Un stepping a mast and make a frame for travel

Status
Not open for further replies.
7

78116

Has anyone unstepped a mast and traveled with in. I have to secure the mast to the boat. Any suggestions on how to make a frame?? Pictures would help.

Thank you

Richard
 
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
It would help if you said what kind of boat it was. Also, are you going to be putting the boat on a trailer or motoring the boat under bridges???
 
Nov 5, 2008
24
Catalina 30 Quebec City
Richard,

HAve some friedns that took a one year vruise down to the Bahamas, to do this they had to go thorugh the Richelieu canal in Quebec to make it to Lake Champlain. To do this they have to step their mast prior to departure and secure it in such a way that they can still navigate safely.

Here's their blog link: http://tirnanogbateau.blogspot.com/2008/06/9-juin-on-redonne-vie-tir-na-nog.html

Go thorugh the pictures there are a few of them showing their set-up.

Hope this help a bit.

Cheers,

Ghislain
Emilie-Jolie
C30TRBS 4708
 
7

78116

More Information the Boat is a 1999 Hunter 340 with an Arch that has to upstepped.

Thanks, Richard
 
Jun 8, 2004
853
Pearson 26W Marblehead
unfortunately I dont have any pictures. but I will explain what I worked for me. I went to a welding shop. I had them take a piece of round hollow steel about an inch in diameter and
weld a half round piece of bar stock on top that the mast would fit into when unstepped The completed part stood about 5' high. I would measure so when you set the top end of the mast on the pulpit and the bottom of the mast on the new part. THe mast will be horizontal Make it taller than you need. Its easy to hack saw some off the bottom it its too tall
Next get a piece of stainless about 8" long and 6" wide have it bent so the hollow post fits inside it after you bolt it to the inside of your transom or the rear of your cockpit. Bolt it on about 6" above the cockpit floor. that should do it. dont forget to put a piece of plywood on
the cockpit floor under the post
 

higgs

.
Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
In the photo you can see the boom gallows (at the aft end of the cabin house) which made it necessary to build the support at the stern. Up at the cabin vents you can just see the legs of an orange saw horse I used to offer a little more support. I lashed the legs of the sawhorse to the handrails to ensure it would not shift around under stress. We are waiting here at the entrance to the Big Chute on the Trent Severn.
 

Attachments

Boompa

.
Jan 16, 2009
27
2 Out Island 30 South Shore
Make a 2x4 frame

We took a 41 Morgan Classic from Lake Champlain to New Jersey with the mast carried on a simple 2x4 frame made by a carpenter. It worked fine and once we passed the last bridge, the mast was unlashed and stepped w a crane.
 

higgs

.
Aug 24, 2005
3,736
Nassau 34 Olcott, NY
Looks like some good advice. One thing to consider is what conditions you expect to encounter with your mast on deck. Wakes from other boats can be a real problem, but they are usually short lived. Whatever you do it should be keep the mast rigid and tightly fastened to the supports keeping any flexing to a minimum.

We ended up crossing Lake Ontario with the mast on deck - something I did not intend, but a series of events which I won't bore you with led to the trip. It was one of the worst trips I have ever had. I am, however, very grateful that we overbuilt things. We ended up getting caught in steep 5 foot seas and an unmasted sailboat can really wallow. Our mast is at least two hundred pounds and had it broken lose I hate to think of what may have happened.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.