Many thanks
Need advise to pull the mast
- Thread starter chokrisandy
- Start date
Many thanks
Unless you have done this before, hire a professional and experienced company to do the work for your. At least let them remove the mast and lay it on some sort of platform for support so that you can come in and do the painting and install the new rigging, that is as long as you know how to replace your standing rigging. Then when you are done let them do the mast install. If this is all new to you, or you do not have the tools to do the work, hire it all out to a professional and experienced company.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,390
What Terry said. 
There are so many ways to get in trouble. Think about it. Your mast weighs maybe 500-600 lbs. It will be swing 15-20 ft above your head. If you are just a little off in how the mast is slung to the crane, not only could the mast break it could kill someone on the ground, destroy your boat, or topple the crane. Or maybe all three. Spend the small money to have professionals remove and lower your mast to a cradle where you can work on it.
There are so many ways to get in trouble. Think about it. Your mast weighs maybe 500-600 lbs. It will be swing 15-20 ft above your head. If you are just a little off in how the mast is slung to the crane, not only could the mast break it could kill someone on the ground, destroy your boat, or topple the crane. Or maybe all three. Spend the small money to have professionals remove and lower your mast to a cradle where you can work on it.
now now. maybe 200lbs. and it is not difficult but it does take caution, and a simple understanding before doing. someone with experience will know the individual steps and helpful tricks look up on google the details. the mast will be slung by the crane at the spreaders. with the mast secured, stays are removed, theast lifted slightly, wires disconnected then rotated back. CAUTION the original questions do indicate little knowledge, so help is suggested. and to answer a couple questions.: the four bolts do not need to be removed, the mast sits on top, not bolted down. catalina 30 masts were mostly abodized aluminum, so look into need for painting before proceeding.
The lift at our first marina could not take a boat with the mast up so the Admiral and I took it down in the fall, and put it up in the spring for three years.
First, I hung around the crane and helped someone else take their mast down. I'd recommend a crew of three the first time. One on the crane, you at the bottom of the mast, and a third to mind the shrouds and furler once they are disconnected and gathered.
The crane must be high enough to lift your mast at the spreaders. Otherwise forget it!
Got to go. Will see if I can find a link to a step by step process to post later.
First, I hung around the crane and helped someone else take their mast down. I'd recommend a crew of three the first time. One on the crane, you at the bottom of the mast, and a third to mind the shrouds and furler once they are disconnected and gathered.
The crane must be high enough to lift your mast at the spreaders. Otherwise forget it!
Got to go. Will see if I can find a link to a step by step process to post later.
Here is our procedure for our '77 h27:
1. Moor boat with mast by the crane.
2. Set saw horses at the side of the crane.
3. Tie a lifting loop around the mast with a bowline.
4. Attach the crane hook to the lifting loop, and raise it to the spreaders taking minimum strain.
5. Loosen and detach the shrouds and roller furler, gathering them in one bundle.
6. Raise crane to lift the bottom of the mast about 12 inches.
7. Disconnect electrical cables.
8. Lift mast to clear swing to shore. One person holds the bottom of the mast. Another keeps the shroud bundle clear.
9. Swing the crane to the side with the saw horses.
10. Walk bottom of the mast to the saw hares away from the boat while lowering the crane until the mast rests on the saw horses with the shroud bundle lashed to one side.
The mast is down. We would then move the mast to our work/storage location by putting one end in the back of our van while I carried the other end, and we drove at walking speed to complete the the move.
Good luck!
1. Moor boat with mast by the crane.
2. Set saw horses at the side of the crane.
3. Tie a lifting loop around the mast with a bowline.
4. Attach the crane hook to the lifting loop, and raise it to the spreaders taking minimum strain.
5. Loosen and detach the shrouds and roller furler, gathering them in one bundle.
6. Raise crane to lift the bottom of the mast about 12 inches.
7. Disconnect electrical cables.
8. Lift mast to clear swing to shore. One person holds the bottom of the mast. Another keeps the shroud bundle clear.
9. Swing the crane to the side with the saw horses.
10. Walk bottom of the mast to the saw hares away from the boat while lowering the crane until the mast rests on the saw horses with the shroud bundle lashed to one side.
The mast is down. We would then move the mast to our work/storage location by putting one end in the back of our van while I carried the other end, and we drove at walking speed to complete the the move.
Good luck!
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Crane height is critical. You must lift from above the mast's center of gravity or the mast will topple over when it comes off the step. And it has enough leverage to toss you across the yard if you try to hold it down. With a single spreader rig lifting from the spreaders will do it, the weight of the hardware at the butt end will keep it upright. If your crane isn't that high, find a higher crane. My wife and I have lowered and raised the mast on our Columbia 36 several times with a tall hand operated crane and have never had any problems. Best to have some experienced help the first time though.
I just unstepped my 36' mast using a homemade A frame. It was not pretty to watch but it was effective, do some homework. Watch some YouTube videos, read some blog posts and find some hands which have done it before. The individual steps are not difficult just don't get in a hurry.
The A frame is how I did my trailerable boats, but of course they were a lot smaller. With the frame and a hinged step, I could do it by myself.