I've been searching for the best way to step and lower the mast on our O'Day 272 (WaterMusic). Does anyone have a good design for an elevated block above the bow to gain advantage for raising and lowering the mast and/or a system for catching the mast upon lowering or gaining 6-8 feet in raising from the cockpit?
Raising and lowering the mast on an O'Day 272
- Thread starter Doc Sater
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- mast raising
Here's what we do (did)....it hinges and is heavier than you think it will be....as I remember, it drops/pivots to the stern from the mast step (i.e. still connected to the mast step).....you need two or three people to secure it as it makes its descent, i..e. down toward and into the cockpit....someone must also secure and hold on the the forestay/mast as it pivots toward the stern. The person(s) up forward by the mast base must remove the pivot pin
at the base of the mast to allow the mast base to be raised where it can be walked forward and sit on the bow pulpit...all the while making sure those at the stern/or in the cockpit secure it at the stern as well....it is surprisingly heavy and will jostle around more than you would expect.....you should secure cushions at both the bow pulpit and the stearn and secure it in place.
It is helpful to secure it in place at the stern with a mast crutch to hold it in place while securing the forward portion.
We've always done this with four guys......I made the mistake of telling Heather my wife to not let go of the forestay while she was sitting on the bow and she being the obedient gal that she is nearly became airborne while continuing to have a death grip
on the forestay.....God bless her.!..she never let go !!! ..good luck....If you have a 272 manual, I believe there are suggestions that can be found there. .
at the base of the mast to allow the mast base to be raised where it can be walked forward and sit on the bow pulpit...all the while making sure those at the stern/or in the cockpit secure it at the stern as well....it is surprisingly heavy and will jostle around more than you would expect.....you should secure cushions at both the bow pulpit and the stearn and secure it in place.
It is helpful to secure it in place at the stern with a mast crutch to hold it in place while securing the forward portion.
We've always done this with four guys......I made the mistake of telling Heather my wife to not let go of the forestay while she was sitting on the bow and she being the obedient gal that she is nearly became airborne while continuing to have a death grip
on the forestay.....God bless her.!..she never let go !!! ..good luck....If you have a 272 manual, I believe there are suggestions that can be found there. .
Thanks Pat. This is how I've been doing it but the length and weight of the mast have been of concern. It got away from us in the last 3-4 feet and came down way too hard last week. I'm in the process of engineering a mast lift from the stern using the tiller gudgeons and gin pole of sorts for next year.
Gary
Gary
We have a ginpole that uses a boomvang setup shackled between the bottom of the pole and the forestay chainplate, and the forestay is shackled to the topside of the ginpole. Easing the line on the 4:1 block lets the mast ease rearward. You steer the mast into a crutch with the ginpole, so you stand next to the mast base as you ease the line, or you can have another person steer the ginpole. Here is what it looks like on an Oday 26. You can see the 4:1 rig connected between the underside of the ginpole and the forestay chainplate and the forestay/furler connected to the topside of the ginpole.
I also used this method to unstep the mast on my Telstar 28. It is a bigger mast and rig than the 272, and it works great. This friend's mast crutch is a little overbuilt. If you build a crutch, it should stop the mast before the gooseneck or mast hits your slider. If you build a ginpole, it should measure the length between your mast and forestay chainplate. You will need over 70 ft of line to safely lower the mast using the 4:1 with a cam cleat setup.
I also used this method to unstep the mast on my Telstar 28. It is a bigger mast and rig than the 272, and it works great. This friend's mast crutch is a little overbuilt. If you build a crutch, it should stop the mast before the gooseneck or mast hits your slider. If you build a ginpole, it should measure the length between your mast and forestay chainplate. You will need over 70 ft of line to safely lower the mast using the 4:1 with a cam cleat setup.