Safe way to raise mast, 23 ft O'day, 3' keel boat

[gordon]

My Questions: What is your perferred safe way to raise your mast if youown a 23ft Oday w/ 3' fixed keel. Boat is now on trailor. 1. Better to raise mast in parking lot? Deck of boat is 7ft off pavement, with bow tipped down for trailoring.2.Or better to raise mast once boat is in water at your dock?3. Mast is raised from Bow up or Stern up?I would like your insight as what works safely for you.Thanks for your help.Gordon

 

[Champagne Girl]

Raising Mast

I have an O'Day 25 but have raised, and lowered, the mast a couple of times. When I raised it we did it with the boat on the trailer. We took it down however with the boat in the water.There are some really good instructions in the archives. Search raising the mast or Mast Raising. The article I have was from Ed V.Its really pretty easy if you use the boom as a cantilever.

 

[TeePee]

Easy does it!

If you have a clear access from the parking lot to the launch ramp, no electrical wires and etc., I wwould raise the mast in the parking lot. You have a much more stable platform to work on. I had an Aquarius for many years and we raised the mast from back to front. The mast balanced well from the tabernacle to the back pulpit rail. After attaching all the stays and shrouds, except the forestay, I had a 2-pulley block and attached it to the bow stem and ran a line attached to the forestay thru one part of the block, around a winch and back thru the other part of the block and then back to the cockpit. Pulling on this line allowed someone to hold the mast in a partial raised condition while I lifted the mast and pushed forward to raise it. Once the mast was vertical, the person in the cockpit could hold the mast vertical and then I could attach the forestay to the bow stem. I think this is a safe way of doing a mast raising. No one here was injured in over 20 years of mast raising. I hope this helps.

 

[Harley Oday23]

mast raising

I raise or lower the mast on the trailer from the stern up.

 

[Ed]

halyard helper

If possible secure the genny halyard to the foredeck(at the forestay plate). Then once the halyard is past about 45 degrees the person in the stern that started pushing up the mast & can't reach it anymore moves forward & pulls on halyard(assuming the halyard is led on the cabin top) & then secure it on a cleat when the mast is vertical. Then you can secure forestay. I've done it on land & water & it is generally easier when the boat can't rock. You don't want the mast to start swaying side to side. The other advise given is good too. Take your time & watch for snags as you go up & you'll be fine.Two people minimum to raise & lower. If you have a third person try adding a piece of rope to a cleated off halyard & have that person stand on the ground off the bow & assist pulling the mast up.