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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Lowering The Mast

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Wayne Wallace
1st Mate

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USA
28 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/31/2003 : 10:23:48

I have never lowered a mast and need to so that I can add a mast head VHF antenna and wind direction vane. To the best of my knowledge the mast has never been lowered and or the rigging really inspected. I have a WK 250 year 2000 with CDI fuling jib and the boat is in a slip. Does any one have a step by step set of instructions that they could share with me on how to raise and lower the mast?

The boat yard wants almost $350.00 do lower and raise the mast and so if I can do it myself that would be of great benefit....plus I feel it is important to know how just in case.

Thanks
Wayne Wallace
Z MAJESTIC

Edited by - on

Dkn420
Captain

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USA
298 Posts

Response Posted - 12/31/2003 : 10:54:57

Wayne: Your owner's manual should have the step by step instructions for lowering the mast. You can contact Kent Nelson at Catalina and he would probably fax or email them to you if you didn't get an owner's manual with your boat. Kent is very responsive to requests for information and assistance...Dan #727

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 12/31/2003 : 10:59:11

There will be other replies to your situation, I would first ask if you have a newer trailer with the mast raising attachment on the front of the trailer. Second Arlyn Stewarts thread in this forum directs a way to use the gin pole as leverage when lowering or raising the mast, very good thread. If available I would find someone who has done this before to go through with them both raising and lowering the mast. You will need extra help no matter which method you choose. The owners manual also has a procedure for this process. Not as good as Arlyn Stewart's though. If you have a trailer with the mast raising system and can use that it appears the easiest and safest. Good Luck. "Bear" C250WB on the hard in upstate N.Y.

Edited by - on

Bryan Beamer
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1038 Posts

Response Posted - 01/01/2004 : 15:44:37

Are you wanting to drop the mast on the trailer or in the water?
My C250 is a 2000wk with a CDI furler as well. I have dropped the mast both ways.

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 01/01/2004 : 17:28:45

Wayne,

The mast can be dropped fairly easily... though if not experienced... its a good idea to enlist someone who has done this safely.

Without using a gin pole either mono or A frame and a mast crutch, it takes at least three men to man handle the mast down and up. With the A frame and crutch, it can be done single handed.

A look through your boat equipment may yield two short baby stays with pelican hooks. These are lateral stays which are temporay stays while raising and lowering the mast. They fit into the mast about reach height and the hooks make to the eyes on the stanchions abreast of the mast. They make raising and lowering a bit easier because they remove the concern about the mast moving laterally. The man power can now concentrated only on the vertical ascent or decent.

Boat equipment should also yield a mast support crutch (telescoping tube with a roller at the top) that on many models will slip into the rudder gudgeons after the rudder is temporarily set aside. When raising and lowering, the tube should be extended to longest setting. This gets the mast started or part way up. With one man handing the furler and holding back on it... the other two start easing the mast down. The problem area is making the transition between cabin top and cockpit. For this reason both men must be strong and able bodied as each will likely have the mast by themselves for a few moments while the other is making the transition from cabin top to cockpit.

If there are no baby stays to hold the mast laterally, then I'd suggest at least four men to perform the task as the effort to maintain lateral stability increases the demands.

Many find raising a mast manually to be easier if an easy method of making the transition from cockpit to cabin top can be found. Some make a temporary step that fits into the campanionway side guides. A piece of plywood with a step fastened to the top will serve here. The step should provide for half the step up from the bridge deck to the cabin top. Because of the lexan sliding window, most owners avoid stepping on it... I think it can break, so another piece of healthy plywood should be used to cover it.

As can be seen, the efforts to build the step and cover the lexan are probably as much effort as it would take to build the A frame gin pole. I think the simplest method to build the pole is to choose to use a standing version rather than a tilting one. This means that the legs just need to be secured in some way at their bases without the need to provide for rotation and that the length of the gin pole is not critical. I would use two 2x4's 10 ft long with holes drilled near each end. The tops will be lashed together for the apex of the A frame and the bottoms will be lashed to the side stanchions.

At the apex where the two poles are connected together, a block is needed. A line from this point will fix to the forward stem and hold the pole vertical. One of your jib fairleads can be used to transfer the pull up line from the turning block at the apex to the cabin top winch.

The line will lead aft from the turning block to a bowline around the mast. The bowline will be held in a position just under the spreaders by fastening the main halyard shackle to it and cleating the halyard.

If your dropping the mast, make the bowline to the mast...hoist the bowline up to beneath the spreaders and cleat prior to setting the baby stays.

Very important: TAKE YOUR TIME... don't get in any hurry. Double check that everything is done and that all lines that need cleated are, that the baby stays are secure, that the mast crutch is extended, etc. Be methodical... take charge of the crew... and don't let any one talk you into a short cut or doing something that you think is not correct. On the other hand, listen to everything that others have to say and weigh it... someone may be seeing something that you've missed or didn't consider.

Talk the procedure over step by step with the crew prior to doing it so that instructions don't have to be given while someone is in a strain.

Personally... I'd do the two 2x4's... the single block needed can be scrounged off the mainsheet tackle under the boom... in fact, the mainsheet may be long enough. The only thing needed besides the two 2x4's is some line to lash them, and a shackle in the stem fitting to secure the line from the apex of the A frame, for it use the jib sheet. I'd drill 1 inch holes in the 2x4's about six inches from each end.

An A frame gin pole does not need the lateral stays as long as the boat is level sideways and not being rocked.

Edited by - Arlyn Stewart on 01/01/2004 17:35:10

Wayne Wallace
1st Mate

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USA
28 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2004 : 10:14:35

Arlyn
Thank you for the detailed response. Getting asssistance from someone that has done it before is a definite and will be part of my effort. I believe with your detailed explanantion along with some of the drawings I have seen else were on this site I have a much better understanding of how to make it happen. I have not found the baby stays but will keep looking.

Thanks again and have a great and happy 2004.

Wayne Wallace
Z MAJESTIC

Edited by - on

Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2004 : 20:13:06

Does anyone (Arlyn?) have a picture of the stern mast crutch?
I bought my 250wk without a trailer, gin pole, baby stays, mast crutch - nuttin!
My wife and I lowered our mast yesterday with the help of a hinged A-frame along the lines of those discussed in other threads.
I got to be the 'mast crutch'

for a while as Mrs. Bubba unbolted the mast. Don't want to do THAT again. I admire you trailer sailors who do this all the time! I imagine with practice (and the right equipment), it gets easier. I'll probably only do this once each year. At that rate, I'll never be an expert...

Edited by - on

Bryan Beamer
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1038 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2004 : 23:14:28

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Bubba
 Does anyone (Arlyn?) have a picture of the stern mast crutch?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Here is one

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 01/03/2004 : 05:07:40

A simple mast crutch can be made from a 2x4. The easiest method of fastening the crutch to the rudder gudgeons that I've used is to purchase two wood fence gate latch bars as found at a home center.

These are simply a round shaft bend with an offset and flattened on one end for attachment with two screws. The diameter matches well for fitting into the gudgeons all though they may have a ball on the end that may need cut off.

At the top of the 2x4, screw a plywood former cut in the shape desired to cradle the mast. Be sure to pad the former with a carpet scrap or something to keep the plywood from scratching the anodizing of the mast.

If the mast crutch needs two positions, one high and one low... then add another or more of the gate latch bars to the 2x4. A variation of the simple crutch is to provide two heights without the need to pull it out of the gudgeons. This can be done simply by using two 2x4's with an axle bolt with a large wing nut to tighten. One 2x4 serves as the upright with the gate latch hardware fastened to it... the second will have a plywood former at each end. A pivot hole is drilled toward one end of this so that when rotated, it provides two heights... the lower for when the mast is at rest and the upper in preparation for raising and lowering. A second bolt is needed to insert as a lock.

Another variation is to use a sliding slotted upright. I'd use a 1x4 piece of hardwood for it and create the slot by using a router. It has the advantage that only one cradle is needed and the two wing nutted bolts don't need removed when raising and lowering the height.

Instead of a plywood former at the top, 2x2's can be bolted through the sides and a rubber roller on an axle can be used at the top which eases the task of sliding the mast forward and back.

If the boat is going to be trailered longer distances... I'd purchase or build a metal mast crutch.

Edited by - Arlyn Stewart on 01/03/2004 06:11:57

Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 01/03/2004 : 23:02:28

Thanks Bryan and Arlyn for the feedback on the mast crutch. Since this is for yard storage (I don't have a trailer), the 2x4 crutch looks like a good bet.

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2004 : 11:31:46

An even simpler mast crutch can be made from two two by fours that form an asymmetrical X....top legs about a foot, and bottom legs as desired for height. You set the legs on the cockpit seats. The coamings prevent them from spreading out. Two two by fours, one beefy screw, thats it. You can put a couple of carpet scraps under the legs to protect the fiber glass.

I use this when I need to hang a rudder in the drive way.

Oscar

Lady Kay 250 WB #618
Sunrise on the Neuse River...

Edited by - Oscar on 01/05/2004 11:41:35

Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2004 : 21:20:41

Thanks Oscar. I was looking for something a lot more complicated and difficult than THAT! Thanks for reminding me that there might just be an easy way!

FYI: I found out that the stock Catalina mast crutch would run me $136.40.

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