How to unstep your Ranger 26 mast
I have a Ranger 26 in my boatyard and I just took a look at the mast step. While yours could be different, if changed from what the manufacture originally installed, I assume you do not have a hinge of any sort, but rather just a mast base that your mast fits over. In this case, you need an overhead lifting device such as a gin pole that might be located in a marina facility, or a crane of some sort, or you could devise a second mast section to be placed next to your R26 mast as a makeshift gin pole. I will explain that later. Assuming you have an over head device to lift and then lower your mast safely, you need to position it (if it is a crane type) so the tip of the boom is over your mast base. If it is a gin pole at a dock, then you need to position the boat so that the mast step is directly below the tip of the boom (so you get a straight up pull) and then secure the boat to the dock, fore and aft, so it does not move. If there is a breeze, you might consider pointing the bow into the wind and if it is too windy, you might want to do this on a different day. Assuming you have positioned the boat, you attach a line around your mast, below the spreaders. Make a loop with a bowline knot and the tie, or hook the overhead lifting wire or rope to this loop. You will eventually end up with the mast laying on the deck of the boat. If you want the mainsail slot down, attach the overhead line to the front of the mast. If you want the mast slot up, then attach the line behind the mast. Pull up the loop to the spreaders until you just have tension on the lifting line. It is good to have at least two people to accomplish this task, but I have done it alone with the aid of guide ropes to keep control of the mast. The 2nd person can hold on to the base of the mast while you or the 1st person walks about the deck to loosen up the turnbuckls and pull the pins at the attachment points (stemhead/forestay, chainplates/upper and lower shrouds or side stays, and the tang(s) for the backstay). If no one is holding the base of the mast, it could get away from you. Now that all the shrouds are unattached, you can collect them and secure them to the mast. I use duct tape because it is quick, but I put the sticky side out so that there is no residue clean up on your mast later. While still holding on to the mast base, the mast is now lifted a few inches to expose any wires that might be running inside the mast. If there are wires (for the mast lights, vhf antenna or wind machine instrument heads) they can be disconnected now (assuming the plugs are located there). If any wires connect below deck, then you have to deal with that accordingly. If this is the case, then that is the first thing you should do before attaching the overhead cable to the mast. Now that the wires are free and clear from the boat, the person holding the mast base can start walking forward with the butt of the mast toward the bow rail while who ever is controling the winch or crane gradually lowers the mast to the deck. The mast can rest on the bow rail and the stern rail, or if no stern rail on the deck. It is wise to put some cushioning down so you don't scratch the mast or deck. Take away the hook or until the knot that supported the mast in the air and you are done. You now have to secure the mast to the boat so it doesn't fall off. If you don't have a gin pole or a crane, then you can devise a mast raising system with a second mast section that is a few feet taller than your spreader height. The base is fitted with a padded square, etc. and then there are four wires or lines from the top of the 2nd mast to support it (on 4 points) like your mast is. There should be a winch (either a sailboat winch or trailer type winch) attached to the mast towards the bottom. You now use this as your gin pole. Use the halyard, which runs through the masthead as your lifting rope and go through the same procedure. If you don't have any of the above and must do this by hand, then I would get a total of 4 guys (or more) to lower it carefully by hand. One guy at the forestay. One guy at the mast base and two behind the mast - one in front of each other lined up in the cockpit. The cockpit guys should have their feet on the seat, port and starboard, straddling the cockpit floor. One of the two cockpit guys can even stand right behind the mast while the other is straddling the cockpit at the very aft portion (at the stern rail). The side stays are loosened up as is the forestay. Leave the side stays attached and leave the backstay attached. Since there is no mast hinge, it is the scary job of the man at the mast base, to hold the butt at that place. The guy on the forestay disconnects the forestay and holds on to the forestay and gradually lets the mast pivot backwards slowly. He will have most of the control of the mast until the angle between the forestay and the mast is diminished to the point where he is no longer affective. By that time the guys behind the mast will have it under control and the guy at the base, after the mast is lowered, can carry the lower end of the mast to the bow rail, while the cockpit guys do a hand over hand/on the shoulder routine to feed the mast forward so when in position, it can be lowered to the deck. At the beginning, you might have to get the guys to lift the mast up first a few inches to free it from the mast base. This is where a hinge comes in handy. If a gin pole or crane is not available, then I suggest you have a hinge installed to make this a safe operation with the use of man power. I hope this helps. Good luck.
