Hi, my first time unmasting my b and r rig off my hunter34. Was wondering if I should climb the steps on the mast to sling it before the top spreader or to sling it before the lower spreader to remove the mast. Thanks again for your input. Michel.
Unmasting a b and r rig
- Thread starter cherub78
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 24,691
On mast I have observed the sling is usually 2/3rds of the way up the mast. That is so the mast stays vertical (the weight of the mast lets it hang - not invert). Ideally that is near a spreader it help secure the sling on the mast.
Use a mast dolly to move the mast about in the yard. Move it to multiple saw horses to maintain it level and supported.
Use a mast dolly to move the mast about in the yard. Move it to multiple saw horses to maintain it level and supported.
We stepped our mast only 1 time in 1996. As @kloudie1 says, Claude L-Auger will have the finer details. In our case, the yard used a crane with a long line and sling attached just above the first set of spreaders and steaming light using a simple overhand knot. The excess line came down to the gooseneck (boom already removed) and was wrapped many times and secured with a knot or two. This provided the hoist point near the center of mass so the mast remained balanced when lifted. After all the rigging was disconnected and three electrical connectors separated the mast was lifted clear. Since it was balanced, it rotated easily from vertical to horizontal very easily with the halyard. Luckily we still have our pictures of the process. Look closely for the hoist line. Then the real fun started. We replaced all the standing rigging ourselves after taking the old stuff off. The hardest part was getting the pins out of the ends of the spreaders. We also stripped the mast completely and had it painted. This was the time when we had todo the compression post repair as well. By doing so much of the labor ourselves, it saved us a lot of money. The original quote for just the compression post repair was $5,000. We did all that plus new rigging, wiring, painting for much less.
Thank you so much for the pictures, it will help me alot where to put my sling,I was thinking if putting the sling above the lower spreader, and I get the crane operator to lift from the top spreader under the standing riging work? On my mast I have steps till the lower spreader. So I can climb with a harness to do it there,what are your thoughts on that? Thanks again.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 24,691
Sounds possible. Do you have any fittings (lights or hardware like a radar on the mast between the two spreaders?
If you notice, in the images by @Allan12210 , he secures the sling to the goose neck. This means the mast can not slip vertically out of the sling. The sling in circles the mast, keeping it in place.
If you notice, in the images by @Allan12210 , he secures the sling to the goose neck. This means the mast can not slip vertically out of the sling. The sling in circles the mast, keeping it in place.
If you lift from too high like the top spreaders the mast might be too heavy to rotate to horizontal. Unless you can get it on the ground right away it might try to rotate back to vertical rather violently. That's a lot of weight to sit on a concentrated spot. It could bend the bottom. In my case the sling was connected to a long line that went down to below the boom location. That prevented it from slipping up as the mast was raised. The weight distribution was nearly perfect and the guys rotated it with little effort and sat it down on the mast trolleys. I think you can use your steps to put the sling above the lower spreaders and let them tension the sling where mine was before tying it off securely at the bottom. Put a lot of wraps around it down there. I think that was where the initial lift started from then the weight transfers to the sling as it rotates.
That looks like Alameda Marina and Svend's old boatyard. I had many fun times there. C22 4 years on a trailer, C25 for 11 years in the water.
Your input has been invaluable.
But anybody who is doing this, especially for the first time, would be well advised to seek professional help, like somebody who knows what they're doing. The original question was, to me, frightening.
@Stu Jackson right again! Thanks for the kudos. I had hoped you would see that in the picture. You'll be sorry to hear all of it has been bulldozed away. Condos are going to go in it's place. That was such a good place.
The pick point for the mast is at the center of balance which will vary for each mast depending on whether it is a single spreader or multi-spreader, keel or deck stepped, and what other stuff is attached to the mast (radar, winches, speakers, etc.). Generally, the pick point for a simple single spreader deck stepped mast is just below the spreader and a few feet above the lower spreader for a keel stepped double spreader rig.
@Allan12210 photos show the pick point and shows a line from the pick point down to the base of the mast. The mast is lifted from the base the loop around the mast helps to keep the mast from going horizontal too quickly.
Once the mast is clear of the deck, the crane operator should begin to lower the mast while the mast butt is walked forward. The mast will pivot around the line looped around the mast with the weight being transferred from the line at the base of the mast to the loop. If the crane operator gets the pick point correct the mast will hang horizontally without any assistance. More often than not the mast will be a little butt heavy which is more desirable than top heavy.
Our mast is unstepped every fall, been doing that for 42 years and helping with dozens of other boats.
@Allan12210 photos show the pick point and shows a line from the pick point down to the base of the mast. The mast is lifted from the base the loop around the mast helps to keep the mast from going horizontal too quickly.
Once the mast is clear of the deck, the crane operator should begin to lower the mast while the mast butt is walked forward. The mast will pivot around the line looped around the mast with the weight being transferred from the line at the base of the mast to the loop. If the crane operator gets the pick point correct the mast will hang horizontally without any assistance. More often than not the mast will be a little butt heavy which is more desirable than top heavy.
Our mast is unstepped every fall, been doing that for 42 years and helping with dozens of other boats.