Mast stepping on a sailboat

[mosbysmen]

how tall is your mast ? im looking at a way to do it on a spirit 23

[n618ft]

Looks easy... but man, this music hurts my ears!

[teenbillybaby]

Thanks for the video.

More description is needed. Too bad you could not do a voice-over instead of music. Could you describe the pvc piece that you used (44 seconds --1:19")? How is that secured below deck while it holds up the mast? What is the second large piece that appears only briefly at 1:29--1"36? How is that used?

[chaput59759]

i need to raise my mast on a 1968 26' islander. they told me i needed three or four people to do it. the water is never calm, or choppy. and every time i have help they bug out and say it too windy. any specs? or ideas

[MarkSpruell]

that's a great system for getting the mast up. Now how do you get it down safely?

[nezpercenathan]

When I used to have a trailerable boat (South Coast 26), I pinned the foot of the mast, then rigged a line from the forestay through a block at stem fitting. I then went back to the cockpit with that line in my hand, shouldered the mast, and started pulling on the line. It was no problem at all to step the relatively light mast. I think if I had used a crutch like you did in the video, I could have run the line back to a winch, which I might need to do now, being a lot older than I was then.

[willmeditateforfood]

Thanks for the demo. I'm considering a Catalina 22 or 25, and was wrestling on whether getting a slip is worth the extra cost - that versus whether constantly having to step the mast if hauling in and out of the water onto a trailer to park it in my driveway. After seeing this vid, I don't see any major trauma in avoiding the slip fee. Thanks!

[Jackle61]

I do it every year when winter rolls around. As long as you can anchor the base of the mast, and none of the sidestays get hooked on anything it goes surprisingly easy.

[killdac]

that looks to easy...

[gilligan2112]

it really is.

[thenickboarder]

what boat is that?

[gilligan2112]

Neptune 24

[ChiefOren]

Good choice of music too.

[Joeey]

the suspense!

[Tallshipdreamer]

Thanks!! I'm running out for some Pipe today!!! My 25 Footer is the first "big" boat I owned, and everyone told me what you just did,couldn't be done. Thanks for proving them wrong.- J

[gilligan2112]

As long as you can lift the mast with control, IT CAN BE DONE!

Now don't get me wrong, I have bent some t bolts, but West marine is right down the street.

[yacht199]

thank you for this posting, much appreciated, i am anxious to try myself

[barbedATU]

THANK YOU! New sailor with an old sailboat here. I look forward to trying this with a little help for the first time.

[Joeey]

question: how do you unstep a pair of wooden masts on a 26' sharpie ketch?

[Joeey]

if you put a pulley on a tree you coul stay in the cabin while you stepped it

[Tulsaguy123]

Would luv to see how ya got to the water too....Catalina 25'er here.

[mobyware]

That's a great method if nothing goes wrong. If you slip or trip or something gets caught when the mast is half way up you'll rip your tabernacle off and cause serious damage, not to mention what would happen with to the mast when it fell and the thing it fell on (hopefully not you). Using your mainsheet tackle to a gin poll with some halyards as temporary stays prevents the posibility of the mast falling or going sideways and the mainsheet gives you one hand operation.

[gilligan2112]

TRUE, but if you doulble check for hang ups, IT'S ALL GOOD. To keep the swaying from side to side under control i keep the outer shrouds attached. ALL IS WELL!

[mobyware]

It does depend on the boat. My Tanzer 22 does not allow you to keep the shrouds attached or it will bend the chainplates when stepping the mast.

Great video, very instructional!

[kim213123]

cool - i'd like to see him do it on a 40 footer :)

[gilligan2112]

:) Ain't gonna happen! :)

[laserlout49079]

That's how to do it - proper proprietary pre-planning prevents p*ss-poor performance.