laguna 26 Laguna 26 Lake Washington
I stopped using the mainsheet as tackle. It's easy to get away from you especially lowering the mast when you have to snap it out of the cam cleat. Went back to a brake winch (no pawls to break) for total control up and down. I raise and lower the mast (30') on our S2 26 (8.0) alone.
when you say “brake winch” you mean the type of hand winch mounted on the front of a boat trailer?
 
Jan 11, 2014
13,065
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Do you have any photos you could post of the gin pole setup you use?
The gin pole we used is essentially a small fixed crane with an arm, not a boat based gin pole. Here's the only photo I have, it shows the lower part of the pole. The boat is a Sabre 30 with a deck stepped mast. We used the same gin pole for my Tanzer 22. From start to finish stepping the mast takes about 20 minutes.

DSC_0005-2.jpeg
 
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Apr 26, 2015
663
S2 26 Mid On Trailer
when you say “brake winch” you mean the type of hand winch mounted on the front of a boat trailer?
Looks similar but does not work the same way. Many swing keel boats use them. Here is a short video of the difference.