I am the new owner of a 1988 Hunter 26.5 with shoal keel. I would very much like to know the correct procedure for unsteping the mast when I trailer the boat in a few weeks. The boat has extensive water/humidity damage to all wood in the cabin and significant weathering of the outside gel coat/fiberglass. I plan a major restoration over the winter while I have the boat under cover. I am sure any information on re-stepping the mast would also be helpful.
Unsteping the mast
- Thread starter NavySailorII
- Start date
Any boat can be trailered but not all are designed to be a trailer boat. I do not think the h26.5 with a fixed ballasted keel was intended to be a trailer boat and hence no easy method or hardware to step or un-step the mast were perhaps not considered in the design. If there is not a marina at your lake that could perform the task, you may need to rent a crane to lay the mast down, it would help to fabricate mast supports where it could be laid down for transportation.
Based on my experience with the H23, which is designed to be stepped without a crane (and presumably has a less hefty mast than a 26.5), I would not try it on your boat unless it is designed for that. If the mast step hardware on the deck lacks some sort of hinge, I would try to unstep only with a crane. And if it is designed with a hinge, use a gin pole, a proper tackle with at least 4-1 advantage, and also some sort of bridles on the side to prevent side-to-side swaying, or else you risk at minimum damage to the mast or mast step (tabernacle).