Lowering and raising a mast!

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Zag
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Lowering and raising a mast!

Inlägg av Zag »

I have to take my IF Boat mast down by myself. My boat is 200 miles away so cannot measure how long the gin pole has to be if someone would be kind enough to measure or is a spinnaker whisker pole long enough? Perhaps a long plank of wood would do! I have a self furling jib which may complicate things but I don,t know. Has anyone done this before? How did you attach the gin pole to the mast and forestay, do you need someone else to stop it swaying to one side. Where did you attach the block and tackle for lowering? Many thanks for your help it will save me £100 each time I raise and lower the mast!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne8YQdDAB_I
Zag
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Re: Lowering and raising a mast!

Inlägg av Zag »

Looking at pictures I think my spinnaker pole is long enough, just need to work out how to secure it to the mast...
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johan swe-1870
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Re: Lowering and raising a mast!

Inlägg av johan swe-1870 »

You also have to support the mast to prevent sideways movement. Note the very smart use of temporary lower shrouds during the mast stepping in the video! The temporary lower shrouds swivel around the same point as the mast bottom.

Don't break the mast base end fitting by not supporting the mast good enough during this action! Those fittings are almost impossible to find today.

That video is good! It looks so easy to raise the mast that way. I never do it like that; I always use the harbour mast step crane.
Johan Winberg, SWE 1870 InFinit
Zag
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Re: Lowering and raising a mast!

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Thanks Johan...
Curand
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Re: Lowering and raising a mast!

Inlägg av Curand »

Hi

I made that video. We use the spinnaker pole, it’s the perfect length. Just make sure your pole is strong enough for this.

You have to set up some lines, so that you get a point on each side that is in line with the mast pivot point. From those points you will run lines up to the mast, and the spinnaker pole for sideways support. I use 5mm Dyneema for all of this.


You also have to make some attachment for the spinnaker pole, that fits on the mast. It has to sit pretty firm on the mast. When you start raising, the mast will tilt a little to one side, so you will get some sideways force on the attachment. If you make a separate pole just for raising/lowering the mast, you can make a stiff attachment sideways, and just let it pivot forward/backwards. I would still use lines to support the pole sideways though.
Anders Söderqvist
SWE 2966 Curand
Zag
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Re: Lowering and raising a mast!

Inlägg av Zag »

Thanks Curand, stupidly, some how I missed your advice for also having lines running up the mast to support it. The mast swung sideways, snapped the base plate and came crashing down. Fortunately my wife and kids who were assisting did not get hurt and the base plate is an easy replacement. It could have been a lot worse. I hope I didn,t bend my self furling jib which is difficult to tell once it is down!
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