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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Lower Mast

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seabiscut
Deckhand

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USA
22 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/03/2006 : 19:43:37

We are new catalina owners needing some ideas on how to lower the mast, just my husband and I. We have owned a 22ft and did that one sevral time. Any ideas?

Joan
SK/"Hau Kea" Ut

Edited by - on

dave holtgrave
Captain

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USA
427 Posts

Response Posted - 11/03/2006 : 20:23:11

get two more people and do what you did on the 22.
the extra people will help "leap frog" the mast down and move it back to be trailered.

dave holtgrave
5722 sk/tr
hard and dry near carlyle lake in southern illinois

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 11/04/2006 : 19:14:07

One trick that I employ each time we raise or lower the mast (every trip!) is to put a fat fender just aft of the mast step. It acts like a suspension unit on the foot of the mast when the mast is down. That makes it easier to manage the placement/removal of the mast foot bolt in the mast step, it also saves you having to try and manhandle the bottom of the mast. Makes life a whole bunch easier.

Paul

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2006 : 10:44:52

Hi Joan, here is an article I just found. I wrote the auther and he sent it to my with pictures, but I can;'t get the pics to paste. It seems he uses the trailer winch to raise the mast so I will assume the mast head is pointing aft. When I can figure out how to paste the pics, I will. Cheers.

Mast Raising Made Easy

As a long-time trailer sailor, I’ve looked for a way to raise a mast without becoming a hernia candidate. When I first started using the trailer winch, the strap would slide off the side of the bow and pull the partially-raised mast to the side, bending the tabernacle, and frustrating my attempts at rigging. I built this simple (and cheap) device to keep the winch strap centered. Now, I can easily steady a very large mast while someone cranks the winch. It’s so easy; a 10 year old could do it.
To build this gadget, buy a trailer roller and bracket. Bolt this assembly to a 2 X 4 long enough to fit across your bow pulpit with about a foot to spare. Ensure that the roller overhangs the front edge of the 2 X 4 so the strap doesn’t rub on it.
Use short pieces of 2 X 4 to act as spacers between this and another 2 X 4 of the same length. Hold them together with carriage bolts, flat washers and wing nuts. If you have no obstruction on the front of your pulpit, simply slide it on from the front. If you have something mounted there, (like running lights) remove the bolt and spacer from one side and slip it on from the side.
Mount the mast base in the tabernacle as usual. Thread the winch strap under the pulpit tip and over the roller. Hook the strap securely to the forestay and winch the mast up, steadying it with a halyard. If you have a helper, one of you can stay on the boat to steady the mast while the other operates the winch. You’ll have to unhook the strap from the forestay when it reaches the roller, but the mast should be up far enough by then that a small push or tug on the forestay will raise it the rest of the way.

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sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2006 : 11:22:05

Do you have a tall rig? It's a little tougher than for a standard rig. Have lots of help as suggested but try to have someone there with experience. Lowering on trailer or in the water? Forum has lots of threads with ideas for single handing the lowering and raising. Are you going to use a halyard or the forestay for the work? Can you use the mainsheet with its blocks for the power? Have you looked at a braced gin pole for lowering power to the deck lever or to the mast crutch? Lots to think about before starting the process, you have lots of resources with your Forum.

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2006 : 12:19:23

Welcome to the Forum.
Read some of the old (previous) threads. As most of us have found, a standard rig mast is quite easy to lower and raise and can be done safely and quickly by a husband and wife team.
Mast raising and lowering will be very similar to your C22.

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seabiscut
Deckhand

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USA
22 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2006 : 18:13:24

Thank's

for all the input. We took "Hau Kea" out yesterday with out a problem. I went very well. Now for the winter projects. How we did it was by using a block attached to the bow, running the jib halyard thew the block and back to the whench in the cockpit. I held the tention and he and a friend walked it down. I know we can do it now. I loved all the tips I recived and thank you all again. Looking foraward to the Form support group.

Edited by - on

bear_tm4
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2006 : 23:17:37

HI guys, I have an idea that worked on my 22ft Spindrift, so I used it on my Catalina. It works. I can step my mast with two people.
What I do is I use a spring. I went to the local hardware store and bought a garage door spring, I got the biggest one I could find. about 90-150 pounds of tension I think. I have a fin keel so only have to do this twice a year unless I travel to another lake, anyway, this is what I do. I use a one of my halyards, the winch on the traile and connect the spring in between. I have a crutch the I have mounted to the rudder gudgeon. I only use the crutch when lifteing or lowering. 1. step, move the mast back, mast base at step and pinned. 2. tie of halyard, then attach other end to spring,then attach other end of spring to hook on winch strap. this runs over the pulpit where I have a block built to run strap over to keep it off the pulpit. 3. make sure all my stays are straight and ready to go. 4. tension the spring, I put quite a bit of tension into it...but not too much. 5. Now I have one guy at the winch, he relases or puts on tension as needed. secon person thats me is under the mast, I gently push up on the mast, gently now, testing the tension, too much and I take some off and too little I put some on. I know if its too little because the mast is too heavy. All I do is guid the mast up keep it centered untill the stays take over. Now all I have to do is pin the for stay and the mast is up. The spring works going down, for me the hardes part is making the first push, after that it, I guide the mast down keeping it steady left and right gently releasing tension to bring it down gently, untill its in the crutch. I hope this helps. I think its great because I am always short handed. You have to admit, If you can put the mast up or down with two people its got to be worth something. :) Well hope it helps, if you have any questions let me know. Barry

Edited by - on

bear_tm4
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 11/05/2006 : 23:21:58

I wanted to add one thing to my last post. I got the Idea of Trailor sailor, from Gary 'Doc' Hansen, God rest his soul. http://bbs.trailersailor.com/forums/features/index.cgi/read/10 It was his Idea, but its a great Idea and I have used many times on my boats. Thanks
Barry

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wmeinert@kconline.com
Past Commodore

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USA
353 Posts

Response Posted - 11/06/2006 : 15:49:40

OK this is Bills leesons learned after traveling over 28,000 miles racing my C-25. It doesn't matter how you lower it really as long as you feel safe. But the most important thing is the prep work. First, very neatly wrap you halyards above the boom slot and secure with "REVERSE DUCT-TAPING" that is put the duct tape on upsidedown so it will not stick to the ropes or mast, finish off the tape with a half twist right side up over the sticky side for a smooth surface, (and it will not catch bugs). Second remove forward stays and secure them to the mast the same way and double back them upwards so that they are aleast one foot above the mast foot. Unplug electrical and do the same way. Loosen only the aft stay until the head stay can be unfastened easily. (Use a quick release pin here). Before you lower, have someone apply forward pressure to the mast and bring the head stay back to the mast and secure with a bungy cord bending it back on itself so it doesn't dragg on the deck. When I say "Bend" I don't mean bend but put a nice loop in it. Onec you have all the hanging lines and stays out of the way it makes lowering so much easiler. If you have a foil on the front, I normally tie a line to it and have someone one the ground wrap it around their waist and hold tention and pay out while lowering. The absolut must item everyone should have is a boom crotch that goes in place of the rudder, fully extended, if it has a roller all the better. Keeping all lines stowed makes it a two man jop. When ever possible I recommend lowering on the trailer for safety reasons and to avoid loosing key items like pins and tools.

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.