Triangular plates for mast raising

[Joe11688]

Some of the guys on the forum have inquired about the triangular plates attached to the lower stays of the O'Day 26s which were used in mast raising on these boats. They may have put these plates on the 25s, I'm not really sure. If anyone has a 25 with these plates, maybe they could chime in on this thread.
Yesterday I went to the club and I happened to have my camera with me so I took some pics of my friend Ray's 86 O'Day 26 sitting on his trailer. I took some shots of his triangular plates that are attached to his lower stays.
Some guys have asked what size these plates are on the O'Day 26. They are about the same size as the one that was on my backstay for my mainsheet which is about 2.5"X3". I measured the distance from the deck at the chainplate to the lower hole of the triangular plate and I measured 19".
Looking at the side stays at the mast perpendicular to the centerline of his boat, the stays are aft of the mast. So I've come to the conclusion that the hole in the plate for the boom bridle does not come in line with the pivot point of the mast tabernacle. Maybe you're supposed to loosen these stays a little so that nothing binds when you're raising the mast from the bow. I really don't know.

For those who are contemplating on installing these triangular plates on the lower stays of their 25s, you may want to just consider making up some pivot bridles instead. I was able to use a small shackle between the toggles of my side stay turnbuckles on both sides of my boat for one side of the bridles, and I installed a small pad eye on each side of the deck about equidistant of the shackles for the other half of the bridles. I used braid line, two stainless steel rings, and four snaps. The bridle rope from the end of the boom could attach to the stainless steel rings on both pivot bridles. All you need to do is adjust the ropes so that your rings on your pivot bridles come even with the pivot point of your mast.
Of course, you'll want the ropes on these bridles to be even so that you can use either bridle for each side of the boat. So the placement of the pad eyes on the deck is very crucial to getting the bridles to come even.
You could also get more lateral stability for your mast by building a mast attachment out of wood to clamp on to your mast for the purpose of attaching two temporary stays which can also hook on to the stainless steel rings on the pivot bridles. This works on my boat and it can work on any boat regardless of whether you raise the mast from the bow or aft. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Joe

 

[sPk]

Joe, the 25's do have the same triangular plates. When I use them to raise/lower mast, take the boom off of its gooseneck and reconnect it lower to where the boom vang attaches to the mast. I tie or clip lines from the triangular plates to the end of the boom to keep the mast centered.

sPk

 

[Joe11688]

Joe, the 25's do have the same triangular plates. When I use them to raise/lower mast, take the boom off of its gooseneck and reconnect it lower to where the boom vang attaches to the mast. I tie or clip lines from the triangular plates to the end of the boom to keep the mast centered.

sPk

Hey that's a pretty good idea! Can you get away without having to remove the line from the two sheaves on your mainsheet, or do you do this to give the boom more stability? Also, have you ever thought of building a mast attachment out of wood and clamping it to your mast within reaching distance to attach temporary stays to it from the triangular plates? This would provide more lateral stability for your mast as it is being raised and lowered.
I noticed that the chainplates on Ray's 26 are a little aft of the mast. Are your chainplates set up this way too and do you need to put some slack in the side stays in order to lower your mast over the bow?

Here's pic of the mast attachment that I made up and also one that my friend Wayne made up for his Seaward 22 which is probably stronger than mine. Also, I added a picture of something that I used to use that involved a sail slide, a shackle, and the main halyard. It turned out to be a huge PITA to rig up each time raised my mast, so I abandoned that idea.
The wood mast crutch works super for attaching the baby stays. Of course, a guy could always bore a hole through the side of your mast and install a 5/16" bolt for two tangs like the Mac boats have.

Thank you so much for replying to my thread. I'm forever learning something new each time I go on this forum and hopefully my ideas will help others.
Joe

 

[sPk]

Joe, here is something regarding the mast raising that someone else had written. I also have uploaded copy of O'Day's original document on the mast raising system. It is a bad copy.

O’Day 25 Mast Raising
The boom needs to be positioned at the bottom of the mast. The gooseneck slides down the slot to the hinge. That give better leverage. The mainsheet tackle is attached at the traveller. You don't need to use a winch. There is enough reduction in the mainsheet tackle to allow you to do it by hand.
Make sure your shrouds still have the triangle plates, otherwise the factory method won't work.
You run a line from one triangle plate back to the topping lift eye at the end of the boom and on to the other triangle plate. This keeps the mast from flopping to either side as you lower forward. I use one of the halyards to run between the masthead and the end of the boom. I don't trust the topping lift to take the load.
I've done it a few times single handed. IF you understand the system it works fine. Otherwise get someone to help.
1. Put a rag on the pulpit and rest the mast there. Attach the forward most bolt on the mast plate so it creates a pivot point to swing aft.

2. Attach rigging

3. Run mainsheet through blocks (depending on length of sheet run as many purchases as you can)

4. clip jib sheet to boom stay and run the ends of the sheets through the holes in the triangle plate of rigging and cleat where the winches are. This provides stability on both sides of the boom while raising.

5. Begin pulling the mainsheet to bring the boom down, adjusting the jib sheets as necessary to keep the boom centered.

6. Once the mast nears its seat, check to make sure all rigging is untangled and base of the mast is ging to line up with the plate, etc.

7. Ease it the rest of the way down and cinch the mainsheet to keep the mast down.

8. Attach aft bolt on plate and secure the backstay.

9. Unclip jib sheets

10. Double check fore and back stays, standing and running riggin.

I was able to do this with my buddy in about 10 min so there wasnt much time for photos. But having never lowered and raised a mast before, it was suprising simple.

 

[Joe11688]

Joe, here is something regarding the mast raising that someone else had written. I also have uploaded copy of O'Day's original document on the mast raising system. It is a bad copy.

O’Day 25 Mast Raising
The boom needs to be positioned at the bottom of the mast. The gooseneck slides down the slot to the hinge. That give better leverage. The mainsheet tackle is attached at the traveller. You don't need to use a winch. There is enough reduction in the mainsheet tackle to allow you to do it by hand.
Make sure your shrouds still have the triangle plates, otherwise the factory method won't work.
You run a line from one triangle plate back to the topping lift eye at the end of the boom and on to the other triangle plate. This keeps the mast from flopping to either side as you lower forward. I use one of the halyards to run between the masthead and the end of the boom. I don't trust the topping lift to take the load.
I've done it a few times single handed. IF you understand the system it works fine. Otherwise get someone to help.
1. Put a rag on the pulpit and rest the mast there. Attach the forward most bolt on the mast plate so it creates a pivot point to swing aft.

2. Attach rigging

3. Run mainsheet through blocks (depending on length of sheet run as many purchases as you can)

4. clip jib sheet to boom stay and run the ends of the sheets through the holes in the triangle plate of rigging and cleat where the winches are. This provides stability on both sides of the boom while raising.

5. Begin pulling the mainsheet to bring the boom down, adjusting the jib sheets as necessary to keep the boom centered.

6. Once the mast nears its seat, check to make sure all rigging is untangled and base of the mast is ging to line up with the plate, etc.

7. Ease it the rest of the way down and cinch the mainsheet to keep the mast down.

8. Attach aft bolt on plate and secure the backstay.

9. Unclip jib sheets

10. Double check fore and back stays, standing and running riggin.

I was able to do this with my buddy in about 10 min so there wasnt much time for photos. But having never lowered and raised a mast before, it was suprising simple.

That sure sounds simple enough. I watched Ray and his brother in-law raise the mast on his O'Day 26 and they didn't have a problem. Ray built a mast roller for his bow pulpit which enables him to roll the mast forward.
I don't blame you for not trusting the topping lift. I wouldn't trust it for raising a mast either.
One of my other friends in the club, Jeff, owns an O'Day 25 and he raises his mast the same way that Ray does but his lower stays do not have the triangular plates. What he does is tie his boom bridle to the upper toggles of his turnbuckles. The mast binds a little and it requires him to give it a lift by hand to get it started, then it goes up the rest of the way. I've watched Jeff do this a few times and it seems to work, albeit a little on the tough side. If I remember correctly, I think Jeff had to disconnect two of his stays before raising his mast.
I'd like to talk Ray into trying out my mast attachment and temporary stays just to see if it would make a difference on his boat. It does on mine and Wayne's. I wouldn't dare to raise or lower my mast without it. If I didn't have a furler I would have no need for pivot bridles and baby stays. I could get away with just the Gin Pole and the mast crutch mounted on my stern rail. Of course, the mast could still go over the side if I neglected to have the boat level and the wind coming directly from the stern. I did it the old way all by myself many years ago.
Here's a couple of pics of a young fuzzy face captain getting his mast up at the Mattapoiset Ma boat ramp many years ago.
Thank you very much for the info. I really appreciate it.
Joe