Hello,
I need to lower the mast on my space sailer 22 (22ft masthead
keelboat) (see earlier messages regarding halyards). I have had
experience doing this on larger yachts (30 and 32 ft) but they involve
some pretty heavy masts. On those boats the technique was to set up an
A-frame using 2 spinnaker poles and lower backwards using substantial
tackles from a winch.

For a 22 foot boat, do you think the A-frame and large tackle will be
needed? Would it be sufficient to lower the mast using a simpler 2
part purchase and just support it when it is down by hand (I have a
cradle etc but seeing as I am taking the mast off I will just get
someone to unbolt it once it is down and held)??

Looking at the mast it doesn't seem that heavy but having no
experience with doing this on a boat this small it is hard to tell.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Tim

On 25 Aug 2004 02:48:26 -0700, (Tim)
wrote:
I need to lower the mast on my space sailer 22 (22ft masthead
keelboat) (see earlier messages regarding halyards). I have had
experience doing this on larger yachts (30 and 32 ft) but they involve
some pretty heavy masts. On those boats the technique was to set up an
A-frame using 2 spinnaker poles and lower backwards using substantial
tackles from a winch.

For a 22 foot boat, do you think the A-frame and large tackle will be
needed?
================================================== ==

The usual technique on small boats is for one person to secure the
mast butt while another person walks it back as it comes down, sort of
like raising or lowering a long ladder. If you have a hinged and
pinned mast step it could probably be done with one person.

This may seem obvious but watch out for power lines.

"Tim" wrote in message
m...
Hello,
I need to lower the mast on my space sailer 22 (22ft masthead
keelboat) (see earlier messages regarding halyards). I have had
experience doing this on larger yachts (30 and 32 ft) but they involve
some pretty heavy masts. On those boats the technique was to set up an
A-frame using 2 spinnaker poles and lower backwards using substantial
tackles from a winch.

For a 22 foot boat, do you think the A-frame and large tackle will be
needed? Would it be sufficient to lower the mast using a simpler 2
part purchase and just support it when it is down by hand (I have a
cradle etc but seeing as I am taking the mast off I will just get
someone to unbolt it once it is down and held)??

Looking at the mast it doesn't seem that heavy but having no
experience with doing this on a boat this small it is hard to tell.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Tim


I have a 25ft boat with a 35ft mast that I lower and raise all the time
(trailering).
I use a rope from the winch on my trailer to top of mast and 2 ropes to each
side to keep the mast from going left or right.
The two side ropes will need to shortened as mast comes down.
A 35ft mast gets real heavy the closer it gets to the ground, and I do mean
heavy.
Use good (new) rope and do not let anyone stand around.




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Tim wrote:

Hello,
I need to lower the mast on my space sailer 22 (22ft masthead
keelboat) (see earlier messages regarding halyards). I have had
experience doing this on larger yachts (30 and 32 ft) but they involve
some pretty heavy masts. On those boats the technique was to set up an
A-frame using 2 spinnaker poles and lower backwards using substantial
tackles from a winch.

For a 22 foot boat, do you think the A-frame and large tackle will be
needed?
Yes. As your boat is shorter, so are the spinnaker poles. a 4 part purchase
is usually good.

Would it be sufficient to lower the mast using a simpler 2
part purchase and just support it when it is down by hand (I have a
cradle etc but seeing as I am taking the mast off I will just get
someone to unbolt it once it is down and held)??
No, it will wreck your mast foot, and I doubt if you can keep the spipole
up by hand.


Looking at the mast it doesn't seem that heavy but having no
experience with doing this on a boat this small it is hard to tell.
The mast itself is not very heavy. It is its length and the resulting moment
that you will have troubles with. The longer the mast, the harder erecting
it is.

I have much experience lowering the mast of open daysailors in the 20'
range. (but all gaff rigged and with tabernackle). In these boats you can
just unhitch the front stay and 'walk down' the mast (leave the jib up and
pay out the halyard to lower if you don't want to lower the jib).

On a bigger boat that is not build for this (24') we rig the spi-pole to the
foot of the mast and guy it to the shrouds. The shrouds are mounted on an
extension of stainless tubing that allows the shrouds to pivot at the pivot
point of the mastfoot. That is essential, because your mast foot will break
when the mast swings to the side.
The forstay is attached to the pole and a four part purchase tackle.
It takes a lot of time to set this up, so we only use it when there is no
alternative. A permanent A frame that doubles as pulpit can be much quicker
I suppose, but unless you have a tabernackle and a gaff rig, I doubt that
you will lower you mast that often for pleasure anyway.


--
vriendelijke groeten/kind regards,

Jelle

begin msblaster.pif

On Wed, 25 Aug 2004 06:41:17 -0400, Wayne.B
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I know a guy who was an aircraft inspector. He once said to me that at
work he was expected to be perfect, and to impose perfection, so at
home he reserved the right to relax.

He sailed his mast into an over-river power line, of the serious 33KV
(?) 330KV, probably, big latticed towers, sort. His (soon to be ex..by
choice and good luck) girlfriend was below decks preparing the
sandwiches. The mast was stepp on the deck and watched the galley
table destroyed in front of her eyes, and water start coming in the
hull just below it.

Luckily the river was narrow at that point.

This guy also backed his boat and trailer down onto the slipway at a
launching ramp and used the technique of reversing real fast and
slamming the brakes on.........with a keelboat.

So it may be obvious, but to quote SOO, "the trouble with commonsense
is that it's not common"

This may seem obvious but watch out for power lines.

************************************************** ***
Marriage. Where two people decide to get together so
that neither of them can do what they want to because
of the other one.

On 25 Aug 2004 02:48:26 -0700, (Tim)
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

My only suggestion is to try it on the trailer (?) or on land and see
what you are up against.

It may be worth using side stays in case of cross winds. Even a mast
can catcth the breeze.

A lot depends on whether you are doing this at launch time, or as you
tear down the river in a tide/current/wind, while trying to get under
the bridge.

In the end, if you do it under controlled conditions and have _any_
doubts, go for the more comfortable approach. You _will_ have to do it
under duress one day, and nothing feels better than having that work,
even if it means having the last laugh over those who thought you
"went overboard" before.


Hello,
I need to lower the mast on my space sailer 22 (22ft masthead
keelboat) (see earlier messages regarding halyards). I have had
experience doing this on larger yachts (30 and 32 ft) but they involve
some pretty heavy masts. On those boats the technique was to set up an
A-frame using 2 spinnaker poles and lower backwards using substantial
tackles from a winch.

For a 22 foot boat, do you think the A-frame and large tackle will be
needed? Would it be sufficient to lower the mast using a simpler 2
part purchase and just support it when it is down by hand (I have a
cradle etc but seeing as I am taking the mast off I will just get
someone to unbolt it once it is down and held)??

Looking at the mast it doesn't seem that heavy but having no
experience with doing this on a boat this small it is hard to tell.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Tim

************************************************** ***
Marriage. Where two people decide to get together so
that neither of them can do what they want to because
of the other one.

THE EASY WAY:
In short, lower the mast forward, using the boom as a 'gin pole', and
using the main sheet as your raising/lowering tackle. A pair of
steadying guy lines are required to prevent the boom from flopping
over. Secure one end of each guy near the aft end of the boom.
Secure the other end at the upper shroud chainplates or other strong
point exactly abeam of the mast foot. If the attachment point for the
guys is at the same height as the mast pivot point, you won't have to
worry about adjusting the length of the guys as you raise or lower the
mast. Otherwise, watch the guys and adjust tension as needed. For
example, if (as usually the case) your chainplates are lower than the
mast foot, the guys will get looser as you lower the mast, and v.v.
I use rolling hitches on the guys, making tension adjustments very
easy. If your mainsheet tackle is not long enough to lower the mast
into a crutch, you can use a spare vang tackle to extend it. Be sure
to rig the 2 tackles together BEFORE starting the lowering process.
You can leave all standing rigging up before lowering....just part the
backstay at the last minute. When raising the mast, be sure to watch
for turnbuckles and other rigging getting flopped over the wrong way
and jammed up.

If your raising/lowering tackles are equipped with jam cleats or some
other easy way of securing them, you can easily perform the whole
process alone, and even in the water. Some kind of crutch or gallows
that cradles the mast above deck level, preferably beyond its balance
point, makes everything much easier.
Paul Mathews


(Tim) wrote in message om...
Hello,
I need to lower the mast on my space sailer 22 (22ft masthead
keelboat) (see earlier messages regarding halyards). I have had
experience doing this on larger yachts (30 and 32 ft) but they involve
some pretty heavy masts. On those boats the technique was to set up an
A-frame using 2 spinnaker poles and lower backwards using substantial
tackles from a winch.

For a 22 foot boat, do you think the A-frame and large tackle will be
needed? Would it be sufficient to lower the mast using a simpler 2
part purchase and just support it when it is down by hand (I have a
cradle etc but seeing as I am taking the mast off I will just get
someone to unbolt it once it is down and held)??

Looking at the mast it doesn't seem that heavy but having no
experience with doing this on a boat this small it is hard to tell.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Tim

for more ideas and opinions look under the recent subject of mast raising in
this newsgroup and ott.rec.sailing.

I'd suggest doing any mast raising and lowering somewhere where there are
no people around. I was lowering a mast by myself with the boat moored to
a crowded sailing club dock when the mast slipped and fell. Of course I
acted as if that was exaclty what I wanted to happen but was a bit
disconcerted by the potential harm to fellow club members had any been in
the path of the free falling mast.

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