Re: Mast raising and lowering

RAeschlima@aol.com
Thu, 20 Aug 1998 21:20:53 EDT


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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SF, you wrote:

<<From the discussion, replies and my observations I gather: use of bungi
cords
to maintain gin pole erection must accompany use of line to limit how far mast
may sway as it is lifted... Are lines also used to stabilize gin pole?

I plan a change from manual lifting system as use of left hand to lift mast
induces pain on right hand used to stabilize it. The left hand effort is
affecting the right hand which has a tendency to put me in dire straits.

The plan:
I have a 1 1/2" thick 7' wood gin pole attached to an eyelet at the base of
the mast about 3'' above the stand. The main halyard attaches to end of pole
and a second line goes from end of pole thru a block at the fwd cdi (forestay
base) attachment point and a racheting boom vang system. We pull on the line
to lift the mast. (This is very similar to the factory system as I copied it
from "Royce's Sailing Illustrated") However it requires someone to stabilize
the mast on the way up. I was going to use bungy cords. But, now, am
concerned. I would hate to drill any holes on the cab top as this encourages
leaking... Does the gin pole need to be stabilized also?>>

SF,

(This is a reorganized version of a reply to a similar question we had)

I have an older boat and the mast is heavier and more solid than the newer
masts. I get the mast started by raising it on my shoulder from the cockpit,
the lateral movement is obnoxious, especially if you're trying to do this
under-way, like going under a bridge with other boats making wakes, etc. A
pair of temporary side stays is a must for this, I made my own, and finding
the right attatchment points was difficult, I have them adjusted so that there
is a little slack when it is fully raised ( the shrouds then take the load
anyway, quite taught at 45 degrees, and slack again when the mast is fully
lowered as it will be in my hands at that point.

I have fashioned a 'jin pole', a pole which attatches to the mast and rises
perpendicular (90 degrees) to the mast, so that when the mast is raised it
sticks out like a boom in front of the mast. I made mine from a 2 x 4 which I
cut the bottom (mast end) to fit the mast and strap it on with a nylon strap.
The other end I tapered to save weight, and at the top end is a screw-eye to
which I clip the jib halyard and the block and tackle. I have other screweyes
along the sides for the temporary stays to keep it from floping over when I
begin raising the mast. The hallyard (jib) attatches to the screw-eye at the
top and to which I attatch a pully system, the lower block attatches to the
bow pulpit, the line finally going through a block on the forward chainplate,
back through a block on the genny track, around the winch and to a jamcleat.

I recently set all this up while I had some time off from work and it seems to
work well.

Before this I simply used the jib halyard and blocks to haul the mast up
starting it on my shoulders and pushing it up till the tackle was effective.
However, I also had the problem of lateral movement which was icky! My
solution was to haul it up fast so that the shrouds would get effective as
soon as possible. I tried various alternatives to the temporary shrouds, but
nothing else really worked.

Ralph Aeschliman
HMS-18 #67 Moby Duck
Flagstaff, AZ