Mast handling

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David

Mast handling

Post by David »

For Tim and others storing your boats at home using the services of a hydraulic trailer for delivery / pickup, I am curious how you handle your mast? Do you wrap it for the winter off the boat? Leave it atop your railings on the boat? How do you get it off--is this a two person job? Tim: I assume you have some clever storage rack for it in the barn. Just interested in any tip / tricks.

Thanks,

David
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Tim
Shipwright Extraordinaire
Posts: 5708
Joined: Tue Apr 01, 2003 6:39 pm
Boat Name: Glissando
Boat Type: Pearson Triton
Location: Whitefield, ME
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Post by Tim »

In past years, when the boat was stored outside, I stored the mast on the boat, atop a pair of horses I built for the purpose. (Pictures and Description Here) In this location, the mast doubled as a ridge support for the winter cover. I covered the protruding ends of the spar with plastic. Storing the mast on the pulpits leaves it way too low and annoyingly in the way. But on the pulpits is how I store the mast for transport. For long-term boat work, taking the mast off the boat is the only way to go, I think. And having the mast on the ground makes working on the spar much easier too.

The inside of the boat barn is about 39'...the Triton spar is 37' in length, not including lights and the masthead assembly. Tight. Therefore, the mast is currently stored outside and, I'm abashed to say, uncovered at the moment. (Think I'll cover the mast today...the high winds in our storm over the weekend were nice enough to keep the mast and ground around it free of snow, but this is kind of like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.) I removed all the rigging, spreaders, jumpers, roller furler, halyards, etc. and stored them inside, of course. Obviously it doesn't hurt a mast to be outdoors (duh), but in the winter, with freeze-thaw cycles, it's good to cover them to prevent collection of water in places that could cause damage if the water freezes (which it will).

I'm planning on building a rolling mast cart; I have a big set of pneumatic tires in the shop ready for this purpose, but haven't gotten around to building the cart yet. One of these carts (two tires and a supporting frame) makes moving almost any mast a breeze for one person--simply balance the spar in the middle, and roll to your heart's content. Hopefully, I'll bring the mast indoors later this off-season and do some painting.

Getting the mast off the boat can be an interesting proposition. Two people is helpful, though with some ingenuity and planning nearly anything can be done alone. One good method is to obtain a couple pieces of dimensional lumber (something like a 2x6 is fine) of appropriate length. Lean the boards against the side of the boat, angling down to the ground. Then, ideally with two people, you can place the spar on the boards and, with a couple simple control lines, easily slide it to the ground--or back up again. Nathan and I did this on Dasein this fall, and it was a breeze.

We had a ridiculously tough time getting Glissando's mast off the boat inside the shop earlier this year. I'm not exactly sure why it was so difficult, but Nathan (Dasein) and I struggled mightily. The mast seemed to have magically increased in weight somehow from what I remembered. In the end, we got it off without any damage to anything, but it was not easy--and we will not be raising it back on board using the same methods. I'll come up with something much better before then. (Yeah, yeah...hoists, etc. from the ceiling. Easy to conceive, much more difficult to actually come up a solidly working solution in practice. Let's just say that of course I thought of this, but it's just not that simple either. Reasons why are plentiful.)

I stupidly--but successfully--put the mast back on Glissando from the ground by myself back in 2001 at the end of the big project. It was interesting, to say the least--but no one died, and I didn't harm the boat. I don't recommend this process, however!

Forgive me if I chuckle...it must be nice to be uninitiated in the ways of mast storage! For many of us in the frozen north, this mast process is simply all part of the whole boating experience each year, and becomes commonplace. I'd certainly prefer not knowing about it! :<)
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David

Mast storage

Post by David »

I have owned my boat since 1987 and never had to deal with the issue of long term mast storage. Had it off a few times for work but the longest was a few weeks and the yard stored it in their racks. So yes...down here where boats are in the water year round, it's all new to me. Since I am planning to move the boat home--found a transport company with a magic Brownell trailer--I'm slowly thinking about all the details and the whole issue of--Oh Sh..!! What do I do with the mast!--suddenly struck me over the weekend. Thank you for your excellent details on the subject.

David
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