Raising the mast on a 1974 Hunter 25

[Heelamonster]

Another head scratcher for me. The mast on our Hunter 25 is attached to the mast (tabernacle?) (base plate?) with a single stainless bolt that passes through 2 slotted ears and through the mast itself. Obviously as the mast is raised, the bolt rides down the slot and is at or near the bottom when the mast becomes upright. The former owner told me that they always raised the mast from the front; that is they would motor over to the dock, and then stand on the dock holding the mast horizontally while some one pinned the base, and then they raised the mast by pulling on the aft stay. The long-term results of this action is that the front of the mast has been partially crushed in.

I would just like to know from anyone that has owned one of these boats, isn't the mast supposed to be raised from the rear towards the bow? That is how both my previous boats were done (1982 Hunter 22 and Cape Dory Weekender). If anyone remembers what the original manual said or knows what works and what doesn't, I sure would apreciate hearing about it. Our boat is the pop-top model, if that makes a difference.

We are waiting for some new halyards to arrive, so we won't be raising it for a while.

Thanks again for your patience,

Dave Milo

 

[s sauer]

I used to have a Hunter twenty five and pinned the mast thru the tabernacle with the mast leaning on the bow pulpit and the headstay and forward lowers (loosely) connected. I connected the boom and topping lift and then used the mainsheet tackle to bring the mast upright then attach the backstay and remaininfg lowers.
If someone crushed the forward part of the mast, thy must have lost control of the process. Two persons would make this easier, but I was usually able to raise or lower the mast singlehanded with the boat in the slip.

 

[Heelamonster]

Thank you Stu,

That makes much more sense. I really wish I could have seen this boat fully rigged before I bought it, not that that would help with my conception of how the mast was raised. Your explanation really helped.

Thanks again,

Dave Milo

 

[jcherubini]

This so-called tabernacle is really a pain in the backside. It does not work as a true tabernacle due to the vertical slot. So there is really no way to pivot the past up or down.

When I derigged Diana after I bought it, I had two strong high-school students helping me and with all the shrouds off (save the back two) and the jib halyard holding to from forward, the mast would not come down. We could not budge it-- it was standing up by itself. Later evaluation showed that it had with bimetallic corrosion stuck itself to the stainless-steel plate (that problem was all over this boat). We did eventually bend the bottom of the mainsail groove in getting it down (backwards).

I strongly advise anyone setting a spar on this arrangement to have it picked up, or to have enough muscle to pick it up, OFF the base plate and essentially set it down vertically in position. This will require three other people on the stays and enough muscle to pick it straight up. It weighs about 66 pounds.

I also advise painting the bottom edge of the spar and/or applying a layer of electrically-insulating grease to it before stepping it.

Remember also that your good-luck coin will assist in corrosion here too. Diana has a 1974 Kennedy silver half-dollar applied with electrical tape to the mast step. (NEVER use a copper or brass coin without insulating it!)

I am having a new mast step made for this Kenyon spar including an attachment base plate for halyard turning blocks-- which is another problem on this boat. But, as with what I said, you would not be able to angle the spar upwards but need to have it placed into position as on a larger boat. I don't trailer-sail this boat and don't see the need to be able to easily lower and raise the mast shorthanded with any frequency.

JC

 

[Heelamonster]

Thanks again John,

I wish I was still strong enough (or had enough hands standing by) to lift the mast into position as you suggest, and although I don't trailer sail, my season is somewhat abbreviated (I am going to either be raising or lowering the mast every 6 months). Perhaps I could adapt a tabernacle similar to my old 1982 H-22. It was rectangular, one half screwed to the cabin, the other fastened to the mast bottom. 2 transverse (3/8" or 7/16") pins with cotter pins held it together; but raising it was simple: one pin was inserted at the rear and it served as a hinge as it was pivoted forward. Once it was up, the second pin was put into place. I will have to see if that is a viable option. Thanks again for your insights.

The third picture was only to show the keyhole slots I made in the lazerette drain holes. I was getting water in the keel every time it rained. Since I just replaced my cockpit drains, I was wondering why. Turns out the original bottom drain holes on my boat were drilled a bit too high, causing a bit of water to pool, and after many years, started to split the fiberglass "chutes" where they joined to the cockpit sidewall. I have not had any more water in the keel since I did this, and yes, I still need to seal the raw fiberglass.

Thanks to all for your input,

Dave Milo