Raising my mast solo

Thanks!
Regarding the low res photos; well I may do it again properly as soon as the weather warms up for our 'downunder' season. I might even make a video of it for YouTube - soon as I get my hair cut - maybe pixilating for my gesicht, faccia, mug!

Catamaran Dogamaran http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1G9FpnTIOI

I built a mechanical mast stepping system for about $60. I've never had a problem with my mast step link, but it's new, and I bought it from Murrays.

http://www.murrays.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=MS&Product_Code=50-21380001&Category_Code=

Here's some pics of my mast stepping system.

http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=81653

That's all very well but so much extra time involved when you can you can do it this way in just a about a minute http://www.johnahern.net/page20.html - all you need is a bit of practice to get the 'technique' right. You'll get so good that the only time it goes wrong is when someone offers to help!

I can have the boat from the trailer to the water and fully rigged in less than 15 minutes - you just need to do it often enough that you don't have to think about it.
If you don't sail often then make a list of each step to save time - earlier this year I saw an experienced sailor hoisting his sail upside-down - he hadn't been out for a few weeks! It looked so funny (but sad) to see him struggling to get the sail to the top of the mast before he realised what he was doing!

My only issue with stepping the mast is THINKING about all the pressure I'm putting on my tramp.

I still can't get it through my think skull that it's been done by so many by walking up the tramp all these years, but, there I am, walking it up and pressing so hard down on the tramp with each step that thoughts of doing it a better way take over, again.

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'81 H16

If it ain't a blowin', I ain't a goin'

Johneltin,

I always step my mast alone and use a method similar to yours but I think a little simpler. I built a simple tripod that I set up behind the trailer. I leave the boat on the trailer and set the mast in place, one end on the tripod. I tie one end of an 8' line the bridle and the other end to the jib halyard. I use the new Murray step link which prevents the toggling problem. I raise the mast, standing on the tramp, lean into it, uncleat the jib halyard, pull it tight and re-cleat. That holds the link up so it is easy to pin the forestay. I'm 77 years old so if I can do it, any should be able to. I see too many complicated rigs for raising the mast when as you say, you can rig in about 15 minutes. It is more convenient to set the mast up while the boat is on the trailer since we have to do it in the parking lot. I agree that once you are used to these simple methods, you don't want any help because it confuses the process.


Jman,

If the tramp won't hold the weight of one person and the mast (which probably weighs about 60 lbs., I don't think I would want to go out on the boat. The initial lift of the mast should occur with one foot in the rear crossbar so the worst of the load when you start to lift isn't on the tramp.

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Howard

HRTSAILOR

That's good for rigging in a carpark but on the beach there's nowhere to plant a tripod and attaching it to the trailer is not an option as then the top of the mast is heavier than the base and you'd need someone to either hold it up at the rear or insert the link.

I'm not too strong at 70 kilos and having the boat sloping down to the front from the rollers makes it very easy for me to bear the weight of the mast and once it's up it just falls forward after an upward jerk to get the link problem solved.

Practice, practice, practice - and look out for the pedestrians (and other boats) nearby!

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Catamaran-Dogamaran on YouTube - starring Chloe the neigbour's dog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1G9FpnTIOI

Johneltin,

I missed the part about sloping the boat down using your rollers (cattracks?). That is a good idea. I recently figured a way to easily keep shrouds and wires from getting caught when raising the mast. I pull the elastic cords of my hiking wires around the front pylons so they are under tension. I then lay the shrouds inside the stretched wires and they are well under control as I raise the mast.

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Howard

For about the first 10 years of stepping my mast at the beginning of the summer sailing season, I never had, or noticed the base hanging up or binding up on the base mount on the cross bar. Then one year it did it, the base ripped the rivets out from the mast when it hung up, and it took everything I had to keep the comp tip from hitting the ground and breaking it while the mast started coming down. I repaired the base of the mast, by cutting off 1/4 of inch with a die grinder reinstalled, resealed, and reriveted with 4 rivets this time. I almost did it again.
Then I took a black rubber bungee cord with the hooks on each end, and wrapped it around the base of the mast and either hooked both ends thru the tramp lacings to the dolphin striker or hooked them to the middle tramp lacing further back (putting tension on it before you raise). It will put more rearward tension on the base as you raise the mast, so as to pull the base back, so it does not catch on the front of the mount.
Ever since I started temporary bunging it, I no longer have that problem stepping it anymore.
I have a 1979 16' stock hobie mast stepper

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79 H16 #46803