Stepping/raising the mast on a H23

isaksp00 · Aug 5, 2015

It is difficult as the mast is rather heavy, and when pinned to the deck plate the weight is aft of the crutch.

There seem to be two basic ways to create an aid - fabricate a gin pole (the person I bought mine from used a pretty stout aluminum tube) that attaches to the base of the mast, and is slightly shorter than the distance from the mast to the inside of the forestay. He made a u shaped bracket out of pretty heavy aluminum plate that wraps around the mast and to which the gin pole is bolted. You set that pole so it is at right angles to the mast (sticking more or less straight up when the mast is in the crutch), attach the jib halyard to one side of the end of the pole, and a 4 to 1 block and tackle assembly to the other side of the pole, using some sort of eyebolts in the tube end. The lower end of the tackle can attach to the bow chainplate or a solid point on the trailer, if available. Use the jib winch to haul it up, being very careful (assuming you have a few good helpers) to support the mast from going side to side as it raises.

The other approach is to use a pair of poles (like metal conduit) in a V shape, where the tip of the V is up, and attaches using a yoke of some sort (like a length of chain) wrapped around the mast so it can slide up and down. The two "legs" of this V attach to the bottom end of the pair of lifeline stanchions closest to the mast base. The length of the poles should bring the tip of the V, when it is swiveled down near the deck, a bit inside the forestay. Use a tackle like above to pull this down, where the jib halyard is attached to the proper side of the V tip.

This is one decent video on the V approach: link.

Hunter really should have provided a gin pole accessory with the boat, as apparently they did with later models.

mmsailor · Aug 5, 2015

mast stepping

SDLars said:
http://www.mrunix.net/h23/resources.html
Very close to having my son's 1984 H23 ready for the water, we think. Had some very able bodied help around a couple of days ago so decided to step the mast as described in the owner's manual. Didn't happen. We have the first pin inserted and a make shift crutch in the aft cockpit. The manual says to use the winches to assist in this process but we haven't figured out how that can be done either. Need some advice. Did find some additional information in the link posted above on the mast raising system, mast yoke/crutch, and mast raising pole. Our boat has none of the hardware associated with these items. We plan to fabricate them if necessary but I have yet to determine where and how the yoke/crutch is attached to the hull. Also would like some clarification on what the mast raising pipe looks like when it is in position.
We're a couple of prairie sailors learning as we go so any and all input is appreciated.

If you check thru the archives you wil should find some threads about my mast stepping plank . Basically I built a walking plank that extends from the top of the transom to the cabin top . It does two things , it elevates you and eliminates that transition from the cockpit to the cabintop . I would simply set the mast on my shoulder and walk it up with someone holding one of the halyards ready to pin the forestay . If you want a more detailed explanation pm me . I now have a 23.5 with a factory mast rasing system that works great but for the 23 this worked for me for 15 years . The plank stayed on the trailer when the boat was being transported . Mike

Kermit · Aug 5, 2015

Show us your biceps, mmsailor!

mmsailor · Aug 5, 2015

mast raising

Kermit said:
Show us your biceps, mmsailor!

Nothing impressive about my biceps , Beginning with your feet at the height of the tramson and going up gradually changes the whole dynamic of what your trying to accomplish . Like I said I love my mast raising system the factory built for the water ballast boats . If I had another 23 and I saw my old boat is for sale , rather than try to build the mast raising system described here I would build another stepping plank . Several people who came to the Hunter 23 nationals several years ago at Indian Lake used mine as a pattern to build their own . It is simple cheap and effective . It is also much faster than the factory system .

carboman · Aug 6, 2015

Re: mast raising

http://sailingtexas.com/Movies/maststepping.html

JoeWhite · Aug 8, 2015

After struggling with my Hunter 25.5, here is what I cam up with
Mast Raising Harness

isaksp00 · Aug 8, 2015

Good system, Joe. One big problem with a 23 is that it lacks a toerail that you can attach anything to, and the side decks are lower than the mast hinge point, as with your model. The stanchion bases are not well positioned to create a triangular attachment rig that provides hinge points level with the mast foot.

I made "lifters" out of 2X4's bolted together edge to edge, the right height from the deck to provide a level hinge for the lower end of the bridle wires. Kind of tough to explain, and I don't have them handy to photograph. Eyebolts extend from the bottom of the wood unit up to the top, and that is what the bridles shackle to. There are eyebolts through the wood side-to-side (abeam), and I shackle the wood "lifters" to a length of steel wire that stretches across the deck, holding the wood from being pushed outwards. I cut a sort of groove along one side of the bottom edge so it straddles the molded fiberglass toerail. I tie these downward using a nylon web style ratchet strap under the hull, and a second strap around the hull attaches to the top eyebolts and is used to tension the top edge of the wood outwards, tightening against the athwartships wire rope. I then use bridles like what you drew, and a chain around the mast as a "sleeve", that hinge from the top of the wood things as the mast goes up/down. Kind of a pain to install, and I've wondered if the V-style pipe brace is easier.

Crazy Dave Condon · Aug 10, 2015

SDLars;

You get great advice here. Kermit you aint got no biceps.

Kermit · Aug 10, 2015

Crazy Dave Condon said:
Kermit you aint got no biceps.

I basically have only one. I ruptured my left one trying to cut a limb so I could back my H260 into my backyard. And the right isn't much, either. So, as usual, Uncle Crazy Dave is right.