Raising the Mast

[Tater]

This is supposed to be a crew event. That will not work with the wife and I. I had a spectacular mishap on Sunday so I need a better option.

I am thinking the deck end of the mast could be anchored so it becomes a one person lift. My 10lb anchor should counterbalance this thing. If not there are larger anchors.

Suggestions please?

 

[Joe]

Try YouTube "mast raising"

 

[Tater]

Try YouTube "mast raising"

Thanks.

 

[Joe]

Thanks.
[/QUOTE] I've had three trailerable boats. I rigged all of them in the parking lot, or on the beach, before launch.

 

[Tater]

Thanks Joe. If I had those cushions I wouldn't be as sore from my a$$ over teakettle spectacle.
The problem is that my mast will not set in the tabernacle without being partially inclined. That is the reason for the anchor I mentioned in the first post. The instructions I have mentions a crew lift with one person guiding the bottom of the mast while the other walks. There may have been a change in the rigging or mine is incorrectly rigged. The stays come to a good tension when the mast is up so I am hoping a 170 owner comes in with more info. I get my covid booster tomorrow. If I'm not sick this weekend, I'll go driveway sailing and test the anchor method. Thanks again.

 

[Shorefun]

I raise the mast with minimal help.
Get the shrouds on their proper place. Make sure the lines run back so they wont twist.
I have one of those elastic double ball things to hold the jib to mast at the bottom. Just one.
Have the pin ready at the front, I leave the drum on the boat so it is the top pin on the furler I take out.
I raise the mast up some and walk it back. It helps to have someone take some weight off at the back, but I can do it alone.
I get the pins in the mast step.
Double check that the shrouds wont twist funny at the hull and that I wont be in the way of the shrouds on the way up. Yes, I caught myself once!!
I walk the mast up.
I release the jib and have the other person put the pin in place.
Done.

Does not require a lot of strength really. It can be unwieldy so an extra person it there mostly for control and to help out when you do something stupid like not double check you are in the way of a shroud line.
Try not to make it more complicated then it really is.

FWIW, a 5 gallong pail is about the right height to keep the back of the trailer from rotating down when you get on the boat and the trailer is not hitched.

 

[Tater]

.....Have the pin ready at the front, I leave the drum on the boat so it is the top pin on the furler I take out.
I raise the mast up some and walk it back. It helps to have someone take some weight off at the back, but I can do it alone.
I get the pins in the mast step.
Double check that the shrouds wont twist funny at the hull and that I wont be in the way of the shrouds on the way up. Yes, I caught myself once!!
I walk the mast up.
I release the jib and have the other person put the pin in place.
Done.

Does not require a lot of strength really. It can be unwieldy so an extra person it there mostly for control and to help out when you do something stupid like not double check you are in the way of a shroud line.
Try not to make it more complicated then it really is.

FWIW, a 5 gallong pail is about the right height to keep the back of the trailer from rotating down when you get on the boat and the trailer is not hitched.

Thanks for the info. I am using a large cotter pin on the furler. I hate those wire rings. One video showed to just mate the mast into the step. Another printed instruction said to pull the mast back as it is being inclined. Mine has to be inclined to slacken the stay cables enough to pull the mast back. If I were a little taller, I could balance the mast, set it and then walk. As is I need someone to hold and guide the bottom. This is where the anchor would counterbalance the bottom. I'll test this Sunday, maybe with some help.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

A mast crutch could support the mast at the stern while you position it at the base/step. Just measure the height you need to get the mast at the correct angle before cutting it to size

 

[Tater]

A mast crutch could support the mast at the stern while you position it at the base/step. Just measure the height you need to get the mast at the correct angle before cutting it to size

I had a thought on that but didn't know what to call it. A telescopic pole sitting on the ground and attached to the rudder mount would do it. If the "anchor" method fails, that will be a winter project. Thanks.

 

[Joe]

I had a thought on that but didn't know what to call it. A telescopic pole sitting on the ground and attached to the rudder mount would do it. If the "anchor" method fails, that will be a winter project. Thanks.

You can easily make a crutch with a simple tripod made from wood or pvc. The tripod will collapse and you can strap it to the trailer. Set it up in the parking lot, behind the boat to get the mast up past horizontal. That's the system I used for my beach cat Nacra 5.2 (17 ft) It has a 26 foot mast set on a ball so it can rotate. I used the tripod to catch it also when I took it down. The main leg has a U shaped "basket"...which points/leans forward. The side braces are angled towards the rear... A long threaded, double ended bar, capped on the ends with nyloc nuts, loosely holds the rig at the throat of the tripod. I have pieces of 1/4" line a few feet down to control the "spread" of the legs.

An even simpler solution is a 6 foot folding ladder. I'll bet you have one already. Just place the ladder behind the boat to prop the mast up.... easy peasy!

 

[Shorefun]

So while you might dislike the circle clips, a cotter pin could come out. For safety reasons you really want to use the circle clips. Some are more difficult to use as they are too tight. Some are looser with like an extra curl on the inside and they work better. I would urge you to use a circle clip for holding the jib to the drum.

People keep complicating the mast raising. The mast does need to be lifted at an angle to get into the step. Here is where my son takes a bit of the weight off and helps control the mast. Once the mast is in the step the one person in the boat can just walk it forward. It is that easy. Coming down there is just that little angle close to the ground where you will want someone to take the weight. This makes it easy to pull the mast out of the step at an angle and walk it forward to get it in the trailer brackets.

On mine I have the rear mast holder for traveling.

I guess I have to note that my son is 6' 4" and I am 6' 6" so I could see if you have a shorter partner you might need a fork extension so they can lift the mast a couple of feet while setting in the step.

 

[Tater]

So while you might dislike the circle clips, a cotter pin could come out. For safety reasons you really want to use the circle clips. Some are more difficult to use as they are too tight. Some are looser with like an extra curl on the inside and they work better. I would urge you to use a circle clip for holding the jib to the drum.

People keep complicating the mast raising. The mast does need to be lifted at an angle to get into the step. Here is where my son takes a bit of the weight off and helps control the mast. Once the mast is in the step the one person in the boat can just walk it forward. It is that easy. Coming down there is just that little angle close to the ground where you will want someone to take the weight. This makes it easy to pull the mast out of the step at an angle and walk it forward to get it in the trailer brackets.

On mine I have the rear mast holder for traveling.

I guess I have to note that my son is 6' 4" and I am 6' 6" so I could see if you have a shorter partner you might need a fork extension so they can lift the mast a couple of feet while setting in the step.

Some of my clips are the easy type and some are not. The cotter pin is large, 3/16-1/4, and I bend it well. I'll replace it after 2 or 3 uses. Rigging solo, the cotter pin is much easier to insert. I pull the jib down with a rope-only block and pin it.

I do like Joe's ladder suggestion. I keep forgetting to take a stool for rigging. I have a telescoping ladder that will serve multiple uses.

I'm going tomorrow and will report back.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

On my 19' I swapped a few of the pins for PTO pins. They're much easier to remove and install. If you want to stick with marine hardware you might be able to use a shackle in place of some of the pins.

If you plan on going for the tripod idea you could probably pick up a lighting stand for about $50. This is the type typically used by DJ's and are usualy about 10' tall. Speaker stands are much shorter.

If you're just looking to gain a foot or two of height you could put a 2x10 or similar piece of lumber across the seats or combing (from one side to the other) of your boat. If you're concerned about scratching the gelcoat consider putting some carpeting with screws on the side holding it to the wood. No need for overpriced trailer bunk carpeting. Even carpet tiles would work for this application

 

[Tater]

On my 19' I swapped a few of the pins for PTO pins. They're much easier to remove and install. If you want to stick with marine hardware you might be able to use a shackle in place of some of the pins.

If you plan on going for the tripod idea you could probably pick up a lighting stand for about $50. This is the type typically used by DJ's and are usualy about 10' tall. Speaker stands are much shorter.

If you're just looking to gain a foot or two of height you could put a 2x10 or similar piece of lumber across the seats or combing (from one side to the other) of your boat. If you're concerned about scratching the gelcoat consider putting some carpeting with screws on the side holding it to the wood. No need for overpriced trailer bunk carpeting. Even carpet tiles would work for this application

I really hate the standard pin/ring hardware. A PTO pin would work great for the furler. I'm not concerned with corrosion so I don't need marine grade hardware. I didn't get out Sunday so the ladder hasn't been tested. Thanks.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

The PTO pin I used finally started to show surface rust after 4-5 seasons. It held upto the loads of the mainsheet on my O'Day 25 for the past two seasons

 

[Shorefun]

2 Pack Safety Coupler Pin 0.197" x 1.97"(5mm x 50mm), Full Marine Grade 316 Stainless Steel Heavy Duty Shaft Locking Pin: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

2 Pack Safety Coupler Pin 0.197" x 1.97"(5mm x 50mm), Full Marine Grade 316 Stainless Steel Heavy Duty Shaft Locking Pin: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

 

[Tater]

.....

Thanks, I really don't need stainless. My boat stays in the basement. As I said before the cotter pin works well. It is large and will be replaced regularly. If this pin were to shear, I would most certainly have bigger problems.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I got mine from Harbor Frieght. It was often cheaper to buy their variety pack than a single pin. Prices may have changed since then. I used them as much as I could on my Starwind 19 (including the forestay) so they should be adequate on your Hunter 170

 

[stickinthemud57]

Tater and I spoke on the phone and I think we found a solution to his problem. When he explained to me that he could not get the base of the mast into the tabernacle without raising the other end, I realized he probably did not have shroud tensioners like the ones I have on each of my four shrouds:

Small 7 Hole Quick-Release Shroud Lever

Small 7 Hole Quick-Release Shroud Levers

duckworks.com

These allow me to leave the shrouds attached, but give me enough slack that I can get the base of the mast hooked in at the tabernacle without having to lift the other end. Once the mast is stepped and the forestay attached, I tension each of the shrouds by closing these and securing them with a quick-release pin.

I am glad whoever had my boat before me installed these. I'm not sure I would have been able to figure out a solution on my own!

 

[Tater]

And.....Duckworks has my money. I'm waiting for tracking information. Thanks.