Short story first: The mast is down. Thanks Hielke, Ken, and John for the equipment modification suggestions.
In keeping with the "quicky-rig" theme, I cut a small notch in each leg of the A frame, and lashed a piece of rope around the frame, to provide the crosspiece of the "A". I found some anchor line on the boat, so doubled, then tripled the line to hold the mast base in place. I lashed the block, behind the mast, to the mast. I place some scrap lumber that was lying around the storage area, over the cabin top.
I had originally planned to have 3 people to lower the mast. My girlfriend, Janice, to operate the hoist, her 17 year old son, Bryan, as "disposable labor" and myself to supervise, yell expletives, etc. However, the first weekend came and went and Bryan never found a slot in his busy social calendar, to fit us in. The next weekend came with gusty winds and rain. Finally I decided to take the first day, that bought low winds, and forget about the "disposable labor". So it ended up as just myself and Janice.
After much worrying, sweating, and just plain old procrastination, I finally got to the point were I had to stop fidgeting with the gear and start the procedure. I disconnected the two forward lower shrouds. I help my breath, then disconnected the forward stay. No crashing noise behind me, good! I loosened the upper shrouds. I gave the signal to start lowering the mast. The hoist went slack, but nothing else happened. So I went to the mast and started to rock it a bit. It finally started to tilt, but then soon stopped. Looking at the upper shrouds revealed, that the lines had tightened up. I signaled for Janice to pull the mast back to vertical. I loosened the upper shrouds some more. We got a little bit further, then stopped again. Venting some frustration, I went and loosened the upper shrouds as far as they would go, without removing them. I signaled for Janice to begin lowering. This time it started down! There was a slight, heart stopping, jolt as the mast came up off the deck, and the lines holding it gave up their slack. However, they did their job of keeping the mast from jumping forward. Having the block tied to the mast worked great at keeping the mast off the deck, as it went down. It acted as a very nice pivot. There was a small range of angle, when the shrouds went slack, and the A frame was not effective yet, where the lateral stability of the mast became "mushy". However, it was easy for me to provide the needed muscle power, to keep it in line, until it was down. The block and crutch both did their jobs of keeping the mast off the cabin roof.
Of course, after congratulating ourselves and after letting ourselves relax, was when a minor disaster almost got us. I untied the mast from all the lowering gear, grabbed the end of it, and gave it a tug, to pull it forward to rest on the bow pulpit. Although I had secured the crutch to keep it from going backwards, I did not adequately secure it from moving forwards. The crutch almost fell forwards which would have dropped the mast right on the boat. Luckily, I noticed right away and was able to push the mast and the crutch with it back. After securing the crutch, in a better manner, I was able to pull the mast forward and secure it.
All in all, I was pleased with the operation and felt it went well.
Chris
V265 Vinfalle
In keeping with the "quicky-rig" theme, I cut a small notch in each leg of the A frame, and lashed a piece of rope around the frame, to provide the crosspiece of the "A". I found some anchor line on the boat, so doubled, then tripled the line to hold the mast base in place. I lashed the block, behind the mast, to the mast. I place some scrap lumber that was lying around the storage area, over the cabin top.
I had originally planned to have 3 people to lower the mast. My girlfriend, Janice, to operate the hoist, her 17 year old son, Bryan, as "disposable labor" and myself to supervise, yell expletives, etc. However, the first weekend came and went and Bryan never found a slot in his busy social calendar, to fit us in. The next weekend came with gusty winds and rain. Finally I decided to take the first day, that bought low winds, and forget about the "disposable labor". So it ended up as just myself and Janice.
After much worrying, sweating, and just plain old procrastination, I finally got to the point were I had to stop fidgeting with the gear and start the procedure. I disconnected the two forward lower shrouds. I help my breath, then disconnected the forward stay. No crashing noise behind me, good! I loosened the upper shrouds. I gave the signal to start lowering the mast. The hoist went slack, but nothing else happened. So I went to the mast and started to rock it a bit. It finally started to tilt, but then soon stopped. Looking at the upper shrouds revealed, that the lines had tightened up. I signaled for Janice to pull the mast back to vertical. I loosened the upper shrouds some more. We got a little bit further, then stopped again. Venting some frustration, I went and loosened the upper shrouds as far as they would go, without removing them. I signaled for Janice to begin lowering. This time it started down! There was a slight, heart stopping, jolt as the mast came up off the deck, and the lines holding it gave up their slack. However, they did their job of keeping the mast from jumping forward. Having the block tied to the mast worked great at keeping the mast off the deck, as it went down. It acted as a very nice pivot. There was a small range of angle, when the shrouds went slack, and the A frame was not effective yet, where the lateral stability of the mast became "mushy". However, it was easy for me to provide the needed muscle power, to keep it in line, until it was down. The block and crutch both did their jobs of keeping the mast off the cabin roof.
Of course, after congratulating ourselves and after letting ourselves relax, was when a minor disaster almost got us. I untied the mast from all the lowering gear, grabbed the end of it, and gave it a tug, to pull it forward to rest on the bow pulpit. Although I had secured the crutch to keep it from going backwards, I did not adequately secure it from moving forwards. The crutch almost fell forwards which would have dropped the mast right on the boat. Luckily, I noticed right away and was able to push the mast and the crutch with it back. After securing the crutch, in a better manner, I was able to pull the mast forward and secure it.
All in all, I was pleased with the operation and felt it went well.
Chris
V265 Vinfalle