mast stepping...

[Tom Javor]

Ok, so call me cheap...... With my S boat and a keel stepped 46 ft mast the fact that it was about $200 to step the mast seemed like a requirement. With the Sailmaster mast at 26 ft and tabernacle mounted $150 seems like a ridiculous expense. Given the tabernacle/mast arrangement why couldn't I set the base in the tabernacle, get 2 guys to lift with a 3rd at the stem fitting with a come along arrangement to take up the slack? If folks think this would work out should I use my main halyard from the masthead
or go with a loose line at the height of the spreaders in order to decrease the angle? I woldn't even need a gin pole arrangement the way I envision this. Any one know of any sort of online discussion on the process?

As always - thanks for your thoughts

[tpl]

some discussion here

http://home.att.net/~sail-trailers/mastlift.html

another method, used with our 22.5 electra, was one man standing "wallenda style" with the mast horizontal atop a suitable waterside building--we used the marina's fueldock shed--and another on deck: then the mast can be pivoted, the butt inserted into the on-deck step,and some rigging afixed.

[Chris Campbell]

I always managed to step the mast on my 22 without a crane, or a tabernacle, for that matter. We did it with four guys - one to start lifting an end, two to keep the foot still (which you wouldn't worry about with a tabernacle) and act as human gin poles, and one to drag it upright with the forestay. I always connected the cap shrouds and backstay ahead of time so that when the mast went vertical it was nearly secure - just the forestay to attach and all was well.

My second boat had a much taller mast and by then I was a member at a club with a mast crane so I never had a problem - but the people I bought her from launched and hauled themselves in their backyard and always managed to step and unstep the mast themselves. I don't know how they did it early on, but their method later (an improvement, they said) involved a lightweight A-frame with a line and a block to support the mast and lines fore and aft to keep the A-frame upright. A bit of an investment, but it'll probably pay for itself in the first season, and provide some peace of mind over just using muscles, as I did...

Good luck! And let us know how you decide to manage it in the end, of course!

Cheers,

Chris

[Oscar]

26 feet with a few people is doable. That said, it's a neat project to work out a ginpole arrangement, lateral stabilization and purchase. (use the main sheet, not a come along, way too cumbersome for the amount of travel....three-four resets, PITA.)
If you set it up right, you can do it by yourself....saves having to feed the help.

[One Way David]

I still like my extension ladder better than fab-ing up a gin pole. Then when its not being used to step the mast, you can paint the house ;) Use a line to hold up the ladder at an appropriate angle over the tabernacle, the main sheet instead of a come-a-long. Use a ladder with rubber feet so as to not mar the deck and provide slip resistance (not really a factor). Dave.