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Mast raising fiasco....

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/24/2004 : 22:04:17

Today was the day for the post-hurricane launching. The trailer saved my boat twice ! I used my ever-improving mast raising gear. The 2 forward lowers were lying in the cabin as to stay out of the way. The mast went up smoothly and came to a screeching halt at 60 deg up. I looked at all the shrouds, checked the mast bolt, and even lowered and raised it a couple times. I only went so far up and stopped!
I finally looked at EVERYTHING and found the two forward shrouds tight as a drum. the rig came down again. I found both shrouds wedged between the ladder and the sink. They were not budging either. As a last resort, I removed the upper ladder bolts and was able to pry them free of the death grip.

The mast went up, the boat splashed, and the engine started. All in all a great day. Just remember to bring the box of rubber bands to keep things straight!

Tom.

PO of 1988 Wing HN 5775
"Cote d'Azure"
Fleet 25

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2004 : 22:30:53

I had my own minor disaster yesterday. While removing and stowing the sails for winter lay-up, I lost control of the halyard for the furler, and it slid almost all the way up to the top fitting. Will have to drop the mast to retrieve it the next time I want to use a headsail, or find someone small and light to go up in a bosun's chair to grab it (unlikely). Since this halyard is plain line, with no fitting or loop in the end of it, it will be practically impossible to try to snag it with a hook from the deck, even if I get enough lightweight tubing to make a rigid pole 30' long. *&%^%$^&^%!

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 11:20:00

just call Spike

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 14:44:23

Larry,

Gotta cut Spike some slack until really needed...I had a similar problem and was successful in snaging it by taping a treble hook to a length of broomstick and raised it with the main halyard. It took some gyrations of both line and boat to bring it down. I mention this as a last resort. Anything is better than climbing the mast or dropping it.

Val on Calista # 3936
Patchogue, N.Y.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 17:31:49

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tinob
 ...was successful in snaging it by taping a treble hook to a length of broomstick and raised it with the main halyard.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Val -
By "treble hook", do you mean a type of fishing hook? (I'm not a fisherman and don't know the lingo). I DO know that fish hooks are sharp enough to grab onto almost anything. Sounds like it's worth a try! As you say, anything's preferable to dropping the mast, especially since, at the moment, I don't have a mast crutch or gin pole setup ready to use. Thanks for the suggestion!

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2004 : 19:43:53

I'm sorry, but I don't see the problem with going up the mast. Follow a few safety precautions and get a strong guy on a winch and bingo! I've mentioned this before - but if Ellen McArthur can climb a mast unaided 4 times in the southern ocean, it shouldn't be a problem for us guys to do it in a peaceful slip!! And our masts are only 30' tall...
Derek

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2004 : 01:07:41

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Derek Crawford
 ...Ellen McArthur can climb a mast unaided 4 times in the southern ocean, it shouldn't be a problem for us guys to do it in a peaceful slip!! And our masts are only 30' tall...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Ya, but Ellen had decided to happily risk her life for the voyage, and had better equipment for going up than most of us will ever have. More power to Spike, but I won't be doing that...

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2004 : 02:56:54

30' is enough to do you in. My boat came with a ladder that goes into the mast track. I wear a harness and have someone belay me on a winch but I have only had to go as high as the spreaders. Would not work if I lost a halyard as I only have two.

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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.