Raising/lowering mast on a Hunter 18.5

[railrider]

My wife and I have owned a Hunter 18.5 for over 20 years. As we grow older, we find it increasingly difficult to step the mast. I have thought about attaching a line to the jib sheet, taking a couple of turns of the line over the pulpit, and controlling the up/down that way, but I'm not so sure that would work. We leave the shrouds attached, so there is no problem with the mast going sideways, but the jump from the cockpit to the top deck, holding the mast, gets a little scarier ever year. Anybody have any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[justsomeguy]

Have you thought about a gin pole?

 

[Parsons]

I'm not familiar with the 18, but on my 216 we use the trailer winch on the forestay in both directions. The high angles at the end of the lift are high-strain, but not so much that I bother to rig a jack to increase the angle. I'm assuming your boat is on a trailer, and you are stepping to the keel. There are some fancier rigs with electric winches and such, but it's only an 18-footer.

 

[gray125]

the Hunter 18.5 was my first keel boat so I have some affinity for it. Do you have a mast crutch to help you get it started going up and to catch it going down? I had one made that was 2 feet longer than the one that came with the boat and was wider at the top with a V to catch the mast. That made it a lot easier.