I am purchasing my first sailboat, a 71 oday mariner next weekend. The previous owner is not available to show me/ help unstep the mast and put the boat on its trailer. Can anyone point me on the right direction to instructions or videos? The boat yard will do it for $125 should I have them do it for me the first time? Can two mechanically inclined 24 year olds handle doing it alone? It has a roller furling jib, does this come down using the standard halyard? Thanks
Unstep mariner mast
- Thread starter dwdrums801
- Start date
You should be able to do it yourselves with no problem. I'm 54 years old and step the mast on my Mariner solo all the time. Just get it on the trailer first, don't try to do it on the water.
If the mast is deck stepped, and in a hinged bracket (which I think it is, and Schwarck kinda confirms in that it's easy for him to do) then just look up some videos of mast raising on YouTube.
You may wish to bring some fairing strip lumber with you, that you can quickly screw together into a crutch that can go at the back of the cockpit. Once you lower the mast, you want to be able to rest it in something high enough so that the mast doesn't touch the back of the cabin top. On my boat, I have fabricated a 8' 2x4 with fittings that go in the the transom gudgeons. This is used for stepping and unstepping, and then I have a different crisscross support for the back of the cockpit to hold the mast for trailering, storage, etc.
If you can get access to a trailer of any kind, it's good to practice backing it, you'll be better able to back down the ramp if you haven't before. 2 keys to backing a trailer: 1) Hold the steering wheel at the bottom, and then you can turn the wheel whichever way you want the trailer to go. 2) To back the trailer straight, move the steering wheel back and forth, so you're kinda wiggling the trailer back and forth a bit. Otherwise, it will get started to turn, and keep on turning.
Good luck, they are nice boats. Raced against one this past weekend. He rated 101.something, and my Harpoon rated 102.5. We were neck and neck most of the race. He won on corrected time, and I finished a minute or two behind him, and still 2nd place on corrected time!
You may wish to bring some fairing strip lumber with you, that you can quickly screw together into a crutch that can go at the back of the cockpit. Once you lower the mast, you want to be able to rest it in something high enough so that the mast doesn't touch the back of the cabin top. On my boat, I have fabricated a 8' 2x4 with fittings that go in the the transom gudgeons. This is used for stepping and unstepping, and then I have a different crisscross support for the back of the cockpit to hold the mast for trailering, storage, etc.
If you can get access to a trailer of any kind, it's good to practice backing it, you'll be better able to back down the ramp if you haven't before. 2 keys to backing a trailer: 1) Hold the steering wheel at the bottom, and then you can turn the wheel whichever way you want the trailer to go. 2) To back the trailer straight, move the steering wheel back and forth, so you're kinda wiggling the trailer back and forth a bit. Otherwise, it will get started to turn, and keep on turning.
Good luck, they are nice boats. Raced against one this past weekend. He rated 101.something, and my Harpoon rated 102.5. We were neck and neck most of the race. He won on corrected time, and I finished a minute or two behind him, and still 2nd place on corrected time!
When I bought my Mariner last October, the mast was still up on it. The guy I bought it from was there. I had him hold the forestay while I held the mast while letting it down. It's best to have a line attached to the forestay or jib halyard (Halyard cleated) to allow the mast to be lowered straight back with one person keeping it from dropping too fast. This should be done with the boat on the trailer.
After getting the boat home, I added a winch to the front of the trailer to attach my jib halyard to (halyard cleated). Now I guide the mast down (or up) with someone using the winch to help control the mast.
There are many good posts on the Mariner Class Assoc. forum http://www.usmariner.org/ concerning raising and lowering the mast. It is worth joining the Mariner Class Assoc., it is only $15 per year. A lot of good information concerning the Mariner there.
John
After getting the boat home, I added a winch to the front of the trailer to attach my jib halyard to (halyard cleated). Now I guide the mast down (or up) with someone using the winch to help control the mast.
There are many good posts on the Mariner Class Assoc. forum http://www.usmariner.org/ concerning raising and lowering the mast. It is worth joining the Mariner Class Assoc., it is only $15 per year. A lot of good information concerning the Mariner there.
John
Here is a picture someone took while I was raising my mast for the Texas 200 in June. I had a little extra help on the cabin top as winds were gusting to 37 knots. The big guy in the yellow shirt is me.
John
John
Attachments
Thanks for the replies! Ill check out mariner class assoc.
Im not worried about driving the trailer, I have more experience driving a trailer then actual sailing!
He has a cradle for the mast for trailering also. Im more concerned about the sequence of disassembling the rigging properly to unstep the mast.
Does a roller Furling Jib come down like a normal sail? normal halyard?
How does the Boom remove?
Do I leave all the standing rigging attached and only remove the forestay?
Should I remove the engine while in tow?
Brian s What do you mean by ratings?
heres the listing, what do you guys think?
https://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/boa/4599380758.html
Im not worried about driving the trailer, I have more experience driving a trailer then actual sailing!
He has a cradle for the mast for trailering also. Im more concerned about the sequence of disassembling the rigging properly to unstep the mast. Does a roller Furling Jib come down like a normal sail? normal halyard?
How does the Boom remove?
Do I leave all the standing rigging attached and only remove the forestay?
Should I remove the engine while in tow?
Brian s What do you mean by ratings?
heres the listing, what do you guys think?
https://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/boa/4599380758.html
On my 15' Harpoon with only 3 stays, I put the vang in line with the jib halyard on the stemhead fitting, and tighten the 4:1 vang to put enough slack in the forestay to disconnect at the stemhead fitting, and then lower the mast aftwards. If I am trailering a short distance, I'll leave the shrouds (side stays) attached to the chain plates. For longer trips, or if it's going into storage, I will disconnect from the chainplates and secure all 3 stays to the mast.
I don't know how the boom is attached on a Mariner. On the Harpoon, the gooseneck is riveted to the mast, so I use a pushbutton quick release pin to attach the boom fork to the universal joint on the gooseneck. It originally came with a bolt and nylock nut, but I got tired of having to have 2 wrenches to rig. On the O'day, the gooseneck slides in the mast slot, so it just gets lifted out. If I were to look at most any other smaller boat gooseneck, I would probably feel it's pretty self explanatory, considering the experience I've had with different boats. Your mileage may vary.
There is great debate on towing with motor on the bracket. I feel if it's a fixed position bracket, it may be more secure than a lifting bracket. Significant consideration goes into the construction and strength of the transom, as well as the size and weight of the motor. On the Harpoon, with a fixed position bracket through bolted into the 2" thick hollow transom, and a 2 hp 2 stroke Suzuki, I have towed with the motor on, and it's probably ok. But I still went ahead and fabricated a motor mount to the winch stand on the trailer, just to be safe. If it's worth doing, it's worth over-doing! The O'day has a somewhat wobbly aluminum 2 stroke lifting bracket, and a 5 hp 4 stroke, which is heavier than a 2 stroke. I do not trailer with that motor on the bracket, the motor goes into the back of the car. I do not want to have to replace that bracket any sooner than necessary!
As far as ratings, 2 popular racing handicap systems are Portsmouth Yardstick, and PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet.) In Portsmouth, bigger numbers equal a slower boat. I forget what the numbers are based on. In PHRF, I think it's based on actual times for a 1 mile course. Local PHRF fleets adjust ratings based on individual boat configs and such. I think PHRF starts at 20' long boats. Ah, there, Wikipedia states PHRF starts at 7 meters, and Portsmouth is more likely for dinghies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_Handicap_Racing_Fleet and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_handicap
Unless you're racing, a ratings handicap is mostly just a convenient way to figure if one boat is generally faster or slower than another.
That looks like a very nice boat. A little spit and polish http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=117266 and she should be very nice.
It does look like the roller furled headsail either has no UV protection, or if it does, it's white colored UV protective strips along the leech and foot of the sail. White protectant fabric has been shown to be less UV resistant than colored. I'd consider getting a Sunbrella or Weathermax fabric jib sock for it. On second thought, it looks to be a wire luff furler, in which case the jib halyard is used to hoist and tension the luff. So you'd need to have a second halyard to use a jib sock, or do something like lower the sail to put the sock on. To drop this mast, you will lower the furled jib with the halyard first, and remove it from the boat, then unhook the forestay and lower the mast. In general, I think wire luff furlers are good for small boats like dinghies, and allow you to set and strike the jib easily. However, I don't think they do a good job of reefing the jib, though I know people who do reef with wire luff furlers. Also, I'm not sure they do a very good job of setting a tight luff, though this is somewhat more a function of the stretchiness of your halyard line, and if you have a winch to put tension on the halyard.
I don't know how the boom is attached on a Mariner. On the Harpoon, the gooseneck is riveted to the mast, so I use a pushbutton quick release pin to attach the boom fork to the universal joint on the gooseneck. It originally came with a bolt and nylock nut, but I got tired of having to have 2 wrenches to rig. On the O'day, the gooseneck slides in the mast slot, so it just gets lifted out. If I were to look at most any other smaller boat gooseneck, I would probably feel it's pretty self explanatory, considering the experience I've had with different boats. Your mileage may vary.
There is great debate on towing with motor on the bracket. I feel if it's a fixed position bracket, it may be more secure than a lifting bracket. Significant consideration goes into the construction and strength of the transom, as well as the size and weight of the motor. On the Harpoon, with a fixed position bracket through bolted into the 2" thick hollow transom, and a 2 hp 2 stroke Suzuki, I have towed with the motor on, and it's probably ok. But I still went ahead and fabricated a motor mount to the winch stand on the trailer, just to be safe. If it's worth doing, it's worth over-doing!
The O'day has a somewhat wobbly aluminum 2 stroke lifting bracket, and a 5 hp 4 stroke, which is heavier than a 2 stroke. I do not trailer with that motor on the bracket, the motor goes into the back of the car. I do not want to have to replace that bracket any sooner than necessary!As far as ratings, 2 popular racing handicap systems are Portsmouth Yardstick, and PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet.) In Portsmouth, bigger numbers equal a slower boat. I forget what the numbers are based on. In PHRF, I think it's based on actual times for a 1 mile course. Local PHRF fleets adjust ratings based on individual boat configs and such. I think PHRF starts at 20' long boats. Ah, there, Wikipedia states PHRF starts at 7 meters, and Portsmouth is more likely for dinghies: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_Handicap_Racing_Fleet and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_handicap
Unless you're racing, a ratings handicap is mostly just a convenient way to figure if one boat is generally faster or slower than another.
That looks like a very nice boat. A little spit and polish http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=117266 and she should be very nice.
It does look like the roller furled headsail either has no UV protection, or if it does, it's white colored UV protective strips along the leech and foot of the sail. White protectant fabric has been shown to be less UV resistant than colored. I'd consider getting a Sunbrella or Weathermax fabric jib sock for it. On second thought, it looks to be a wire luff furler, in which case the jib halyard is used to hoist and tension the luff. So you'd need to have a second halyard to use a jib sock, or do something like lower the sail to put the sock on. To drop this mast, you will lower the furled jib with the halyard first, and remove it from the boat, then unhook the forestay and lower the mast. In general, I think wire luff furlers are good for small boats like dinghies, and allow you to set and strike the jib easily. However, I don't think they do a good job of reefing the jib, though I know people who do reef with wire luff furlers. Also, I'm not sure they do a very good job of setting a tight luff, though this is somewhat more a function of the stretchiness of your halyard line, and if you have a winch to put tension on the halyard.
dwdrums801,
Can't give you any info on the furling jib, I only have a simple jib downhaul.
The boom is removed by sliding the gooseneck to the sail slot on the mast and removing it.
I leave all rigging attached except for the forestay. I trailer with rigging attached, just make sure it won't snag on anything. I have mast supports for the stern, forward of the bow, and a middle support at the mast step. (see attached photo)
I remove the outboard when towing.
Looks like a good boat. My Mariner is a 1973 model after they changed the cabin style. I prefer the stepped cabin style with the forward hatch. The newer style doesn't have a forward hatch.
John
Can't give you any info on the furling jib, I only have a simple jib downhaul.
The boom is removed by sliding the gooseneck to the sail slot on the mast and removing it.
I leave all rigging attached except for the forestay. I trailer with rigging attached, just make sure it won't snag on anything. I have mast supports for the stern, forward of the bow, and a middle support at the mast step. (see attached photo)
I remove the outboard when towing.
Looks like a good boat. My Mariner is a 1973 model after they changed the cabin style. I prefer the stepped cabin style with the forward hatch. The newer style doesn't have a forward hatch.
John
Attachments
unstepping the mast should be a piece of cake. remove front pin from "tabernacle" have helper release and hold front stay (gloves are handy) I'm short so I have to straddle the two seats but either way. walk the mast backwards and down while helper holds front stay to give some resistance. once down of course remove rear pin and than move mast to towing location.
roller furling jib -- must be nice. LOL sorry no help for that.
roller furling jib -- must be nice. LOL sorry no help for that.