In parts of Canada, it can be cold and windy during the winter. I want to leave the mast up, mast stripped, boat on the cradle. Any thoughts regarding the stress on the hull through the six pads with the wind blowing on the bare mast. Little or no give, should I take the rig down (pain in the ...) or leave it up? Up is good! Thoughts?
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Leave it up we get just about as cold and
windy as you guys and the only reason anybody pulls the mast is to get it under the high voltage power transmission lines. At least a dozen boats including mine leave the mast up.
windy as you guys and the only reason anybody pulls the mast is to get it under the high voltage power transmission lines. At least a dozen boats including mine leave the mast up.
it's almost that time of year
We share essentially the same weather as Toronto in winter and the vast majority store their boats on stands with the mast up as the attached ugly pic attests. With a cradle, you have the advantage in being able to spread the stresses across the cradle which is far less likely to separate from the hull compared with individual stands. Consider yourself fortunate and don't worry.
We share essentially the same weather as Toronto in winter and the vast majority store their boats on stands with the mast up as the attached ugly pic attests. With a cradle, you have the advantage in being able to spread the stresses across the cradle which is far less likely to separate from the hull compared with individual stands. Consider yourself fortunate and don't worry.
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I don't know of any winter storage in Toronto allowed with masts up.
Where did you find a place in Toronto that might allow you to store with the mast up? Most winter storage facilities on Lake Ontario won't allow you to use poppits (sometimes called boat stands)either. Your sailboat must be on a cradle.
Where did you find a place in Toronto that might allow you to store with the mast up? Most winter storage facilities on Lake Ontario won't allow you to use poppits (sometimes called boat stands)either. Your sailboat must be on a cradle.
- Jan 22, 2008
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Its colder in Manitoba
and I am sure no one will argue with that. We leave our masts up all year, open to the weather, stripped of sails. some tarp their boats to keep the snow out of the cockpit, others don't even do that.
and I am sure no one will argue with that. We leave our masts up all year, open to the weather, stripped of sails. some tarp their boats to keep the snow out of the cockpit, others don't even do that.
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We can leave our masts up....
There are ports around Toronto that allow storage with masts up. We are allowed to leave our masts up at Fifty Point YC & I think PCYC & IYC also aloow it. We can also use stands if we do not have a cradle.
There are ports around Toronto that allow storage with masts up. We are allowed to leave our masts up at Fifty Point YC & I think PCYC & IYC also aloow it. We can also use stands if we do not have a cradle.
Secure your rigging when leaving mast up....
A tip I received from an accomplished sailor & catalina dealer was to make sure you pin all your turn buckles on your shrouds & stays. Apparently the constant wind & vibration in the winter can losen them to the point of disengaging. You can imagine what disaster that would cause if the mast tumbled down in the winter onto other boats.
A tip I received from an accomplished sailor & catalina dealer was to make sure you pin all your turn buckles on your shrouds & stays. Apparently the constant wind & vibration in the winter can losen them to the point of disengaging. You can imagine what disaster that would cause if the mast tumbled down in the winter onto other boats.
Ground anchors .....
Consider to strap the boat down with 'ground anchors' (3 each side). They'll keep the boat firmly down into the jackstands or cradle and will help prevent the boat from 'wobbling' during gusts.
Ground anchors can be found at most 'farm/fencing, etc. supply'. Various types: 36" with helical tip thats set into the ground with an impact wrench, etc., etc. Some are used to set guy/brace wires for electric/telephone poles, etc.
Consider to strap the boat down with 'ground anchors' (3 each side). They'll keep the boat firmly down into the jackstands or cradle and will help prevent the boat from 'wobbling' during gusts.
Ground anchors can be found at most 'farm/fencing, etc. supply'. Various types: 36" with helical tip thats set into the ground with an impact wrench, etc., etc. Some are used to set guy/brace wires for electric/telephone poles, etc.
nasty pics.
Hate that weather, very sad to see a sailboat on the hard, worse to see them on the hard wrapped in snow. Hate snow.
Few people take their masts down here in michigan either, never seen one come down. Stands or cradle doesn't seem to matter, and we get some pretty good wind off the big lake in the winter.
Ken.
Hate that weather, very sad to see a sailboat on the hard, worse to see them on the hard wrapped in snow. Hate snow.
Few people take their masts down here in michigan either, never seen one come down. Stands or cradle doesn't seem to matter, and we get some pretty good wind off the big lake in the winter.
Ken.
Masts up--Rochester, NY
Our marina on the Genesee River, stores most boats with the masts up. I do it myself... it's so much easier and cheaper. Our yacht club requires masts down only because our travel-lift is a pain to use if you leave the mast up.
Now... do you cover the boat or not? That always gets a lot of response.
Our marina on the Genesee River, stores most boats with the masts up. I do it myself... it's so much easier and cheaper. Our yacht club requires masts down only because our travel-lift is a pain to use if you leave the mast up.
Now... do you cover the boat or not? That always gets a lot of response.
Masts up
It's not cold and windy in Canada eh???
90 - 95% of the boats in our area, Penetang, Midland etc. leave the masts up, but you need a travel lift that will pull your boat with the mast on. One marina in our area have banned the jack stands / boat stands / poppits etc. and require cradles.
It's not cold and windy in Canada eh???
90 - 95% of the boats in our area, Penetang, Midland etc. leave the masts up, but you need a travel lift that will pull your boat with the mast on. One marina in our area have banned the jack stands / boat stands / poppits etc. and require cradles.
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Mast Up.........
Mast up during winters here in South MS. Oh, wait a minute, yea for us winter is the time to sail! Really folks I can not imagine what it would be like to not be able to sail year round. On the other hand, I went for a beach run yesterday, before "Ike" gets too close. Sail was a blast however due to 90 degree plus heat and 92% humidity, I hade to hop in my pickup for some A/C halfway through putting up boat gear.
Mast up during winters here in South MS. Oh, wait a minute, yea for us winter is the time to sail! Really folks I can not imagine what it would be like to not be able to sail year round. On the other hand, I went for a beach run yesterday, before "Ike" gets too close. Sail was a blast however due to 90 degree plus heat and 92% humidity, I hade to hop in my pickup for some A/C halfway through putting up boat gear.
Mast down
I actually take my mast down. I do it myself, and is not a big deal. Takes about half a day. Usually I put it on a mast rack, but this year it is going on my deck. I built some stands, and will use the mast as the spine for my shrink wrap. I also do that myself, for just under $200/yr. Took about 3 hours last year.
Ralph
Catalina 350
"WOLFHELM"
I actually take my mast down. I do it myself, and is not a big deal. Takes about half a day. Usually I put it on a mast rack, but this year it is going on my deck. I built some stands, and will use the mast as the spine for my shrink wrap. I also do that myself, for just under $200/yr. Took about 3 hours last year.
Ralph
Catalina 350
"WOLFHELM"
Mast down
It seems to me it would be much harder to keep the weather out, and add stress on the rigging. I wonder how may boats left with masts up later in life develope deck compression problems?
It seems to me it would be much harder to keep the weather out, and add stress on the rigging. I wonder how may boats left with masts up later in life develope deck compression problems?
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Mast UP
In New England you can go to most Marina's and see all the mast up and sitting on
the keel with jack stands chained together.
Less worry about damage storing the mast.
Nick
In New England you can go to most Marina's and see all the mast up and sitting on
the keel with jack stands chained together.
Less worry about damage storing the mast.
Nick
In my experience having done both..
With a deck stepped spar I'll leave it up every other year. With a keel stepped spar I take it down every year. the added shrink wrapping cost with the spar up comes close to but does not equal the up/down/store of the spar.
I think it costs me about $165.00 per winter more to take it down and store it. Our boat yards mast racks are then also shrink wrapped thus avoiding UV, snow, ice wind and water for 5-6 months of the year...
With a deck stepped spar I'll leave it up every other year. With a keel stepped spar I take it down every year. the added shrink wrapping cost with the spar up comes close to but does not equal the up/down/store of the spar.
I think it costs me about $165.00 per winter more to take it down and store it. Our boat yards mast racks are then also shrink wrapped thus avoiding UV, snow, ice wind and water for 5-6 months of the year...
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Toronto Mast Up Winter Storage
Toronto Island Yacht Club has a large capacity travel lift for sailboats with masts up and has some extra room in the yard for non-members. I would say 90% of the boats in the yard are stored mast up. I take down the mast every three or four years to check the fittings and replace lights. As far as I know we have never had a boat in a proper steel cradle blown over.
Toronto Island Yacht Club has a large capacity travel lift for sailboats with masts up and has some extra room in the yard for non-members. I would say 90% of the boats in the yard are stored mast up. I take down the mast every three or four years to check the fittings and replace lights. As far as I know we have never had a boat in a proper steel cradle blown over.
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