Mast stepping and unstepping
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Posted: Jul 02, 2014 - 02:51 PM
Has anyone tried to step or unstep a Hobie 18 mast by putting the boat up on only one hull while it is on the beach? -
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Posted: Jul 02, 2014 - 03:44 PM
I wouldn't do it that way - you'll likely snap off your mast base as the mast moves aft and the high hull starts to rotate down, twisting along the way. There's a guy on here who knows all to well how easy it is to snap it by lowering it the correct way
If the mast height and/or weight is the issue, use a solo righting system and a winch on your mast support on the trailer, it works very well and is safe.
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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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Posted: Jul 02, 2014 - 05:12 PM
Yeah, that mast base is quite intolerant of abuse. I build gin poles for most of my boats, pretty simple and cheap if you got any any stuff lying around. Safe and fairly Quick to raise the mast solo. Pm me if you wish, I've got pics lying around.
Dave -
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Posted: Jul 02, 2014 - 06:29 PM
I think it would be more work to tip the boat on the beach (without mast) than it is to just step it. Momentum is key, don't stop once you start going up of you can help it.
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Greenville SC
Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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Posted: Jul 03, 2014 - 09:53 AM
Hobie / E-Z mast stepper - (gin pole)http://static.hobiecat.co…_attachments/3151z52.pdf -
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Posted: Jul 03, 2014 - 10:27 AM
Would be WAY harder than just stepping the mast the normal way - would likely require at least four people and almost certainly end in disaster.
The best/easiest/safest way to step the mast is to put the boat on the ground with beach wheels under the rear crossbar (so the bow is tipped slightly down). Have one person hold the mast on their shoulder near the mast tang. The other person then stands on the tramp and grabs the mast and raises it. If you are not strong enough to do the lift yourself, then have the person that was holding the mast at the tang come up on the tramp and lift with two people. Raising the mast with the boat on the ground gives you a more stable platform than on the trailer and it also allows you to start with the mast at a higher angle relative to the boat, so you don't have to bend over as far to pick the mast up.
sm -
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Posted: Jul 03, 2014 - 02:07 PM
How long is the pole on the E-Z mast stepper?
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78 Hobie 14 (buried in the garage)
75 Venture 15 (love it)
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Posted: Jul 03, 2014 - 04:16 PM
Not sure of the length of the pole on the EZ, but it's really convenient if the pole length is equal to the distance between the front of the mast and the intersection of the bridle wires and the forestay, so that when the mast is up, the forestay can be pinned without having to remove the gin pole. Once it's secure you can remove the device.
Pole length is less critical if you're using the trailer winch. My gin poles have a trailer winch mounted to the pole near the mast, with the line/cable running to a strong block at the pole tip. The line has a hook or shackle that connected to the trailer tongue just below the bridle intersection, or can connect to the ends of the bridle wires if the boat is on the ground. At the end of the pole I fashion a slot that the forestay can knock into above the thimble at the forestay's end, or a hook or shackle to connect to the forestay. The slot arrangement allows the thimble to be free to pin to the bridle wires without having to secure the mast temporarily with the jib halyard, while removing the gin pole.
There are two smallish lines from the end of the pole with snap hooks that connect to the ends of the main beam, to keep the pole tip in plane with the boat's centerline(and the mast). And of course, two trap wires are run to the beam ends as well to keep the mast in that plane.
The effort to build a gin pole will soon be forgotten as you become comfortable raising and lowering your mast safely and easily. -
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Posted: Jul 04, 2014 - 06:47 AM
I didn't mean to hijack the thread but thanks davefarmer for the instructions. I work building things out of aluminum every day. Although I have figured out how to step the mast by myself a ginpole sounds like something I have to build.
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78 Hobie 14 (buried in the garage)
75 Venture 15 (love it)
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Posted: Jul 04, 2014 - 02:47 PM
I use a 6 foot step ladder to step my H18 mast. Connect the mast base and and shrouds while resting the upper mast on the top step of the ladder, which I locate maybe 10 feet behind the boat. At this point the helper is simply making sure the mast doesn't blow or slide off the ladder and break the hinge (I learned this the hard way!). Having the mast semi-raised like this makes it much easier to start the lifting process as you no longer have to "navigate" around/under the diamond wires. Once I get underneath the mast and begin lifting, my helper walks to the front and connects the forestay. I did it by myself once with the help of a line and a come-a-long but I won't be doing it again.
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Posted: Jul 04, 2014 - 06:24 PM
I have used a step ladder when raising the mast as well (on my H17). With the boat on the ground and the top of the mast supported by the ladder, raising the mast is a lot easier because you don't have to bend over nearly as far to pick up or put down the mast. It also makes lowering the mast considerably safer IMO because you don't need someone at the back of the boat to "catch" the mast, you just place the mast on the ladder and then they can walk over to grab the mast after it's safely down.
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Posted: Jul 04, 2014 - 06:42 PM
I use this to get the mast on my H20 up and down. Bottom half speaker stand, top half PVC wrapped in pool noodle. Cheap, fast ( assembles in 30 secs ) and makes life easier. Walk mast back to the stand w helper, pin it, helper goes forward to winch mast while you keep it steady left to right - no need to lift, winch does all the work. Takes all of 4 mins to have mast stepped and pinned. No fuss.
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Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
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Posted: Jul 04, 2014 - 08:46 PM
Would a 2 piece Gin pole work better? As in a triangle? I have a bunch of aircraft aluminum tube 1 1/2 dia.
I was thinking to join both pieces at the top, a hook & loop system for the stay and winch....
My thinking is the triangle would be more stable.
Any opinions, I can step the mast quite easily myself...no wind, on the trailer however I added a winch to the fore mast stand.
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1975 P16 "Spring Rain"Sail # 642
Home Built 2004 Optimist-Delta "Unity"
So old it has Dino hide for a sail Chrysler "Pirateer"
Steve
Oyama BC
Lat 50.1167 N
Long 119.3667 W
1700 ft
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Posted: Jul 05, 2014 - 10:27 AM
here's a system i have for sale. this is the last one i have available.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…ystemfor-beach-cats.html
j
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Aquacat 12 (sold)...'87 Nacra 5.8 (sold)...'03 Nacra Inter18 (sold)
Venture 15 (sold)....'89 Nacra 5.8 (sold)...'91 Nacra 5.8NA (sold)
'99 Nacra Inter20 (sold)
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Posted: Jul 05, 2014 - 11:04 AM
Has anyone ever tried holding both trap wires, placing feet on the front beam & hiking out,(towards the bows), as the other person lifts the mast?
I didn't make that up, it's the technique shown in the Mystere Manual. They were assembling a 5.0XL.
I couldn't manage to create an album with the PDF file.
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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
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Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Posted: Jul 06, 2014 - 09:39 AM
I've never done this, but I recall seeing it done once by some Tornado sailors. I guess it would work, but I could almost see that causing a problem as the mast gets towards the upright position, if the person hanging off the front is too heavy, it might actually cause the mast to slam forward.
I like the trick with the ladder (or other aft mast stand). I've done this before when solo stepping the mast on my H17 and it makes life a lot easier because you don't need to bend over nearly as far to pick the mast up - it starts out a a relatively comfortable height. It's also nice when lowering the mast because you don't need someone there to "catch" the mast as it comes down, so it's a lot safer (no matter how many times you tell people not to stand under the mast as it comes down, they always seem to want to put themselves under it).
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Posted: Jul 06, 2014 - 10:01 AM
From the photos I saw it seemed that the person hiking back would just step off the beam to the ground as the mast came vertical, then hold it there with the trap lines.
The other person was still on the tramp, holding the mast, they could easily control its movement once near vertical.
Tornado is a tall stick, if it worked there, it should be doable for smaller boats.
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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Posted: Jul 06, 2014 - 09:31 PM
wouldn't the shrouds hold it from coming forward?
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1975 P16 "Spring Rain"Sail # 642
Home Built 2004 Optimist-Delta "Unity"
So old it has Dino hide for a sail Chrysler "Pirateer"
Steve
Oyama BC
Lat 50.1167 N
Long 119.3667 W
1700 ft
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Posted: Jul 07, 2014 - 04:07 AM
I didn't say it would fall forward - just slam forward, against the shrouds as the mast would be accelerating upward.
I have also seen people take a long line (like jib sheet) and tie it to the main halyard. Then one person grabs that line and walks out in front of the boat, pulling the mast up as they go with the other person standing on the tramp guiding the mast up. Once the mast is up, the person holding the line just stays put holding the mast up while the person that was on the tramp jumps down and pins the forestay. A lot of ways to achieve the same thing...
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Posted: Jul 07, 2014 - 09:30 AM
I love it when we over-complicate things-
You can also just tie an extension line around a trap handle (or both) and not have to step/fall off a beam
if you have crew, why not have BOTH of you on the tramp, and walk the mast up
when it's up... one of you go pin it (or tie if off to your furler ring)
or throw a line around your forestay and have your crew help pull it up
OR trailer your boat the other way and after you secure the mast step/pin ... use the trailer yoke to hold your mast up (like the 10' ladder) - even better, back it down the shoreline and improve the angle/help
Edited by MN3 on Jul 07, 2014 - 11:29 AM.
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