Solo Mast Stepping - link to Photos & Instructions

I finally got around to uploading this info on Solo Mast Stepping for H16 H17 & H14.
Should make life easier than responding to individual emails!
Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kUJGgtI-B8
Let me know if there are any problems and I will try to improve the page. I may have to increase the size of the photos.
John, South Australia

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

John,

It looks like a workable system but a little more complicated than necessary. I raise my mast by first setting it in a tripod off the stern and installing the pin. I then tie a line (about 6 or 8' long) to the end of the jib balyard and tie he other end to the bridle. I then get on the tramp and raise the mast, lean in to it, then I reach down and uncleat the jib halyard, pull it tight to hold the mast up and cleat it. After that all that is left is to fasten the forestay and release the halyard to remove the extension line. I made the tripod from 3 old aluminum tent poles. This is all done with the boat on the trailer. You have to be sure the shrouds won't catch on the tramp frame when you get ready to raise the mast. I used to put the tiller out to one side and my paddle sticking out on the other side to prevent it but now I just am careful with the shrouds. Even at my age I can still do it (I'm 76) so it isn't a matter of great strength. I don't have a comptip mast which might be heavier than the all aluminum mast.

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Howard

I agree with Howard:
The help I usually have when stepping the mast is someone to make sure the shrouds don't find their way under the back corners of the tramp, and to pin the forestay to the bridle while I hold the mast forward against the shrouds.

Solo my routine is to tie a rope to the forestay above the swedge (so there is somewhere to put the pin when it is time), pass the rope under the bridle and put it on the front of the tramp. Raise the mast as usual, then lean against it so I can pick up the rope off the front of the tramp. Pull the slack out of the rope and hold it tight while I step off the tramp and walk up to the bridle, and then pin the forestay.

Almost the same routine, but I usually put the boat on the sand to rig it since it is lighter to move the boat and the mast separately by myself, everything is lower and easier to get to without climbing over the tongue of the trailer. If it were up on the trailer I like the idea of using a cam cleat to hold the rope while I would get to the bridle to secure the forestay. On the ground there is no trailer tongue to negotiate, so I haven't felt the need to use a cleat.

Also I did try this by myself with my crew right there the first few times in case I had not accounted for something and got into trouble. Not much to worry about cause the h16 is pretty simple.

Chad

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H16

In reply to Howard - seems to me it's the same system except that I have the boat on the beach - never tried it on the trailer as I am a 'lightweight' and with the rollers under the boat it's easier to lift the mast and the mast is then leaning forward before cleating - not easy to do alone if it's on the trailer and level (???).
I've seen the bigger fellas doing it on the trailer but they still need somone to support the top of the mast while they insert the pin in the stepping link - the distance between the trailer 'Y' and the step link is too short and the mast will tip backwards unless it's held aloft.
I'll try it on the trailer sometime and let you know if I can manage it alone.

John,

You are right. The methods seem very similar. If I read correctly, you tie a line to the forestay rather than the jib halyard. There are two advantages to using the halyard. One, it already has a pulley (up on the mast) and , two, it avoids interference with the forestay which is then hanging free, allowing you to connect the forestay to the bridle easily. Several places where I sail, I set the boat up in the parking lot and then back it into the water. Removing the boat from the trailer means it would have to be done at the edge of the water on the ramp and blocking the ramp from others waiting to launch. Otherwise, you would have to do it in the parking lot then put it back on the trailer.

I don't use the trailer tripod, as you call it. I have a free standing tripod that I set up about 10' behind the trailer. I set the mast on it with the bottom of the mast at the hinge link. The tripod has to be high enough that the mast doesn't rest on the rear cross bar. That is about 5'. I insert the pin, tie the extension line to the halyard and bridle and that is it. I know that if the bow is lower, the mast would lean forward a little helping keep it up but once you get the mast vertical and lean into it, it is easy to reach down to the cleat for the jib halyard. I have been able to set the boat up in the parking lot in about 20 minutes from starting to remove tie downs to heading for the launch ramp.

I used a little different method originally, but I read about using the halyard in the Hobie Hotline years ago.

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Howard

My system is pretty much the same as Howard's except I use A sports chair (it's off to the right of the boat in the pic below) instead of a tri-pod. I've been rigging my boat solo ever since I dropped the mast "with help" and that was more that 5 years ago. No one's fault, it's just that all the brains weren't on the same page. Thank God, the mast was not damaged.

I also use to rig the boat on the sand. Believe me, it's easier on the trailer. Although I use an Aussie halyard, I kept the original halyard (my boat's an 85) on the boat just for mast stepping purposes. Also, if you notice in the pic below, I trailer my boat with the beach wheels on the stern. By placing them there, they hold the shrouds toward the center so they don't get caught on anything while I'm raising the mast.



I also use the 8 ft halyard extension connected to the bridle as the standard halyard length isn't long enough to reach the bridle with the mast laying down. I do not allow help when I'm stepping my mast. I've also added a lance cleat at the bottom of the mast (for the halyard - I use it for both the standard halyard in rigging and the Aussie halyard.) to simplify the anchoring process once the mast is erect. John, I leave the boat tied to the trailer during the rigging process and I always rig the boat on concrete (hard soil) before I move it to the sand. Like you, I use to rig my boat on the sand for the same reasons you quoted. I resisted this for about a year until a new beach cop began to enforce the "No rigging on the beach" rule. I was really upset at first but as I put the system together, it turned out to be a lot easier. Nevertheless, I say "use whatever system works for you." BTW, pinning the link is a breeze.

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Happy Sailing,

David

David & Howard, if I had something high to rest the mast on I would be doing it on the trailer too but I've never been on an Australian (or Irish) beach where such things exist.
An old halyard with a hook on the end for pinning may be easier than fussing with the other stuff and you may notice the pulley hanging off the end of my bridle chainplate to provide easy movement back to the cleat on the beam.
The most important thing is that the rope be attached ABOVE the wire extension on the end of the forestay so that the wire extension will swing free otherwise you'll never get it to pin. Keeping this rope (old halyard) in place steadies the mast before you release it when putting the final tension on the jib stay.
AND... after the shrouds get caught the first time it will never happen again if you check them before raising the mast!

For the issue you were refering to, John, I use a 12 inch Irwin Quick Grip Bar Clamp. I cut a slit in the extended end so the forestay can slide down to it's base. Extended, the other end will rest on the shackle between both bridle wires. The pressure of the clamp is more than enough to torque the the forestay into a position allowing you pin it to the bridle. It can apply more pressure than a full grown man. I personally run a pretty tight forestay (mast is raked block-to block) so this works very well for me. I even have a tit added to the end of the forestay so in the event of low winds, I can rig the mast further forward.

Also, know that the mast in it's resting position doesn't really have to be that high. That chair just to the right side of the boat in the pic is high enough. It only has to clear the rear crossbar and just so the mast doesn't get scratched, I lay an old PFD across the crossbar. I stand at the rear of the boat, lifting the mast from it's horizontal position straight up til vertical, then pulling the jib halyard through the cleat til the mast is in position and being held on all three points. Then I get down off the boat and connect the forestay to the bridle after applying tention with the quick grip. I don't connect the Aussie til I'm ready to raise the jib. If you're not using an Aussie, the same applies to your standard halyard. Hope this helps.

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Happy Sailing,

David

John,

The tripod I use to hold the mast up is made of three old tent poles, tied together about 1' from the top and loosely, with 1/4" line near the bottom. It collapses and I strap it to the tongue of the trailer with bungee cords when not in use. I don't have the Aussie halyard set up so there is a single line from the end of the halyard all the way to the cleat on the mast.

I don't quite understand why you mention fastening above the wire (?) so that you can pin the forestay. When you use the halyard, the forestay is loose and hanging free. When the halyard is pulled tight and cleated, it raises the bridle and chainplate and allows you to pin the forestay with room to spare. You then slack off the halyard and remove the extension line.

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Howard

Ditto !!!

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Happy Sailing,

David

viewtopic.php?p=35913#p35913

This system posted some time ago by Admiral Aschaffter is definitely worth a look in case you missed it when he posted it. I copied the hardware and technique and it worked like a charm. Here he shows the process in his driveway between his house and car. Stop for lunch with the mast halfway up. I found that the Admirals last sentence is key, otherwise, No worries.

Sorry for the confusion - I'll edit my previous post now: when I say 'attach above the wire' I mean above the wire extension on the FORESTAY - mine (and most others I've seen) have an extension of about 26cms (10") shackeled to the the end of the stay and then the hook (for easy pinning) is shackled to the end of this extension. The rope attached above the extension allows the extension to swing free when the forestay is tensioned.
You can see this in the first and fourth photo - remember it's the FORESTAY, not the halyard.

Photo wasn't too clear after enlarging it. Is this a photo of your boat? Unless this block w/extension is being used to aid in the stepping of the mast, it is unnecessary. For stepping purposes, the extension should be on the halyard only. The bridle should only be connected to the halyard extension until you are ready to connect the forestay. It looks like the rigging inthe photo might be for trailering or something, not sure.

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Happy Sailing,

David

Your sailing video is kinda cool, but I did notice that the dog did not have life jacket on. If you were to get knocked down very far from shore the dog would not in all likelyhood not make it to sore. Most of the time a dog in the water will not stay with you but will make a bee line for the closest shore.

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.

Thanks Roy, I already answered this one on YouTube: the dog Chloe (neighbour's dog) would only be hampered by a life jacket and her swimming slowed unnecessarily - there are sharks in the water around here and the less time in deep water the better. This dog always makes for the boat rather than the land - quite a trust built up there, I'd say and she rarely falls off.
Yesterday I was on the way out with the hull standing up - Chloe lost her grip and instead of sliding down the tramp she decided to jump off the high end in a spectacular dive. Ever seen a dog walk on water? she almost did as she followed me out in a panic as I rounded up. Then she was swimming away from shore too!
I taught her to swim and she follows me a kilometre every day but only panics when she falls off the cat - instinct must have something to do with it though she's never seen a shark - Dolphins and Chickens (chickens being all flying things) are in her vocab but not SHARK! She can hear dolphins before she can see them.
She's hard as nails and never holds a grudge - last time I flipped (2years ago) I used her as a righting-bag to boost my useless 70kgs - lucky she was wearing her leash at the time and I could hang her over my shoulder though I must admit the choking sounds had me worried for a bit!