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Unstepping the Mast

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BillD
Deckhand

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USA
6 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/30/2020 : 11:40:17

I will be pulling my 1987 C-25 swing keel out of the water Saturday and am a bit nervous about unstepping the mast. I wanted to check that I have the correct procedure and check if this group has any advice.

I plan to:

1. Crank the keel up, pull the rudder up, and drive the boat onto the trailer under motor.

2. Winch the boat fully on the trailer.

3. Pull the trailer out of the water.

4. Remove the boom.

5. Remove the jib from the furler.

6. Attach the jib halyard to the bow. Lead the other end aft and cleat it.

7. Disconnect the forward shrouds.

8. Connect the jack pole to the forward shroud bases. Jib halyard over the jack pole.

9. Remove rudder and insert crutch in gudgeons.

10. Disconnect the furler from the bow.

11. Very slowly ease the jib halyard. (I'm thinking two turns around the winch for friction.) Lower mast into crutch.

12. Tie shrouds and furler to mast with bungies.

13. Remove mast from step and carry forward to rest in trailer crutch.

14. Secure mast to boat and trailer with bungies.

What am I missing? Which steps are particularly tricky? I'd really like not to hurt anyone (including me) and not to break anything.

----Bill

1987 C-25 Swing Keel

JoeRobertJr
1st Mate

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25 Posts

Response Posted - 10/30/2020 : 14:29:30

My wife and I trailered ours for each use, so got quite good at the process. My commentary on your steps:
7a: Loosen upper (cap) shrouds.
8. I use a gin pole myself, so I am not sure how the jack pole works. My worst problem the first time I lowered the mast was controlling the side-to-side motion of the mast such that it stays relatively centerline. I now use "baby stays" on the mast. If you have a couple people to help during the lowering, you can probably have them help guide the mast.
12. When the furler foil lays on the spreader, that weight helps try to make the mast go sideways. Be prepared for that, especially after disconnecting the base such that the mast can now rotate.
Good luck!! Once the mast is resting on the crutch the worst is over!

Joe Robert
C-25 SK/SR #4287
Orefield, PA

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5895 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2020 : 06:16:49

quote:
Originally posted by BillD

14. Secure mast to boat and trailer with bungies.

With rope, not with bungees. Bungees have a thin, not-very-strong outer sheath which covers a core of rubber bands. You can't trust bungees to hold the mast securely in place while the boat and trailer are rolling down the highway over bumps and potholes. I used my 3/8" dock lines for that purpose.

Steve Milby J/24 "Captiva Wind"
previously C&C 35, Cal 25, C25 TR/FK, C22
Past Commodore

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5352 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2020 : 07:01:20

The advice I�d give is the following:
1. Construct an A-frame made from wood or rigid pipe that connects to the forward lower shroud chainplates and the forestay at the A-frame apex. This will control any side to side movement of the mast while it�s coming down.
2. As the mast passes through 45� on its way down, forces on the halyard increase very quickly. Instead of just taking two wraps of the halyard around the winch drum, use your mainsheet instead with its 3:1 block and tackle mechanical advantage. Force is proportional to division by cosine theta, meaning it�s near infinite at horizontal.
3. I always tie on a 1"x3" x 8ft board extending 3ft past the lower end of the mast once down to support the furler body and foil. The furler extends a few feet past the end of the mast and cannot support itself without the board. Wrap a line around the mast and the furler from top to bottom to prevent any lateral motion.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 10/31/2020 07:14:40

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 10/31/2020 : 08:19:01

with the mast down, your furler drum will be farther forward than the base of your mast. Have a 4-6 ft long dowel or 2x2 piece of wood to secure to the mast in order to support the drum.

DavidP
1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52
PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess"
Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN

JoeRobertJr
1st Mate

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25 Posts

Response Posted - 11/01/2020 : 09:38:24

quote:
Originally posted by Steve Milby

quote:
Originally posted by BillD

14. Secure mast to boat and trailer with bungies.
With rope, not with bungees. Bungees have a thin, not-very-strong outer sheath which covers a core of rubber bands. You can't trust bungees to hold the mast securely in place while the boat and trailer are rolling down the highway over bumps and potholes. I used my 3/8" dock lines for that purpose.

Ditto on the Don't use bungees. I use 2" wide velcro that I bought in a roll, then cut to the lengths I needed. They have been working great for me.

Joe Robert
C-25 SK/SR #4287
Orefield, PA

TEM58
Navigator

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USA
113 Posts

Response Posted - 12/06/2020 : 08:55:12

I realize this project is likely over and done, but I�ll add a couple of thoughts for future use.

I became quite adept at lowering/raising single handed using DavyJ�s a-frame design. There are other methods as well, but his is simple and effective. If the crutch has a roller on it, you can easily slide the mast forward to the bow after removing the hinge bolt. Having additional help available certainly makes it much easier though. Hopefully his input is still available here in the forum, and the vids should be on YouTube.

Mark the threads on shrouds and stays before loosening the turnbuckles, especially if you�re happy with your rig adjustments.

Tim M
�Perfect Match II�
2003 C350 #35
Cruising FL
PO "Wine Down"
2000 C250 WK #453
PO "Perfect Match"
1983 C25 SR/SK #3932
Lake Belton
Belton, TX

C25BC
Navigator

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Canada
204 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2020 : 18:45:50

[quote]Originally posted by Voyager

The advice I�d give is the following:
1. Construct an A-frame made from wood or rigid pipe that connects to the forward lower shroud chainplates and the forestay at the A-frame apex. This will control any side to side movement of the mast while it�s coming down.
2. As the mast passes through 45� on its way down, forces on the halyard increase very quickly. Instead of just taking two wraps of the halyard around the winch drum, use your mainsheet instead with its 3:1 block and tackle mechanical advantage. Force is proportional to division by cosine theta, meaning it�s near infinite at horizontal.
3. I always tie on a 1"x3" x 8ft board extending 3ft past the lower end of the mast once down to support the furler body and foil. The furler extends a few feet past the end of the mast and cannot support itself without the board. Wrap a line around the mast and the furler from top to bottom to prevent any lateral motion.

How do you connect main sheet to A-frame ? To you leave it hooked up to the traveller bar at the stern?
[

Angus
S.V.Tempus
#4748
1984 Catalina 25 SK/SR/Trad.

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5352 Posts

Response Posted - 12/13/2020 : 19:22:45

Angus, thanks for your insightful question. I remove the mainsheet from the stern and attach the lower block to the forward chainplate on the bow with a small shackle. I snug up the line almost all the way then release the forestay from the chainplate and attach it to the upper block of the mainsheet. I use a halyard to keep the mast upright while removing the forestay.

Afterwards, I loosen and remove the lower shrouds and loosen the upper shrouds just before I loosen the thumbscrew bolt holding the mast into the tabernacle. I attach the �point� of the A-frame to the forestay with a couple of wraps of a stout line and the ends of th A frame to the forward lower shroud chainplates then let ��er rip.

Actually I begin lowering the mast gently and keep an eye on the mainsheet tension, the A-frame stability, the remaining shrouds and stays (prevent fouling) and everything else I forgot to check.

Once the mast gets to about 45� above the deck then I watch the tension and angle as the mast gets near to the crutch positioned near the stern, making sure it doesn�t miss.

It�s good to have a helper in the cockpit to guide the mast down, then once down to stabilize the balance. The stern crutch is roughly at the balance center point of the mast.

Once down, I secure all cables and lines to the mast and add the reinforcement board for the forestay and furler to prevent any damage. I�ll then remove the tabernacle bolt and ask my helper to lift the mast and we both walk it forward.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - Voyager on 12/14/2020 06:14:53

C25BC
Navigator

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Canada
204 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2020 : 07:36:55

I like it . So is this done from the cockpit with the tail wrapped around the winch ?

Angus
S.V.Tempus
#4748
1984 Catalina 25 SK/SR/Trad.

C25BC
Navigator

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Canada
204 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2020 : 07:58:32

.... the mast lowering

Angus
S.V.Tempus
#4748
1984 Catalina 25 SK/SR/Trad.

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5352 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2020 : 19:38:53

Angus, I have done it from the foredeck with a helper in the cockpit so I could more easily control the mast going down. If you tried doing it from the cockpit solo you�d probably run out of line leading to the sheet block, foul the line running across the cabin top or get the line stuck in the sheet block cam cleat by accident. It would not be pretty.
Letting the mast free-fall onto the deck is what drinking stories are made from. It would be a very life-threatening and/or boat-threatening event. It would end badly.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2020 : 20:49:04

Adding to Bruce's response is the difficult logistics of working from the cockpit. It offers advantages but because you loose mechanical advantage very quickly well before the mast reaches horizontal, you should place something across the seats in the cockpit if you go that approach so that you can reach up to catch/guide the mast as early as possible. Additionally, the mast is an incredibly long lever-arm and if allowed to drop too low damage to the tabernacle or deck can happen very easily. All said, lowering the mast single-handed can readily be done without incidence if well thought out and executed....but a second person can greatly contribute to a successful outcome, especially the first time.

Gerry Livingston, Malletts Bay, VT
"Great Escape" 1989 C-25 SR/WK #5972

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