Hobie 14 Mast stepper questions

I am trying to set up a mast stepper for my Hobie 14 so I can get the mast up and sail it alone. I did it alone without a mast step when I was younger but cannot do it anymore and do not want to give up sailing her yet. I have the hinge installed and the pulley and the crank set up. It works fine but I still need help to stabilize the mast while it goes up. I read that the Mast Stepper uses the trap wires to stabilize the mast but I do not have trap wires. Any suggestions? Does the Hobie 14 come rigged for trap wires? If so, where do they attach and can I just use a side stay or some other wire to do this? Anyone know how the Mast stepper II works? I was going to order it but I think I already have everything but the trap wires and I do not think they come with the kit. Do they?

Thanks
Betsy

Hi Betsy,

The mast stepper was connected to the mast base and to the fitting in which the mast sits, thus making a hinge at that point. In an emergency I have used bungees to do the same thing, but the stepper works really well. You need to still have a hole in your mast base (on a sort of tab), as with old boats this tab is often broken off.

Yes I used to use the trapese wire to pull up the mast. What I did was leave the boat on the trailer, and use the front mast support which is on the trailer, as a leverage point. Then some rope ties to a trapese wire, through the mast support and back to me standing on the tramp. I would lift it to maybe 60 degrees, and then pull it the rest of the way with the rope. I used a cleat mostly to hold the temporary support, till I could lift the bridle to the forestay. There is generally one on the front crossbar.

If you don't have a trapeze, I would add something to the forestay that keeps the rope away from the loop at the end of the forestay. Otherwise you will find it in the way when you try to connect the bridle. Alternatively just attach some rope rigging to the mast tang, and use it just for raising the mast.

If you are not using a trailer, its much harder, without help. Then you can make up a temporary bridle just for your raising of the mast, but you need to remember to have it on right side of the real bridle, else it prevents you connecting to the forestay.

Thank you, I have a mast step hinge, and had to drill a hole in the mast for it

I use a rope tied to the fore stay through a pulley attached up by the mast rest on the trailer then to the winch on my trailer and I crank the mast up with the winch on my trailer.

It all works well except it needs someone to stabilize the mast so it does not swing to the side while going up. The trapeze wire sound like a good suggestion for that.

So that is what that cleat on the front bar is for, I never could figure that out. I have also heard it can be used to pull the rigging tight.

Thanks again,
Betsy.

No I gather its to pull the mast more upright going downwind, on a H14 without a jib. Attaches to the bridle.

Geoff.