Has anyone found a way of raising the mast with some sort of mechanical assist in lieu of physical strength once it's pinned at the plate and ready to go up? And down? How about using the trailer winch in some way? Also, could the shrouds be pinned at that point for vertical stability? It's too heavy for us right now and sometimes help isn't always around.
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Several single-handed raising systems have been developed over the past five years for the H23, which has a 29 ft mast. I'm sure that with minor modifications, one of these systems will work for you. Good luck. Peter H23 "Raven"
Several single-handed raising systems have been developed over the past five years for the H23, which has a 29 ft mast. I'm sure that with minor modifications, one of these systems will work for you. Good luck. Peter H23 "Raven"
Us??
If you have two or more, then it becomes relatively easy. I use a long rope (actully my anchor rope) and attach to the end of the jib. My wife then gets in front of our truck with rope in hand and pulls while I lift the mast from the cockpit. Works well for us. Use same procedure backwards to lower mast.
If you have two or more, then it becomes relatively easy. I use a long rope (actully my anchor rope) and attach to the end of the jib. My wife then gets in front of our truck with rope in hand and pulls while I lift the mast from the cockpit. Works well for us. Use same procedure backwards to lower mast.
J
jacktar
Thanks John
John! Thanks for the advice, looks doable for us. We'll give it a shot with extra muscle standing by, just in case. A question: Do you have the shrouds pinned before going up? Is that possible?
John! Thanks for the advice, looks doable for us. We'll give it a shot with extra muscle standing by, just in case. A question: Do you have the shrouds pinned before going up? Is that possible?
Eliminate readjusting shrouds
When taking down the mast, if you will put enough downward pressure on the jib to allow you to remove the clevis pin below the furling drum, then the pressure on the shrouds is reduced enough to just remove those clevis pins without having to readjust everything when you put the mast up again.
When taking down the mast, if you will put enough downward pressure on the jib to allow you to remove the clevis pin below the furling drum, then the pressure on the shrouds is reduced enough to just remove those clevis pins without having to readjust everything when you put the mast up again.
I added a 12v electric winch mounted on the verticle mast support on the front of the trailer. I bought it at wal-mart for $52.00. It is mounted about 20"-22" above the trailer winch. It comes with a wired remote control, which I lengthened in order to be able to operate the winch from inside the boat. After I pin the mast, I connect the forstay to the end of the winch cable and push the button to raise the mast. I just stablize the mast as it raises. It takes about 2 minutes. I added a simple switch to reverse the winch motor and I use the same technique to lower the mast. Very easy on your back.
J
Jeff Prideaux
experiment...
I always do the following: 1. pin mast at base. 2. Mnaually raise mast. 3. attach shrouds 4. attach gib after bending mast forward with main halyard and trailor wench Steps reversed for take-down. Has anyone tried attaching the shrouds before lifting the mast? Is that possible or is the geometry such that they must be connected only after the mast is veticle?
I always do the following: 1. pin mast at base. 2. Mnaually raise mast. 3. attach shrouds 4. attach gib after bending mast forward with main halyard and trailor wench Steps reversed for take-down. Has anyone tried attaching the shrouds before lifting the mast? Is that possible or is the geometry such that they must be connected only after the mast is veticle?
J
jacktar
Winching the mast
Hi SteveS! What you've done crossed my mind, although a hand winch would do for the two of us. I was going to mount it on the forward side of the trailer mast and run the line over the top roller. How does that sound? Now, do you have a furling jib that's on the forestay and is the mast is up before the clevis on the furler reaches the winch or in my case, the roller? Thanks.
Hi SteveS! What you've done crossed my mind, although a hand winch would do for the two of us. I was going to mount it on the forward side of the trailer mast and run the line over the top roller. How does that sound? Now, do you have a furling jib that's on the forestay and is the mast is up before the clevis on the furler reaches the winch or in my case, the roller? Thanks.
J
jacktar
Oops!
Hi again SteveS! Had a senior moment there. Of course, there's no roller on the trailer mast, but I suppose one could be put there.
Hi again SteveS! Had a senior moment there. Of course, there's no roller on the trailer mast, but I suppose one could be put there.
winching the mast
I think that might work. My winch is mounted about 12" down from the top of the mast support on the back (boat) side. I also have a 216 so it does have the jib on the forstay. The mast is in the vertical position just as the end of the forstay reaches the winch. I place the pin behind the mast at the cabin top, then pin the forstay to the furler. I do this with the turnbuckles on the shrouds loose, so there is no trouble pinning the forstay. I have replaced the standard turnbuckles with Ronstan calibrated turnbuckles which are easy to adjust to the proper settings each time.
I think that might work. My winch is mounted about 12" down from the top of the mast support on the back (boat) side. I also have a 216 so it does have the jib on the forstay. The mast is in the vertical position just as the end of the forstay reaches the winch. I place the pin behind the mast at the cabin top, then pin the forstay to the furler. I do this with the turnbuckles on the shrouds loose, so there is no trouble pinning the forstay. I have replaced the standard turnbuckles with Ronstan calibrated turnbuckles which are easy to adjust to the proper settings each time.
Stepping the H216 Mast
You cannot have the shrouds attached when you raise the mast...the geometry prohibits it. If you try this, you get the mast up to about 30 degrees and the shrouds tighten preventing further movement. I seldom single hand so I use the "tie a line to the jib and have wife pull line from in front of the truck" method. I use a special line (cheap nylon rope) in my setup box. Line has a cheap clip on the end I bought at Ace hardware. This makes is super fast...clip on line...yell at spouse...get dirty look...raise the mast. I found it works best if the person in front of the truck does their job fairly quickly. If it is too slow, it is to hard to guide the mast in a side wind. I like the remote controlled electric winch idea for single handing. Once the mast is up, I have another special line in my setup box which has a large loop on one end and a smaller loop at the other. I attach the larger loop with a Prussic knot (a climber's knot...google it) to the jib, insert my foot in the smaller loop, and step down. Viola! The jib is tensioned and I insert the Bal-Lock Quick Release pin in the roller furler and I am done. Best to pre-load the roller furler 3-4 turns counter clockwise before attaching jib.
You cannot have the shrouds attached when you raise the mast...the geometry prohibits it. If you try this, you get the mast up to about 30 degrees and the shrouds tighten preventing further movement. I seldom single hand so I use the "tie a line to the jib and have wife pull line from in front of the truck" method. I use a special line (cheap nylon rope) in my setup box. Line has a cheap clip on the end I bought at Ace hardware. This makes is super fast...clip on line...yell at spouse...get dirty look...raise the mast. I found it works best if the person in front of the truck does their job fairly quickly. If it is too slow, it is to hard to guide the mast in a side wind. I like the remote controlled electric winch idea for single handing. Once the mast is up, I have another special line in my setup box which has a large loop on one end and a smaller loop at the other. I attach the larger loop with a Prussic knot (a climber's knot...google it) to the jib, insert my foot in the smaller loop, and step down. Viola! The jib is tensioned and I insert the Bal-Lock Quick Release pin in the roller furler and I am done. Best to pre-load the roller furler 3-4 turns counter clockwise before attaching jib.
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