I would like to know what the accepted practice is with regards to disconnecting your standing rigging while trailering the water ballast boats 23.5, 240, 26, 260. Naturally, your forestay needs to be disconnected but what about the shrouds? You would want to secure as much of the standing rigging to the mast as possible with bungee cords to prevent chaffing but is it necessary to disconnect from the chainplates before heading down the road? I know there are some seasoned veterans of trailering like Brigg, Alan and Rick so please chime in. What are the pros and cons of disconnecting and staying connected to the chainplates.
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Alan Long
Grizzled Veteran
Hi Jonathan The only thing I disconnect is the forestay from the bow fitting. The shrouds are gently attached to the lifelines using velcro straps and bungees. It's important not to bend the stainless cable too much as high stress along that axis can weaken it. I attach the spreaders to the lifelines with bungees to give the mast a little support in the middle. All the other spaghetti gets attached to the mast with bungees and velcro straps. Anything left loose or dangling after this gets another bungee. I use several hefty bungees to tie the mast down to the crutch and the bow cradle. I'll probably regret bragging about this, but the only rigging loss or damage I've ever suffered was the loss of one of the little rubber plug thingies that hold the shrouds to the mast. I have an impressive collection of bungee cords. Hope this helps Alan
Hi Jonathan The only thing I disconnect is the forestay from the bow fitting. The shrouds are gently attached to the lifelines using velcro straps and bungees. It's important not to bend the stainless cable too much as high stress along that axis can weaken it. I attach the spreaders to the lifelines with bungees to give the mast a little support in the middle. All the other spaghetti gets attached to the mast with bungees and velcro straps. Anything left loose or dangling after this gets another bungee. I use several hefty bungees to tie the mast down to the crutch and the bow cradle. I'll probably regret bragging about this, but the only rigging loss or damage I've ever suffered was the loss of one of the little rubber plug thingies that hold the shrouds to the mast. I have an impressive collection of bungee cords. Hope this helps Alan
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Rick Webb
Saran Wrap, Zip Ties
If I am going a long distance I unbolt the spreaders and wrap saran wrap secured with zip ties to keep anything from slapping. Short trips I just run a bungee cord to the bow rail on the opposite side of the boat for each shroud. the end of the forstay goes in the cabin. I pull the mast as far forward as I can and secure the spreaders to the stantions with zip ties. A good idea also is to cushion the end of the spreaders were they are to come in contact with the rail. A couple of old beercan Koozies (SP?) work great.
If I am going a long distance I unbolt the spreaders and wrap saran wrap secured with zip ties to keep anything from slapping. Short trips I just run a bungee cord to the bow rail on the opposite side of the boat for each shroud. the end of the forstay goes in the cabin. I pull the mast as far forward as I can and secure the spreaders to the stantions with zip ties. A good idea also is to cushion the end of the spreaders were they are to come in contact with the rail. A couple of old beercan Koozies (SP?) work great.
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Reinhold Fussle
saran wrap plus.....
I have trailered my 260 several thousend miles. I always leave the standing rigging connected but secure all loose cables either with bungee cords or with saranwrap and duct tape! Use the wrap you get from U Haul thats four inches wide and comes on a roll. Then use the duct tape over it. No sticky mess and very secure. Anywhere there is direct contact of metal to metal I use plenty of old rags for cushioning. (Mast in the bow reling, mast crutch etc)
I have trailered my 260 several thousend miles. I always leave the standing rigging connected but secure all loose cables either with bungee cords or with saranwrap and duct tape! Use the wrap you get from U Haul thats four inches wide and comes on a roll. Then use the duct tape over it. No sticky mess and very secure. Anywhere there is direct contact of metal to metal I use plenty of old rags for cushioning. (Mast in the bow reling, mast crutch etc)
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crazy dave
my two cents
Good stuff from Alan. In the bow rail use a peice of carpet to cushion the mast. One other thing I do is secure the spreaders via a piece of line tied to the life line to keep the spreader tips from hitting. Dave Condon
Good stuff from Alan. In the bow rail use a peice of carpet to cushion the mast. One other thing I do is secure the spreaders via a piece of line tied to the life line to keep the spreader tips from hitting. Dave Condon
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Mark
Well thats interesting
What I do on both the port and starboard life line (sorry on a 260) is: I run the jib halyard underneath the spreader and clip it onto the lifeline forward of the stanchon closest to the bow. When I clip it onto the lifeline I also pull the upper and lower shroud to the clip and so it ends up fastened to the lifeline. I then take the rest of the slack in both shrouds and tie of without any sharp bends around the mast towards the bow. Do the same to the starboard side and away we go.
What I do on both the port and starboard life line (sorry on a 260) is: I run the jib halyard underneath the spreader and clip it onto the lifeline forward of the stanchon closest to the bow. When I clip it onto the lifeline I also pull the upper and lower shroud to the clip and so it ends up fastened to the lifeline. I then take the rest of the slack in both shrouds and tie of without any sharp bends around the mast towards the bow. Do the same to the starboard side and away we go.
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Frank Ladd
Tips from a slacker
I've seen Crazy Dave tie down every little detail on a new boat for an hour so it could make a trip to Alaska and back, However I try to make it as simple as possible. This makes it much quiker to rig when you get to the water. For the mast I have a roller in the crutch with a bungee and a towel in the bow with a bungee. I also wrap a line around the crutch and the mast and secure each end to a stern cleat. I only disconnect the forstay and I roll also the stays loosely and bungee the whole mess with two or three bungees at most. On short hops of 65 miles or less I have done it all with one bungee, so far I've been very lucky with no boat problems. All the extra bungees did come in handy one time for holding on a fender that came loose.
I've seen Crazy Dave tie down every little detail on a new boat for an hour so it could make a trip to Alaska and back, However I try to make it as simple as possible. This makes it much quiker to rig when you get to the water. For the mast I have a roller in the crutch with a bungee and a towel in the bow with a bungee. I also wrap a line around the crutch and the mast and secure each end to a stern cleat. I only disconnect the forstay and I roll also the stays loosely and bungee the whole mess with two or three bungees at most. On short hops of 65 miles or less I have done it all with one bungee, so far I've been very lucky with no boat problems. All the extra bungees did come in handy one time for holding on a fender that came loose.
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Bob
What do you do to keep the mast from launching
What do you do to keep the mast from launching during a panic stop? I’ve got a Hunter 23.5 that I plan on trailering about 500 miles and I worry that a sudden stop will send the mast through the rear window of my pickup and possibly my scull. Any advice would help.
What do you do to keep the mast from launching during a panic stop? I’ve got a Hunter 23.5 that I plan on trailering about 500 miles and I worry that a sudden stop will send the mast through the rear window of my pickup and possibly my scull. Any advice would help.
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Rick Macdonald
Houston, we have a problem
Two things should stop the mast from sliding forward. The spreaders are wider than the stanchions and should stop at that point since the spreaders are aft of the stanchions. Also, you could slide the mast forward only until the gooseneck is aft of the U in the pullpit. I usually slide the mast even farther forward by having the gooseneck forward of the pullpit U. This positions the whole mast from the rudder to the trailer hitch (almost). With the gooseneck aft of the pullpit I think the masthead sticks out aft of the rudder.
Two things should stop the mast from sliding forward. The spreaders are wider than the stanchions and should stop at that point since the spreaders are aft of the stanchions. Also, you could slide the mast forward only until the gooseneck is aft of the U in the pullpit. I usually slide the mast even farther forward by having the gooseneck forward of the pullpit U. This positions the whole mast from the rudder to the trailer hitch (almost). With the gooseneck aft of the pullpit I think the masthead sticks out aft of the rudder.
L
Link
alternative to carpet pieces..
Since I "moor" on the trailer, I do all I can to keep re-rigging simple and quick. I have a system for my 23 that has gotten me from trailer to underway in as little as 45 minutes single handed though it averages an hour... As an alternative to cushioning with carpet I have a piece of heavy walled clear hose slit lengthwise placed over the tubes of the "U" of the bow rail that remains there all the time. I did the same for the crutch in the rear. It has sayed there for 5 years now and saves me from finding something to cushion the mast.
Since I "moor" on the trailer, I do all I can to keep re-rigging simple and quick. I have a system for my 23 that has gotten me from trailer to underway in as little as 45 minutes single handed though it averages an hour... As an alternative to cushioning with carpet I have a piece of heavy walled clear hose slit lengthwise placed over the tubes of the "U" of the bow rail that remains there all the time. I did the same for the crutch in the rear. It has sayed there for 5 years now and saves me from finding something to cushion the mast.
Surveyor flagging, two bungess and an old T-shirt
One bungee at the bow pulpit, the other at the aft mast crutch, T-shirt under the mast at the bow pulpit and day-glo orange surveyor flagging to tie down the spreaders and loose rigging. Flagging is great stuff. A 200 ft roll costs about a buck, it's handy, always clean, doesn't leave a mess behind like duct tape, won't chafe through, ties as securely as rope but is easily cut away with a pocket knife and it's hard to overlook a tie when it's time to raise the mast. I also use it to make leech telltales on the mainsail. It comes in lots of colors too. Peter H23 "Raven"
One bungee at the bow pulpit, the other at the aft mast crutch, T-shirt under the mast at the bow pulpit and day-glo orange surveyor flagging to tie down the spreaders and loose rigging. Flagging is great stuff. A 200 ft roll costs about a buck, it's handy, always clean, doesn't leave a mess behind like duct tape, won't chafe through, ties as securely as rope but is easily cut away with a pocket knife and it's hard to overlook a tie when it's time to raise the mast. I also use it to make leech telltales on the mainsail. It comes in lots of colors too. Peter H23 "Raven"
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