sailboat mast raising system

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Raising the Mast of a Small Sailboat with The Resourceful Sailor — The Solo Version

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from The Resourceful Sailor. Since he lowered the mast on his boat Sampaguita last June, he’s been busy taking care of several boat projects. Now he’s back on deck and has sent us this detailed report on raising the mast.

What goes down must go up? After a rig refit, the mast of Sampaguita , a Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20, was ready to be raised. Still in her Port Townsend slip, the process was, generally, the opposite of lowering, presented in ‘Lectronic Latitude on June 16, 2021 — Lowering the Mast on a Small Sailboat with The Resourceful Sailor .

It required the same bridle setup. The boom, again, would act as a gin pole to gain the proper angle for leverage. The mainsheet block and tackle would do the heavy lifting. Rather than write the same thing again, I will focus on the differences between the two procedures and provide some previously left-out insights. In doing this, I will presume that you have read or will review the installment mentioned above.

For raising, only the cap shrouds and the headstay needed to be attached to their respective chainplates. Out of respect for Murphy’s Law, the other wires were secured tightly to the mast to mitigate their inclination to get snagged. Snagged wires like to kink, and whether new or old, it is unsatisfying, not to mention detrimental to their longevity and strength. The turnbuckles were wrapped in rags and secured to the mast, preventing them from scratching and banging into anything (everything.)

The bridle setup was more challenging to organize with the rig down than up. Since I had new wires, I needed to re-seize the stainless steel rings to the cap shrouds. It required holding up the wire to determine the proper pivot points with the mast. Then the opposing force lines to the lower stay chainplates were added, conceptualizing the rigid triangle necessary to maintain the pivot points. With the rig up, it is easier to build and see this. But down, it is a floppy mess. Then, a line was attached to each ring, ready to lead to a bail on the boom. A block and tackle served nicely for this on one side for ease of adjustment. These guylines will provide the opposing forces to keep the boom centered.

After that, I moved the mast to the tabernacle and pinned its base in the ready position. A final review of the halyard and wire leads and spreader orientations was done. A reminder: Always be on the lookout for snagging wires and lines whenever you move the mast.

The boom, as a gin pole, could then be added. When lowering, it was already in position and there was only the matter of attaching the bridle lines. However, with the mast down, the boom would be attached starting in a vertical position, which involved some boat yoga. I shackled the mainsheet and topping lift to its outer end. Lots of slack was fed into those lines, allowing for lifting it straight up. While holding it so, I pinned the mast end to the gooseneck. I picked up the previously-led guylines (the line and the block and tackle) and attached them to the boom bail. I tightened and adjusted the mainsheet, the topping lift, and the guylines until the boom was centered and vertical. The opposing forces held the gin pole in place.

With the correct bridle setup, the mast base in the tabernacle, and the gin pole in place, it was simply a matter of hoisting the mast. On a Flicka 20, the round bar traveler and the four-part mainsheet block and tackle are very accommodating to providing the mechanical advantage necessary for raising and lowering the mast. To a soloist, this advantage was indispensable. It took two hands and a bit of leaning to get it moving, but it became easier as it went higher. An eye was kept on the centerline alignment of the mast and boom, making sure the bridle prep was accurate, and watching that the wires did not snag.

The accompanying video shows the raising from a first-person view and solo. In contrast to lowering the mast, gravity is less of a friend, so the ascent is slower, with a bit more heave-ho. There is no shame in re-lowering the mast to adjust the bridle lines or sort out the wires. It is better to correct them early than to think something will be all right when it is not. Raising and lowering the mast is not rocket science, but 99% of the gig is proper preparation. If something goes wrong, it could be catastrophic, so double- and triple-check. It can be intimidating at first, but it is simple physics and simple tools at work. Remember, keep it safe and prudent, and have a blast.

This is so stressful to watch! I would have never had the courage to do it myself. As always, you have my respect and admiration. Well done!

Rusty, thanks for the kind words, and thanks for reading.

Joshua, Thank you for taking the time for so nicely relaying your experiences on single-hand stepping the mast on your Flicka. I am currently refining this design process for my own boat, and am thus interested in the finer details. My initial questions are two: First, concerning the method and material for seizing the bridle to the cap shrouds: As you state, a properly rigged bridle is key to making the process work. How did you analyze the adequacy of your seizing method and the loads that would be experienced?

Temporary seizing is a good place to start for me, but since I do this spring and fall every year, I have considered incorporating a more permanent nicropress and cable pigtail for the ring attachment (the loads there are not very high). A triangular plate in the top shroud with attachment points for the bridle connection points would be nicer, but more expensive to implement. Either way, it is probably prudent to use a temporary seizing first, to demonstrate dimensional functionality prior to a permanent solution. Second, I am sure you release the cap shrouds to allow the bridle arrangement some up/down movement as a result of the mast butt movement in the tabernacle during stepping. Somehow I must have missed that. Once upon a time I tried raising the mast with very slack uppers (guessing at what was needed instead of graphical analysis or calculations) instead of the bridle approach (all else was like your scenario). Because the slack was inadequate and no bridle, I managed to bend my boom out of alignment. :o(. A good machine shop worked that out. As long as the mast remains vertical through the lift, there isn’t much load on that ring connection, but its job is keeping the mast in a vertical/perpendicular orientation through the lift. But if some kind of unforeseen incident would create shock loading on the seized ring, (say even 2 pounds of lateral movement (force at the truck) that would correlate to about 56 foot-pounds of moment (engineering statics) applied at the ring due to the long lever arm of the mast. If it were 5 pounds force perpendicular at the top of the mast, it would correlate to up to 140 foot pounds. In my view, a shock load of 5 pounds or maybe more, isn’t an unlikely scenario, considering Murphy. I can’t think of a way to analyze the strength of the seizing, and prayer does not work for me. So, how did you analyze the adequacy of your seizing method and what did you use? Wire? In my case, I have been stepping my mast at least annually, on my Lancer 25 for more than 35 years. I usually do it on the hard, or in the water if launching was via travel lift or something else that dictated the mast needed to be down when launched. But in at least one case, years ago, while sailing near Cowichan Bay at Vancouver Island, the jib wire jumped the sheave (a result of rough water and a slack line while dousing the jib) at the truck, and jammed along-side of the sheave when I tried to pull the sail down. I wasn’t sure of the problem at the time, but the sail definitely was not coming down, so I wrapped the jib halyard around the forestay to try to contain the partially-filled sail and considered my options. Luckily, upon checking my depth sounder, and found some shallow 30’ water (unheard of up there) and dropped the hook (probably on a rock bottom) and it held well enough for the task at hand. My mate always helped tail the line connected to the backstay at the winch and through a clam cleat to hold things if I needed a rest. I just loosened and released the rigging as necessary, muscle-dropped the mast and used the dinghy to go forward and sort things out. It was a very high reach, but I was successful. After I got the mast back up it started to rain….. I later drilled a hole in the truck to insert a stainless wire restraint, so the halyard cable could not be thrown off the sheave again. I have toyed with analyzing more mechanical methods for raising the mast now that I am older, less strong, and my first mate has passed on. That is what piqued my interest on your article. The Flicka is ready-made (Bingham designed it in; I am sure) for this raising procedure. The Flicka doesn’t have many complications, since there are double lowers in perfect position for the bridle attachment, and the cap shrouds are neatly centered to the mast. The Lancer is not so nice. It has a single set of lowers, and the chain plate has about 1” between the 2 connections for uppers and lowers. These are also set about 3” aft of mast centerline. The original Lancer design was a tabernacle (not exactly the proper technical term, but we will go with it) with the slot in the tabernacle tabs, and a through bolt for securing the mast. I would say this is the usual case for production trailer sailor boats. I have never been wild about the uneven up-and-down friction-prone mast butt action and the associated movement reflected in the rigging connections during stepping. I do have a strong toe rail to connect the bridle, but the chain-plate bridle connection will not work geometrically. I have purchased a hinged tabernacle plate from Ballinger Spars, which will smooth out the rotational process down there. However, the negative thing it does, is place the pivot point about 3” in front of the mast centerline. The hinge movement is forward of the mast (eccentric) and translates to about 3” up-and-down movement (tensioning or slacking) of the cap shroud/ bridle assembly while stepping the Lancer mast. With the eccentric hinged plate pivot, (while rotating up), the mast butt raises momentarily for about 1/4” (slackening the rigging) and then drops down 3” (requiring an equal amount of rigging slack or things will go into tension, which is no good). The shrouds or bridle assembly must allow a lengthening of 3” during rotation of the mast butt into final position (as determined by graphical analysis). On lowering, the movement is opposite, so the shrouds will slacken throughout rotation without causing any tension problems, and there is plenty of play being created to keep any stresses from developing. I suppose the key in my case is to set the bridle configuration when the mast I up, thus ‘dimensionally building in’ the 3” movement required into the bridle/shroud system. Thoughts? The following is an analysis of the forces on the Lancer rigging dimensions and mast weight: The mast (Kenyon 3550) is 28’ long and weighs in at 62 pounds. I arbitrarily rounded to 70 pounds for these calculations. The moment to initiate lifting the mast is 980 foot pounds. (28’x half the mast length x70 pounds – assume equal weight distribution per foot.). That is to say, if the mast is on the ground and you lift one end, it will take 35 pounds force through a distance of 28 feet (=980 foot pounds of moment acting on the mast to lift one end off of the ground). But in raising the mast, the force is pulling more aft than up (requiring vector analysis which I will get to). I am currently considering a 10’ jibboom mounted at the hinge point and not higher on the mast where the boom lives, which changes the numbers- (no bending forces on the mast – which are not really great enough to mean much to the 3550). Also in the Flicka case, boom length (as with lancer) is probably about 8’. A 10’ jibboom lowers the forces more than an 8’, but using the existing spar is practical. It is probably prudent for me to reconsider and re-calculate using the boom in its usual position. A few years ago, I designed and had a fitting made to connect a jibboom to the mast foot, so I was considering using it. So, running the numbers based on the Lacer backstay distance to the mast and initial lay of the mast, it would take (rounded) 103 pounds of tension in the backstay from the mast truck to the jibboom, and 125 pounds of tension from the jibboom to the backstay connection point. Compression loading in the 10’ boom is 114 pounds. Yes, one can use Eulers equation to analyze buckling forces, but I didn’t do it. Following good engineering practice with a factor of safety of at least 2, these numbers would be double the values shown for design checking of adequacy of rigging and spars. Confirming your experience, as the mast goes up, the center of gravity moves aft, requiring less and less force to raise the mast (and the geometry is changing) to increase efficiency of the forces as the mast goes up. 30degrees=858 ft lbs, 45 degrees=700 ft lbs, 70 degrees=350 ft lbs. 70 degrees into the lift, it would equate to 10 pounds of perpendicular force applied at the top (the center of mast mass has shifted to only 5’ in front of the final mast position). With a 4:1 ratio applied on the backstay, the pull on the line is about 31 pounds force for the Lancer System. The Flicka system is somewhat more (I don’t have the dimensions to analyze it), but from your description it was probably 40 pounds or less to start the raise, and then the tension required reduces as the mast goes up. Since the pull for the lancer scenario calculates in at around 31 pounds, I am planning to run the bitter end of the 4:1 through a block at the stern, to the bow, through a blocks on the bow, and use the anchor windlass to pull the mast up (the windlass maximum has 400 pounds of tension available). So even with friction losses, there should be no issue. I have a windlass switch in the cockpit, and a second hand-held remote at the forward hatch. It is a very convenient setup for going forward and guiding the mast or sorting out issues. Also, after my spouse passed, I put a winch at about 5’ high on the mast, and I ran the raising line there, instead of needing someone tailing at the cockpit. It is easier (almost necessary) to have a helper with me at the mast. I have lowered the mast alone with this manual system by taking wraps on the winch and playing out slack while catching the mast. However, without a jibboom, the forces are tougher to man-handle alone at the end of the lowering process. Comments are appreciated, as there is always something else to be considered or learned. Thanks

Jim, Thanks for reading and taking the time to engage. You have certainly been thinking about this! You get far deeper into the physics than I ever have and I suspect, many readers and sailors. Regarding seizing the rings on, I don’t overthink it. I have some net twine and I wrap and figure-eight it until I am sure it is strong enough. They are not permanent installations but are easy for me to put on as needed. Thoughtful marlinspike would make a nice permanent install. I have seen a different Flicka install that had the cap shroud turnbuckle placed at the pivot point. This removed the need for a seized-on ring and also gave a nice pivot point that does not bend the wire. Kinking the wire is my big concern, but the forces and the pivot point have not been high enough to do this, so without doing the physics calculation, the stress is low. Regarding the extra slack in the cap shrouds to accommodate that extra lift that occurs as the mast tips forward, no, I did not mention it, but it is a thing. I learned of that when I did not have them slack enough on a lowering. I recognized what was happening, so rather than forcing it, I backed off, adjusted, and restarted. Article scope naturally means some things are left out. That is good intel on bending your boom though. I have found on a sailboat, that if something feels like it is not running free, something is wrong. I don’t force it.

Thanks for the reply, Joshua.

I am leaning toward installing a permanent 4-hole triangular plate in the cap shroud at the bridle connection. This would create clear movement for hinge point attachments, and address stresses that can occur there. The rest is just a matter of rigging things up.

Best wishes in the new year.

No Fear Mast Stepping!

Posted by The Editors | Projects , Rigging

In a previously published article, I touched upon the use of a quick and easy way for the lone sailor to raise or lower the mast on the typical small cruiser. Ensuing months brought a number of inquiries clamoring for more details regarding rigging. In truth, ponder as I might, I could never come up with a suitable mast-raising method on my own. However, I have a good friend, Gerry Catha, who is an airline pilot, aircraft builder, and fellow Com-Pac 23 sailor. He grew tired of my whining and worked out the following solution. I am grateful to him for redefining and perfecting the hardware involved and generously passing along the method to be adapted by his fellow sailors.

The instability of the stand-alone gin-pole has long made its use fraught with many of the same safety concerns associated with the use of trained elephants in mast stepping. The greatest fear factor involved in the process has always been the tendency of the mast-gin-pole combination to sway out of control during the lift. I can’t tell you the number of “wrecks” I have heard of, or been personally involved in (read, responsible for) over the years, due to a moment’s inattention, insecure footing, or errant gust of wind at some critical moment. All of this becomes a thing of the past with Gerry’s no-nonsense bridle arrangement.

While systems may differ slightly as far as materials and fittings go, the basic tackle remains the same: a six-foot length of 1 1/2-inch aluminum tubing, two 2-inch stainless steel rings, enough low-stretch 3/16-inch yacht braid for the bridle runs, a few stainless steel eyebolts, some snaps and, of course, a boom vang to take the place of the elephants.

Eyebolt installed

My own gin-pole has a large eyebolt installed in one end, which can be attached by a through-bolt (with a nylon spool cover) into a matching eye at the base of the mast’s leading edge and secured by a large wingnut. This is the pivoting point for the gin-pole, which, of course, supplies the leverage. On the upper end of the gin-pole, two smaller, opposing eyebolts provide attachment points for bridles, halyard, and boom vang. Again, I must say that I have already heard of a number of different variations regarding attachments, hardware, and so on, as each individual adapts the idea to his particular boat, budget, and attention span.

The critical thing to understand about this mast-raising technique is that in order for the mast and gin-pole lines to stay tight and keep the mast and gin-pole centered over the boat, the bridles must have their pivot points located on an imaginary line running through the mast pivot bolt. If the bridle pivot points are located anywhere else, the supporting lines will be too tight and/or too loose at some points during the lift.

Clip the jib halyard to the uppermost eye on the gin-pole and bring it to an approximate 90-degree angle to the mast and tie it off. Next, secure one end of the boom vang (cleat end) to a point as far forward on the deck as possible and the remaining end to the top of the gin-pole opposite the jib halyard.

At your leisure

With all bridle lines taut and the mechanical advantage of the boom vang facilitating the lifting, you can slowly raise the spar at your leisure. Since the mast and gin-pole are equally restrained port and starboard, they will go straight up or down without wandering from side to side. Using the auto-cleat on the boom vang, you can halt the process any time shrouds or lines need straightening or become caught up. This reduces the stress factor tremendously and allows for a calm, orderly evaluation and fix of the problem.

I might note that, due to variations in shroud adjustment and slight hull distortions, you may find the port and starboard bridle will be of slightly different dimensions, making it necessary to devise some sort of visual distinction between the two sides. I spray-painted the ends of the lines on each side, red or green, for instant identification. Stainless steel snaps on the rigging end of these lines make for quick and easy setup. I find that it takes us about 15 minutes to deploy the entire system and only 10 minutes or so to take it down and put it away. Each bridle rolls up into a bundle about the size of a tennis ball for storage. The bridles go into a locker, and the gin-pole attaches to the trailer until next it is needed.

Granted, launch time is extended by a few minutes, but the safety factor gained is immeasurable, especially for sailors who must perform the entire operation by themselves. I have used this method on masts up to 25 feet long and in quite strong side winds with no problem and have found it to be the most expeditious way to raise or lower a mast should trained elephants not be readily available.

Article taken from Good Old Boat magazine: Volume 4, Number 3, May/June 2001.

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Basics of Mast Raising

IF you have the luxury of a mast crane, then all it needs is a sturdy rope strop around the mast and under the spreader - typically just above the center of gravity of the mast – and you’re all set. Of course, you need to pre-think the attachment so that you can pull it down from the mast after it’s in place, but that’s not so complicated … even a light line snapped on, can work as long as you’re not wrapped around 2 sets of diamonds! Otherwise you may be climbing the mast before you even go sailing ;-)

But most of us on relatively small boats that are trailed to the launch site, need to get equipped to raise and lower your mast independent of cranes … and often while alone. So here are the basics.

The mast needs a pivot bolt at the mast base , that’s located athwartships, so that the mast cannot rotate on it’s axis, but can pivot down, either fore or aft. Which way you go will depend on the deck arrangement and pivot height. As the distance from mast step to the stern is typically longer than to the bow, lowering aft makes more sense for mast support when down .. but with some boats, the cabin top or hatchway is higher than the pivot and then it’s easier to lower the mast forward, even if it means making a temporary support for the mast either on the ground or on your tow vehicle. Some boats have a raised tabernacle for the pivot in order to clear the cabin, so that’s another solution for lowering aft.

You’ll need a crutch to support the mast when it’s down .. and if you can incorporate a roller on this crutch it’s good to do so, as the mast will almost certainly need to be rolled or slid back over the boat once down, in order to limit the overall length for trailing.

For raising (or lowering) you will need these basics:

A gin pole to give you lifting leverage. This needs to be able to take the compression while lifting (figure on at least double the mast weight) and be not less than 1/4 the mast length. The closer this is mounted to the mast pivot the more effective it is, but a boom mounted on a sturdy gooseneck that’s not too high up the mast still works.

Side guys to keep both the gin pole AND the mast itself, close to the boat centerline. If fixed in length, these lines need to be attached to a pivot as far outboard as practical, and with an eye at the same height as the pivot bolt for the mast foot. Such an attachment can be arranged either with a bracket or raised stanchion that’s temporarily bolted to the boat (or ama in the case of a trimaran), or can also be rigged to an type of bridle at the boat side. Such a bridle needs a strong ring to which the side guy is attached and then have lines forward and aft that are adjustable so that when under tension, the ring is brought to be in line both horizontally and fore & aft with the mast pivot bolt. Setting this up is tricky the first time, but after the attachment points are established and the ropes are marked, one can easily set it up to those marks in future and know that the ring will be well located. Periodically check for line stretch though.

Guys for the mast itself, can sometimes be the actual shrouds, as long as they are not initially too long and that they use adjustable tackles to tension them. Sometimes a mast is equipped with lower shrouds that can be used or even trapeze lines, as IF the mast is kept close to the centerline, the side load will not be high.

Guys for the Gin Pole , can either be dedicated lines that are fixed in length and snapped to a location in line with the mast pivot .. OR they can be a part of the tackle that is used for hauling up the mast itself. Such a system is used by the Dragonfly Boats – rigged with two lifting lines, one port and one starboard. EACH of these lines are fixed to the ama near the aft beam and run up to a block at the end of the gin pole (or boom) and then back down to a block on the centerline at the stern and then forward to a winch. So there will be two blocks at each location ... at the boom/ginpole end, and at the rear of the cockpit. The two lines go around the winch together.

Typically the main halyard is used while raising the mast …, running from the upper end of the gin pole (or boom), through the mast head sheave and down the mast to a sturdy cleat near the mast base, well tied off. From the underside of the gin pole (or boom), the mainsheet is often snapped on to haul the gin pole back to raise the mast .. or if the mast was laying aft and is being raised forward while on a trailer, then the boat winch line can be used, snapped to the underside of the gin pole end (or boom), so that the trailer winch itself can be used to do the raising work.

If the boat is not on a trailer, a multi-part tackle (4,5 or 6 parts may be required) can be attached to the end of a bowsprit to raise the mast. Both these system have successfully been used to raise the wing mast on a W17 trimaran, though using the trailer winch with a dedicated gin pole that pivots on the same pin as the mast, has proven to be the faster method.

Just a word about the crutch for the mast. The preference for a roller has already been mentioned. This crutch needs to be as high as practical as then the starting load to lift the mast is reduced. At the same time the upper-mast-tip still needs to be within local height clearances for trailing .. so generally preferable to stay around 10ft (3m) or so. In the case of the W17, the crutch is dropped into the stern well and slopes aft at about 35-40 deg from the vertical. (The crutch in the photo below, shows it much too low, after the lines slipped during a long trip) . The mast should lower to the crutch with the spreaders forward of it, so that they do not make things difficult to roll the mast forward to the trailing position after the mast is lowered. See also this article on Handling the W17 ashore .

If lowering the mast forward, then a crutch on your towing vehicle can help give good height, or otherwise you may need a temporary stand or tripod on the ground, that has a central support that you can raise by hand and then clamp or pin in place … as the higher this is, the less load you will have on the lifting lines. (I even have an old paddle with a notch in its blade that fits the mast section. A tall crew member can then give the mast a push up at the beginning of the lift to reduce the starting lift load).

In conclusion, there are MANY ways to raise a mast, but unless your whole rig is non-standard, they generally are all variants of what is described above. Check everything twice to see all ropes and parts are well attached and not entangled, and you’ll be fine.

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Mastender™ System

the Mastendr™ quick-rig sailing system that allows for the boom, sail, and gaff to be left installed on the boat while the mast is folded or raised. The shrouds stay attached and the head stay disconnects with the flip of the pre-adjusted forestay self-locking lever. This system, unique to Com-Pac, adds an ease and convenience to trailer sailing that is really astounding. Your mast is up and you are ready to go in seconds, not minutes.

Mastender™ Pictorial

One person can lift the hinged mast from its rest position on the transom support, with the boat on the trailer or in the water. Side stays and halyards are already in position.

Insert the mast-hinge lock pin. The hinge has great strength. The stays provide all the support needed.

Attach the forestay tang to the stemhead with the quick-clevis pin. Tension the rigging by simply pulling down on the forestay self-locking lever.

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Mast Raising Made Easy
New MastMate Magic TC/DG
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SORRY NO MastMate SC-L left

Do It Yourself Bi-Pole mast raising system, using this engineered Plate which allows for adjustable twin poles to be used and accommodates two polyurethane wheels to run on either side of the sail track so that compression of the sail track does not occur. Also twin slots for attaching a sail slug with a strap and a central hole for a shackle so a rope can be attached.

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MastMate SC

is a system for the raising and lowering of the mast on a trailerable yacht.

allows one person to raise or lower a mast single-handed. This task can be accomplished easily, quickly, and with safety.

has been developed over several years, and safety for the operator and other crew has been a major consideration in the development.

Attaching and activating the takes only a few seconds. Once activated, the mast can be raised to an upright position by one person and, depending on the weight of the mast, can be accomplished with one hand. (e.g. Noelex 25)

When lowering the mast a similar timeframe is incurred but hardly any personal energy is expended in returning the mast to the dropped position. This is easily achieved by one person, in safety, even in strong winds.

is UNSUITABLE for rigs in excess of 45 kgs. and use in excess of specifications will void the warranty.

comes with a 90 day warranty against faulty workmanship and/or materials.

has 3 models MastMate SC, MastMate Magic TC and the new bipole system for larger boats MastMate TP:

New MastMate SC

Under 35 kgs: $189 excluding post & handling.;
Under 45 kgs: $200 excluding post & handling.;

MastMate Magic TC $ T.B.A. excluding post & handling.;

MastMate TP $ T.B.A. excluding post & handling.;

(Weights shown include mast and rigging.)

#604:
"I made a mast raising mechanism that works for me. It consists of a 6 ft. 2X4 with a fork on one end, an angle iron on the other, and a winch mounted to the trailer mast support column.

"The fork straddles the boom near its base, and is held in place with a pin made from 5/16 drill rod tapered on the end that is inserted through the fork and mast. The hole in the mast can be made easily with a tool called a 'unibit'. It's a tool that lends itself to drilling holes in thin aluminum, and increases in diameter in steps as it drills further into the metal. You could probably find one in the tool department at Home Depot or Lowes.

"The angle iron is bolted to the other end, to which the forestay and the line from the winch are attached. It helps to have a second person stand beside the mast as it's being raised to keep it from swinging off center. Lines can be rigged to prevent this, but it's just easier to have an extra set of hands. The force required to keep it in line are very light and require very little strength to accomplish. It also helps to have someone lean forward against the mast while the forestay is being attached, as this will allow the use of both hands instead of having to use one of them to hang onto the forestay.I don't have any pictures at present, but the next time I raise the mast I'll take pictures, scan and e-mail them.

"I, too, am in my seventh decade and need all the mechanical advantage I can muster." :
Being 65 myself I can relate to your question about raising the mast on a M17. I raise and lower the mast by myself, I'm probably not the first person to use this system, others may have different versions but this works for me.

The only stays I detach is the foward stay, all others remain attached.

After the mast has been positioned in the base bracket and "pinned":
1. Fasten a block on the bow of the boat.
2. Cleat the jib halyard to the mast.
3. Run the jib halyard thru the block on the bow.
4. Hold the free end of the jib halyard loosly in either hand.
5. Standing in the cockpit (assuming you have already "pinned" the mast in the bracket) put the mast on your shoulder and pick it up as high as you can as you walk foward.
6. When you have raised the mast as high as you can reach, (about 30 or 40 degrees) pull on the line in your hand and the mast will go on up.
7. When the mast is vertical, cleat the line to anything handy, go around to the bow and secure the foward stay.
8. Lowering is reverse procedure.

As always you need to make sure the lines and shrouds go up without a tangle, otherwise you have to lower it and untangle them.

Always make sure the block is securely fastened at the bow, and the jib halyard is secure before pulling on it.

My 1981 M15 did not come with an aft mast cradle. When we trailered, the mast rode on the front mast on the trailer and rested on a seat cushion on the cockpit sliding cover. Raising and lower the mast was a two person operation and was always a bit shakey. After reading about cradles on the Mongomery pages, I created my own.

It consists of two pieces of PVC pipe — one fitting comfortably within the other with a rubber V-Bow Stop attached to the smaller pipe. The lower (larger) pipe is notched so the assembly can be cinched tightly to the top rudder gudgeon by an elastic sail tie. To keep the pipe aligned, I drilled a hole in a PVC end cap which fit snuggly inside the end of the larger pipe, and installed a long carriage bolt double-bolted so it would not loosen. Inserted into the base of the larger pipe, the bolt protrudes out the bottom and fits through the lower gudgeon. The mast weight is carried pretty equally between the two gudgeons. than ours (which is revealing in itself). Consider if you're going to be using the system only at the trailer/dock, as opposed to say, Currituck Sound/Outer Banks going under the causeway in a stiff breeze (a whole different story) especially in boats this size. Ideas range from the sublime to the ridiculous. Quoted text is from the web sites.

I've listed some of those in use on boats close to the Montgomerys, but here's the whole set from Yahoo to check out yourself (searched on: [mast-raising or "mast raising"]):

Montgomery Boats offers a mast-raising system under M-17 photos, page 4

"The Poor Man�s Version
This system costs practically nothing to make, and is quite effective."

"Probably the most frequently asked question on the Potter mailing list is, 'How do you raise the mast?' International Marine offers a mast raising system that we use every time we sail. If you don't want to buy the factory system, most of the components are easily obtained or duplicated. This page shows how we use the factory system on our P-19." (The Potter system is priced at $260, according to their web site.)

"One person can raise the mast, launch the boat and sail away in 10 to 15 minutes." [yeah, right] "We offer an optional mast raising system. The mast is lifted using one of the boat�s sail handling winches. The mast is so light that a kid can raise it. The system can be left in place while sailing. Even without this option, one person can easily raise and lower the mast by hand." Priced at $98.

"When I first got my Com-Pac 19/2 1 realized I was going to have a problem stepping the mast by myself. I'm not in good shape, a typical couch potato, and I have a bad back. So I found that the maneuvering I had to do in hoisting the mast: stepping from the cockpit sole to the seat and to the cabin top, while juggling the mast was something I didn't believe I could do for many times without a disaster to myself physically and possibly to the rig. This is the plan I came up with."

The $tingy Sailor

Diy trailerable sailboat restoration and improvement without throwing your budget overboard.

How to Step a Mast Single-Handed With or Without Using the Boom as a Gin Pole

How do you step the mast on your trailerable sailboat? With a gin pole? With the trailer winch? With the help of friends or family? With your fingers crossed? No single system works for every sailboat or for every skipper. If you’re new to mast stepping, you don’t like your current method, or you just want to simplify or speed up the process, this post is for you. I must warn you though, this is a long post, even for me. To make it as short as possible, I’ve included five YouTube videos that show how this system works. By the end of this post, you’ll know everything about how I step the mast on Summer Dance single-handed in minutes, even on the water.

I’ll describe two ways that I step the mast, including one way that doesn’t use a gin pole at all. Both are fast and mostly use the boat’s own rigging and very little extra gear.

I’ll also explain some topics that lead up to and follow mast stepping, like how I:

Use a DIY telescoping mast crutch for easier stepping and secure trailering.
Tie down the mast and rigging for trailering.
Keep my mast in tune without having to loosen and re-tighten the shroud turnbuckles to step the mast.

What do you really need?

When I started trailering Summer Dance years ago, I researched a lot about mast stepping. The Catalina 22 Owner’s Manual and General Handbook is pretty brief on the subject.

Walk the mast aft and drop the mast foot into the mast step on top of the deck, keeping the mast in center line of boat, insert the pivot bolt and locking nut. One crew member should pull on a line tied securely to the forestay while another pushes up on the mast and walks from the cockpit forward. With the mast erect, attach the forestay and forward lower shrouds.

Poorly written but pretty simple, huh? One crew member pulls on the forestay while another pushes on the mast. That’s how the mast was designed to be stepped and it works well if you’re young, strong, and there are two or more of you to do the job.

But what if you don’t normally have a second able crew member? What if you need to step the mast on the water? What if you want to lower the mast to go under a bridge? What if you or your crew have a physical impairment that prevents them from performing one of the tasks? That system may not work for you and you need an alternative. If you believe in the rule that you should have a backup for every critical part and system, then you also need a backup mast stepping plan even if you normally step the mast with the factory recommended method.

I’ve read about lots of different systems. Maybe you have too:

Factory-built gin poles, braces, guy wires, and mast-ups
DIY wooden gin poles with winches, bridles, and brace poles
Blocks attached to the pulpit to reuse the trailer winch cable
Electric winches on the trailer or in the tow vehicle
Jumbo bungee cord connected to the forestay
Assorted Rube Goldberg variations on all the above

They all struck me as overkill for the real problem. What do you really need once you have the mast bolted to the step? What do all of these system have in common? Some mechanical advantage to raise the mast and a way to keep it from swinging too far sideways until the shrouds tighten.

If you’ve read this blog for very long at all, you know that I’m really big on reusing or repurposing things for other uses. It’s something of a prerequisite to be a stingy sailor. If you’re lucky, it’s in your DNA and it comes easily to you. Being an armchair engineer qualifies too.

Let’s see — sailboat design is all about capturing, multiplying, and redirecting forces for mechanical advantage: the hull, keel, rudder, mast, sails, rigging, almost everything. What’s the most compact, portable piece of gear on a sailboat that creates mechanical advantage? The main sheet or the boom vang typically multiplies the force applied to it by three or four times. What are all gin poles in their most basic form? A big stick. Is there already a long, stiff, portable, stick onboard? The boom. Can we raise and lower the mast single-handed with the main sheet and the boom?

As it turns out, it’s really pretty easy to do. But it’s not very easy to describe in words, so rather than write an entire book about it, I’ve made a series of short videos that each show a different aspect of my mast stepping system. I’ll give you an overview of each aspect in the text below but to really get it, you should watch the videos.

Getting it to the water

Besides being simpler, one of the basic principles of this system is to make launching and retrieving the boat as quick as possible while also being safe. That starts with securing the mast and rigging for trailering. For me, it has to be secure enough to tow for a hundred miles over bumpy state highways and county backroads to my favorite cruising spots. This is in north Idaho, mind you, which is relatively remote compared to the Florida coast or southern California.

I use a combination of DIY mast supports, motorcycle straps, and inexpensive ball cords to secure the rig. The mast is supported on both ends and in the middle. This follows closely the Catalina 22 Owner’s Manual and General Handbook recommendation.

Tie the mast and boom securely to the bow and stern pulpits. The spars should also be supported in the middle by the cabin top. Pad the mast at all contact points to prevent damage.

No tools or knot tying are needed for my system and any one of them works in seconds and stows easily either onboard or in my pickup.

Here’s a tour of the rig tied down just before I step the mast.

The previous video mentions my DIY mast stepper, also called a Mastup by a popular online Catalina parts retailer. I haven’t yet devoted a blog post to it but it was pretty easy to make. If you’re interested in a fabrication drawing and materials list, keep reading to the end of this post and a special offer.

I bought the steel myself from the cutoff pile at a local metal distributor. I took the metal and my drawing to a local welder who advertised on craigslist.com. I painted and assembled it myself. The total cost was half the price of the commercial version and in some ways, works even better. I especially like the D rings, which make it simple to secure the top of the mast stepper to the aft mooring cleats while trailering. It holds the mast very solid that way. And because the pintles are welded in place instead of adjustable, they can’t accidentally loosen and drop the mast.

Following is a close-up video of just the mast stepper. You can see it in action in the last two videos.

Setting up the boom as a gin pole

The basic theory of a gin pole is to lift a heavy object below one end while it remains stationary at the other end. Support lines called guys position the lifting end over the object that is raised. A mast raising gin pole has one end stationary near the base of the mast, uses the forestay to support the lifting end, and uses a winch or a block and tackle to theoretically raise the bow of the sailboat to the end of the gin pole. In reality, the bow stays stationary and the entire gin pole system including its base (the mast) are raised towards the bow.

Most C-22 gin poles use one of two methods to attach the gin pole to the mast:

A peg on one end of the pole that fits in a hole in the mast (the factory system for 2nd generation C-22s)
A saddle on the end of the gin pole that fits around and is strapped to the mast (most DIY systems)

Neither of those gin poles serve any purpose after the mast is raised. They’re useless extra weight that takes extra storage space.

The system I use attaches using a small right angle bracket. I fabricated it out of a piece of scrap aluminum I already had. One side of the bracket is bolted through the mast step and the cabin top in front of the mast. The other side the bracket points upward and has a 1/4″ hole through it to act as a hinge for the gooseneck (stationary lower) end of the boom. If you’re a follower of this blog and have the password, you can find a scale drawing of this bracket on the Downloads page.

I connect the gooseneck fitting to the bracket with the same quick pin (drop cam or toggling bimini type) that I use to connect the gooseneck fitting to the mast slide while sailing. The pin is tethered to the boom with a stainless steel lanyard so it can’t get lost and it’s always near at hand.

I connect the forestay to a shackle on the top side of the (upper) end of the boom. On the opposite (bottom) side of the boom from the forestay, I connect the end of my main sheet tackle that doesn’t have the cam cleat. This is the same configuration as when the main sheet is attached for sailing. I connect the other end of the main sheet (that’s normally attached to the traveler car) to the stem plate where the forestay is normally attached.

To hold the boom vertical during raising, I sometimes use two pieces of pre-tied accessory cord. They connect to the sides of the boom with clips through the eye straps where my boom topping lift and jiffy reefing lines attach. The other ends of the cords have loops tied into them that I tie to the upper ends of the midship lifeline stanchions with girth (cow) hitches. The mast step is nearly in-line with the tops of the stanchions, so the cords rotate around the same pivot point as the mast and the boom.

If your sailboat doesn’t have the same style of gooseneck fitting as a Catalina 22 or you can’t use your boom for some other reason but you do have a spinnaker pole, you might be able to use it instead as this picture from a Westerly 21 owner shows. This picture also shows that a gin pole can be a great help with lifting the extra weight added by a furler.

That’s kind of hard to visualize, so here’s a short video that takes you on a tour of the setup.

This is a stickup with a boom!

After I rig the boom like shown above, the hard part is over. The rest is just pulling the main sheet with one hand while I steady the mast with my other hand. I also watch the stays and shrouds to be sure they don’t catch on anything as they raise off the deck.

With the main sheet cam cleat at the stem plate, I can easily stop raising the mast at any point, cleat the line with a sharp tug, and then clear snags or move to a better lifting position. Then I uncleat the main sheet at the stem plate first and hold light tension on the main sheet while I get into position to resume raising the mast.

The mast only needs to be held centered until it reaches about a 45° angle. Then the upper shrouds begin to tighten and they hold it centered the rest of the way up.

When the mast is vertical, I reconnect the forestay and forward lower shrouds using quick release levers . The mast is back in tune and requires no further adjustment. I disconnect the boom from the system and attach it in its normal place between the mast slide and the topping lift or backstay pendant. I disconnect the main sheet and attach it to the traveler car. All I need to put away are the two accessory cords if I used them, which I typically only do when it’s windy, when I’m setting up in a unlevel area, or on the water when its choppy.

Here’s a video showing the entire process completed in about 4 and a half leisurely minutes.

Single-handed speed stepping

In good conditions (light breeze, level area, or calm water), I skip over using the boom as a gin pole entirely and just use the main sheet to pull the mast up by the forestay. It saves several minutes and is nearly as easy to do but you should be fitter than average to attempt it. It’s the single-handed equivalent of having a crew member in front of the boat pull a line attached to the forestay. Bystanders seem to enjoy watching me raise the mast by myself in seconds.

Here’s what it looks like when it’s done on the water.

Back to the beginning

At the end of a road trip, I never look forward to tearing down Summer Dance , pulling her out of the water, and tying her down for the ride home. I’ve had a great time but I’m tired and there’s many miles to go before I sleep. I don’t want to spend an hour lowering the mast and tying the rig down. I want it to be quick and simple.

Almost always, I lower the mast without using the boom as a gin pole even if I raised it that way. A gin pole is just not usually necessary so long as the mast comes down slow enough and lands in the crutch. You might not want to do it that way your first few times, so here’s what it looks like using the boom as a gin pole.

Then I tie it all down in a few minutes like shown in the first video.

Special offer for blog followers

Whew! That’s a lot of info. If you stuck with me through it, I really appreciate it. I want to thank you by offering not one, but two free bonuses to my blog followers.

The first is the launch checklist that I use to prepare and launch Summer Dance . It’s two pages of items that can help make sure you don’t forget something important for your next cruise — everything from an umbrella for the first mate while she waits for you to step the mast, to step-by-step instructions that you can have on deck for the gin pole method described above. Use it as a starting point to add and remove items to make your own checklist.

The second bonus is a dimensioned drawing and materials list for my DIY mast crutch that is described at the beginning of this post. Use it to build your own and save some money for something else.

If you’re already a subscriber to this blog, you can download both of the free bonuses from my Downloads page using the password that you received when you subscribed. If you’re not already a subscribed to this blog, sign up and you’ll join the thousands of other stingy sailors. Just enter your email address in the box at the bottom of this page and then click the Subscribe button. You can unsubscribe at any time and I won’t share your address with anyone, ever.

I hope you’ve picked up some tips from this post that you can use to optimize your mast stepping system and spend more time on the water.

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You weren’t receiving the newsletter initially because you’re a WordPress user so if you follow, my posts should show up in your Reader list instead of by email. But I added your email address to the newsletter recipient list back on May 11. The last newsletter went out on May 21 titled What’s Your Favorite DIY Project? Did you get that one? I’ll probably shoot out the next one at the end of the month. If you don’t get it, I don’t know what more I can do on my end.

Brilliant repurpose of mainsheet. I’ve struggled with this procedure for years, just man-handling it up there. Can’t wait to try this!

I hope it works for you. Let me know how it goes!

For mast raising and lowering, I have it a little easier with a 16ft boat, and can raise the mast single handed juat by manually lifting and walking forward in the cockpit and onto the keel case with the hatch slid forward, although I usually have my wife tension the forestay for some extra assurance.

I like your use of the “ball ties” for securing the rigging on the trailer. I usually use the halyards to tie everything up, but that takes more time than it should. I use some “sail ties” which are very similar to your ball ties to secure the sail on the boom and the boom is stowed inside the cabin. I think I will either get some more sail ties for securing the rigging on the trailer, or make up some velcro webbing straps. At the bow, my mast is tied down using my bowline and the DIY timber A frame mast crutch tied down at the rear with a rope tied to cleats on either side of the transom. The boat is held to the trailer using a stern ratchet strap and a turnbuckle on the bow, and the winch cable attached.

I really like the idea of using the boom as a gin pole. Brilliant. I wonder if you could post a picture of the L-shaped aluminum bracket that you fabricated and how it is attached to the boom? Making that may be the tricky part for me to get this thing. I could not really see a clear picture of it in your videos. Thanks!

I’ll add a close-up shot of it soon.

I added a close-up picture of the hinge bracket about midway through the post.

Excellent blog and report. I struggle with the mast raising and have an assistant. I will give your system a try. I finally understand the function of a gin pole and how to use it.

That’s awesome, Richie. I’m really glad it helped. In the case of a sailboat, it’s just a long, temporary lever. Aha moments are great!

Excellent report and diagram on the mast stepper. What would you think about using aluminum to build it instead of steel?

I think aluminum would work great so long as the wall thickness of the tubes is adequate. You wouldn’t need to be concerned about painting or rust. The critical area is where the outer tube overlaps the inner tube when the crutch is extended. Depending on how close the fit is and how much overlap, when you’re rolling the mast back to set it in the step, there can be considerable strain on that “joint.” A thin wall or soft aluminum might deform so make it beefy there.

Thanks for your comment, Michael!

I spoke to my fabricator friend about using aluminum and, him not knowing about the stepping process was most concerned about the hinges holding weight while trailering over the road. He also suggested using a beefier thickness if choosing aluminum just like your suggestion.

thanks for all you do!!!

The gudgeons can easily handle the weight so long as the pintles on the crutch are sturdy.

Send us a good picture of the final product and I’ll add it at the end of the post as an example!

Great post. Just started following your site. You have a lot of good projects on here. Where did you find such thin-walled square tubing for your mast stepper? All I can find is telescoping 1-3/4 & 1″ tubing. I don’t think I need that much strength or weight. Also, I receive the posts by e-mail but I never received the password for the download section. Thanks

There are a couple of industrial metal suppliers in my area that sell their cut-offs retail to the public by the pound. One of them also sells small quantities of standard sizes. I found all the sizes I needed with very little cutting. You definitely don’t need much strength and as little weight as possible. Aluminum would be even better if you can get it welded.

I’ll send you the password by email.

Thanks for your question.

I really like the simplicity of raising the mast without a gin pole. I use a gin pole now but prefer a simpler approach. How to you lower your mast? Do you use your mainsheet tackle when lowering? Thanks for the great video.. Jim Mathews

That’s right, Jim. I lower the mast by the same method but in reverse, which helps to remember the steps in both directions.

Thanks for your question!

Hi. I’m making the mast crutch and downloaded the drawing. How far down is the second hole in the 1″ tubing? ie. the hole where I would put the lock pin when the crutch is raised. Thanks.

That’s an excellent question, Jim, since it wasn’t shown on the drawing. I’ve since revised the drawing to show the hole 2″ up from the bottom of the inner tube.

The distance isn’t critical but depending on how tight the fit is between the inner and the outer tube, the hole might work better even farther up the inner tube. Try it at 2″ and if the top tube is too loose for you and it wobbles around, drill another hole farther up the inner tube, say at 4″ and try that. The mast will sit 2″ lower but it shouldn’t affect how you step the mast other than by making the crutch sturdier. Then you will have two holes to choose from. You can even drill more holes at different heights for different purposes.

Hi Thanks for the blog. Some pretty interesting ideas here, I’m borrowing some, especially related to the sails… Seeing your “system” to step the mast, I’m trying to adapt it to my boat, a ’82 French Rocca Super Chausey. The mast step has no pin to lock to the mast foot, it just falls into place between two pins that limit its longitudinal travel. Hence, nothing for the mast to pivot on. Any thoughts on how I could achieve that effect? Thanks.

If you have the tools and the ambition, you could replace your existing tabernacle with a custom made pivoting one. Find a piece of heavy gauge aluminum channel that you can cut into a shape similar to the C-22 tabernacle shown in the picture above. The channel should be just wide enough for the mast to sit into and the height a couple of inches. Cut slots in the sides for the through bolt to slide up and down. Cut the channel long enough and drill holes in the bottom of the channel to fit your existing deck bolts.

Then drill a hole through the base of the mast to accept the through bolt. It should be close to the bottom of the mast, 1/4″-1/2″ from the bottom. Angle the aft edge of the end of the mast so that it will rotate without binding in both directions. As it rotates backward during unstepping, the bottom end of the mast and the through bolt should ride up in the slots. Put a wingnut on the end of the through bolt for easy removal and you’ve got a pivoting mast.

If you don’t have the resources to make one yourself, maybe you can find a friend or a metal fabricator to help.

Good luck with your projects and thanks for your question! $tingy

When installing the gin pole hinge bracket you drill through the cabin roof. Have you experienced any water penetration through this hole?

I sealed the plate and hole perimeters with butyl tape, so no problems.

Wow! Love the post and videos!! So clear and easy to follow. I’m going to try this for my Columbia 8.3. I tried to follow you but got an error code. Can you manually add me, please?

Please try following again and if the error repeats, send me the text or a screenshot of the error so I can investigate.

My Venture 21 tabernacle and mast look like yours (sans the plate for your swivel blocks) and I have often wondered if there is wear on the trailing edge of the mast foot after repeated raising/lowering? Or does yours have some reinforcement?

Also, have you ever noticed the boom baby stays pulling too much on the stantions? I wonder if mounting the ropes at the base would be less apt to damage them if the mast were to go somewhat off-center (to the exrent the upper shrouds allowed)?

Love your site. I shared the 2017 DIY competition on Small Craft Advisor Magazine’s Facebook page and I noticed the 10 most popular projects link…most of which are on my to-do list!

There is a tiny bit of wear after 36 years but not enough to matter. Tying the baby stays to the stanchion bases would be more solid but then their pivot points would be too low. The reason that I tie them up at the top of the stanchions is so that the baby stays keep in relatively constant tension throughout the range of motion of the mast/boom. They’re almost perfectly aligned with the tabernacle. The stanchions aren’t in much danger because the boom doesn’t weight much and it can’t wander very far at all since it’s held in tension between the forestay (running aft) and the main sheet (running forward). They really just help to hold the boom vertical while you’re setting the system up until you begin to raise the mast. The mast can wander side to side some until its raised about halfway, then the upper shrouds come taught and keep it centered.

Thanks for the share!

Your site has been a tremendous help and inspiration for me and my 1988 Cat 22. My mast step has welded loops fore and aft. Can you suggest a structurally sound way to secure the boom to the loop for lifting/lowering?

Link showing the step: http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm/product/345_18/mast-step-c-22-cp-22brcp-18-wwelded-vang-loop.cfm

Hello, KGUNN

Since the loop is perpendicular to the line of the mast/boom rotation, it won’t work well using only off the shelf parts. I suggest you consider mounting a tang like the Garhauer BT-1 to the bottom of the mast instead. You can pin the boom to it similar to how I do it to my bracket. The boom will then rotate with the mast as it raises and lowers.

Great suggestion. Thanks!

Hmmm, this asks more questions for than answers. I don’t have the lower stays, nor do I have any of the attachment point on the mast that I can see. The thing is the boat is smaller 20′ vs 22′ I have no lifelines nor a rear rail, walking down the side of the boat would be a challange, never mind running lines while doing so. The mini stays have no place to attach to. Not sure how to go about raising the mast without help…even with this setup…

A smaller sailboat could indeed be trickier to step the mast single-handed since it has less rigging to aid the process. If you’re not committed to perfecting a single-handed technique, I’d suggest you consider a two-handed process with one crew member in the cockpit to steady the mast laterally while the second crew member pulls the mast up by the forestay or foresail halyard from the bow or on the ground in front of the bow. A mast crutch would also help in that case. Otherwise, you might be looking at extensive fabrications or commercial mast stepping hardware with a winch.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

How could your system be used with a furling 150 genoa on a Catalina 25?

Hello, Thomas

It could be used in a similar way on your C-25 with a couple of adjustments. First, your mast is longer and heavier than a C-22 so I would always use the boom as a gin pole. You’ll need the leverage for the extra weight, especially with the addition of the furler. Second and more importantly, you’d need to lift the furler as well as the mast somehow. I’d suggest using a main or spinnaker halyard to hold the mast and furler together. Wrap it around them from top to bottom before you lower the mast, then handle them as one unit until after you raise the mast again and unwrap the halyard to reconnect the forestay/furler. Use the jib halyard with its working end securely tied off instead of the forestay to connect the masthead to the boom/gin pole. The rest of the process would work the same.

Stay tuned because I’ll be publishing a post soon about choosing and using a furler with a trailerable sailboat.

Appreciate your reply Stingy. I need to carefully review your technique but it seems one’s boom would remain upward; although I’m sure you lower it when finished? Sorry for my ignorance. I’m also looking at the idea from the clever MacGregor 26 mast raising pole that uses a winch on the pole with baby stays with a special one to automatically keep the lowered furler up off the deck. I read about it on TropicalBoating ( https://www.tropicalboating.com/2010/04/the-perfect-solo-mast-raising-system-for-small-sailboats ). I’ll have a look at your mast crutch but I can’t use the gudgeons for the rudder as I’ll need to motor over to the Cave Run Lake (KY) boat launch for the haul out. Thanks!!

Winch-powered mast raising systems are a good choice for owners with impaired physical abilities. I might have to resort to one as I get older and am not able to do everything I once could. Beats giving up sailing!

One needs to attach a mast bail with the MacGregor 26 solo mast stepping system. I’m reluctant to drill into the mast though. This is my first cruiser (purchased in July) and I’ve much to learn from your blog. I was only introduced to sailing two years ago when I bought a Sunfish.

My C-25 teak companionway/hatchboards need replacement after 20 years, probably all standing rigging needs replacement even though it all looks fine at deck level (in the Lake continuously since ‘08), etc., etc. I pulled two through hull Airmar transducers out to check them and found only thin layer of algae on them – tells me the lake water has been very clean. The old KVH display is dead so I’ll switch it out (plugging holes with marine plastic and epoxy) with a new RayMarine i40.

I see that the boom is removed of course in your video. I also see the stress on the mast crutch essentially dictates one use the transom gudgeons for support. I had thought I could use 1” pipe secured to the stanchions but then there would not be enough telescoping height available either. You’ve devised a very clever approach- I’ve never remounted my boom so will need how I can attach it to the fore ring on the step plate.

You might consider modifying my crutch design so that the bottom end rests in the cockpit sole forward of the transom instead of on the rudder gudgeons. It would probably need additional support or to be fastened to the mast to keep it from falling over. Offset to one side a little, you should still be able to use your rudder to steer. That, or use the outboard tiller instead of the rudder to get to the ramp if you can. I do that sometimes.

Just what I have been looking for to give me some information to guide me in raising and lowering the mast for maintenance on my 26 foot Grampian without the expensive use of a crane this spring.

Hi, I like your idea of the mast raising system without a gin pole. Does your block & tackle include a ratchet or brake? Thanks!

Hello, Laura

Since I use my mainsheet tackle, no, but if you want to use a separate tackle, that would be a good idea.

Thanks, $tingy

Sure beats my system of using 2 sons to help out, they’re never around when you need them !

Thanks for the video on the no pole lift, that’s pretty much how I need to do it though I usually am working on the hard before getting a lift in.

I have tried raising the mast as you show in the video. I have the same quick release. But when I try to lift the mast with the forstay can’t do. I’m wondering maybe your mast is lighter or do I have the wrong set up to raise mast. I have the mast step which I can raise for a better angle…but it’s not happening.

Hello, Mark

Are you using a gin pole or trying to lift it only by the forestay? Either way, it takes quite a bit of strength to get the mast up that first few feet since you’re not pulling directly vertically on the masthead. If you’re not able to do it by yourself, you might need a helper for at least that part of the setup.

Dear sir My name is Mark Monteverdi. I have followed your web site for a while…and always turned out good. I have looked at the mast rising video countless times. I have the quick release for the shrouds. I’m guessing you are using a basic vang ? Well either I’m very weak or i have the vang set up incorrect or my mast is made of different material …when i go to raise my mast it will fall off to one side it just feels as though I’m pulling a truck up a hill. If you would be kind enough to send a pic of what ever type of pulley system i would greatly appreciate that very much. It’s hard to get any one to go sailing with me and that’s more just so i have some one to push and one work the winch. Thank you Mark

I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble. When raising or lowering my mast, it too will tend to swing to one side or the other until it’s about half way up and the upper shrouds tighten and hold it centered the rest of the way up. That’s why I always have at least one hand on the mast to keep it centered during the lower half of the lift. I use the standard C-22 main sheet tackle which has a 3:1 mechanical advantage. You could use a stronger tackle (try 4:1) if you need the additional lifting power. You can see the whole main sheet in the video in Quit Spending Setup Time on Turnbuckles .

Hope that helps, $tingy

Hi Stingy Sailor, First of all, thanks for all your tips, tricks, and videos. Your site is awesome and very helpful! I have a C-25 with swing keel so most of all your tips are applicable, very nice, and handy. I really like your mast securing device located at the bow for trailering; easy and simple. I was wondering if you do have the drawings available for it so I could use it to build my own? Thanks! Alex

I did not make a fabrication drawing for the pulpit saddle because of the complex angles of the railing cutouts. Most readers wouldn’t be able to cut them accurate enough, so it’s a trial and error fit. Lay your material centered across the top of the pulpit, trace the railing edges onto the underside of the material, then cut a little at a time until the saddle sits down securely over the rails. Do the same with the mast on top of your material and you’re done.

Good morning, what a beautiful boat you have there ! that is an ingenious way to raise a mast,nice work ! I am curious about what the black,plastic/rubber item is that looks like it’s attached to the stern rail by the mast crutch @ 2:45 of the first video Please respond because my curiosity is killing me because I don’t get it. Thanks, Mick

You can read all about it in Add a Solar-Powered Flood Light in Your Cockpit .

Hi! I just subscribed to your blog, and I’d like the instructions for building a mast crutch like yours. Wasn’t sure whether that would be sent out automatically, or whether I needed to specifically ask for them. Thanks!

Lenny, You can find a dimensioned drawing of the mast crutch on my Downloads page if you’re a subscriber. The password to open that page was sent to you when you subscribed. $tingy

1977 Com-Pac Com-Pac 16

Description

Seller's Description

Up for sale is a Com-pac 16 that was modified into a daysailer by Keith Scott from the Sailboat Company in Richlands NC. The Keel was removed and replaced with an aluminum drop keel. The mast system was also modified and allows for easy mast raising. The boat also includes a gallow for easy transport. Here is your chance to own a one-of-a-kind Com-Pac 16. The boat and trailer both have clear titles. The boat is at the Sailboat Company and is available for viewing. Call or text at 910-554-5974 to schedule for an appointment. Thanks, Donald Scott

Equipment: Mast, Boom, Main Sail, Jib, rigging and trailer.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
LOA: Length overall in feet
Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

This listing is presented by SailboatListings.com . Visit their website for more information or to contact the seller.

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How do I make a mast raising system?

Thread starter Sailin Dog
Start date Feb 23, 2014
Forums for All Owners
Trailer Sailors

I just bought a 2000 model year Catalina 18 and want to add on a mast raising system as I single hand a lot. Anyone out there have any knowledge on how to build one? Or, where to buy one? Thanks

justsomeguy

Re: How do I make a mast raising system for a Catalina 18? You could do a Google search on the words "gin pole mast".

It's about leverage, I'd look around on-line but you could attach a block near the bow and run a line through it to the mast and then back to your winch and crank it up.

Re: How do I make a mast raising system for a Catalina 18? Will Do, thanks

Re: How do I make a mast raising system for a Catalina 18? That's where my challenge is. If I can see a picture of it, I can make one. Not really a design guy, so that's where I need someone who knows the engineering of the thing. Thanks

Re: How do I make a mast raising system for a Catalina 18? What I did for my Flying Scott was add a removable 2 x 2 square aluminum tubing to the trailer front wench post. It extended about 4-5 feet higher than the wench post. Using a pulley bock on top of the post, the trailer wench cable pulled the mast up. This system worked very well. Having someone in the boat steading the mast while it is being raised makes the job easier. I was able to raise it myself when I was sailing alone.

Sailin Dog said: I just bought a 2000 model year Catalina 18 and want to add on a mast raising system as I single hand a lot. Anyone out there have any knowledge on how to build one? Or, where to buy one? Thanks Click to expand

Re: How do I make a mast raising system for a Catalina 18? How much does it weigh?

Joe Blizzard

Sailin Dog said: If I can see a picture of it, I can make one. Click to expand

justsomeguy said: You could do a Google search on the words "gin pole mast". Click to expand

Re: How do I make a mast raising system for a Catalina 18? Great Video! and the model was a good forethought. I have some homework to do, but am now confident I will have something up and running before the Spring season hits. Kind Regards

Re: How do I make a mast raising system for a Catalina 18? For my Nacra 5.2 (17 ft boat, 25 ft rotating mast) I use a collapsible tripod, placed about 6 feet behind the trailer, that supports the mast in preparation for raising( I've seen many guys use a 6 or 7 foot ladder for this also). I have also seen devices that mount to the trailer... and props that sit in the cockpit... be creative, I guess. I use the tripod because it will fit in the boat box. The trailer has a vertical beam up front for mast support when travelling. I fixed a block to the top of the support beam, just below the mast support cradle, and a simple Fulton trailer winch lower down, at waist level, on the same beam. The boat must be strapped to the trailer, the trailer hooked to your vehicle, for this system to work safely. To raise, all rigging is attached except the forestay, of course. The mast is inserted in the base... then propped up on the tripod to get it above horizontal. The line from the winch is connected to the forestay. The line has a screw pin shackle on the end... this pin will fit through the eye on the forestay, so if you have a sweged terminal eye, make sure it's the pin fits. The simply crank it up. Okay, how here's the main issue: If your shrouds are not swept back, and attached to the chainplates on approximately the same plane as the mast base's pivot point... you will not have any sway problems as the stick goes up... if, however, like my beach cat the shrouds are swept back... no backstay... then they will not be tight as the mast goes up and there may be some swaying..... My answer to this is to use the adjustable trapeze lines anchored on the main beam.... You will have to find another solution, I have seen some rigs with struts temporarily attached to mast, I have seen gin pole arrangements that have guys to prevent side to side movement... etc... However, if the boat and trailer are level and the wind is not adverse, you may not have the problem at all... or at least you can control it by steadying the winch line... Good luck.

My biggest problem when raising my mast up from stern to bow is that the sweptback shrouds are slack until the mast is up, so it's hard to handle any glitch as it's lifted. I found that tight side stays(temporary baby stays) will keep that all in order and balanced. You don't need much force to keep the mast balanced as a large force is only needed if it goes away from balance. A port or starboard baby stay can be made using a 10ft. adjustable cargo strap with a hook on each end that is anchored perpendicular to the pivot point of the mast. I made a temporary bridle to put between the shroud and a cleat on each side to create a temporary pivot point to avoid adding new holes to the boat. The straps interlace at the mast so no modification there either. I wanted to take my gin pole with me so I could raise the mast on water. I built three single gin poles and two A-frames before deciding the type. A-frame won but I still had to keep the baby stays that I thought would go away(maybe too sloppy of a build?). I used 3/4" galvanized emt for the A and single speed wenches that are on the boat, with a couple blocks, for wenches. I can see where a ladder could work if only raising/lowering at the trailer.

Macgregor web site has video on mast raising system. Its for 26ft boat with much longer mast. I used to do it single handed.

Sailin Dog said: Took your advice and did the Google Search route. ("Hello") Had forgotten the term Gin Pole and that was key of course. Have since downloaded approx. 50 pages of various designs, and now the gears are turning, just have to make up my shopping list now and locate the parts. Thanks to All who responded. Warm Winds and Fair Seas... Click to expand

Here is a short video of me lowering the mast on my Capri-18. The Capri-18 use basically the same set-up as the Macgregor's with the baby-stays and gin-pole. One key part is the mast crutch to lift the mast enough so you don't damage the front of the cabin hatch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90K0AYD01OI Don

Joe Blizzard said: Pictures, we got pictures: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li7SadZL8ek Click to expand

Crazy Dave Condon

Several things to consider. First, have a telescoping rear mast crutch to get the mast elevated up enough if using any raising system. Secondly, let out all the way the back stay(You can add a permanent lever to the backstay to loosen up while raising. Third, use a separate block and tackle attached from the forestay chain plate to a line for example the jib halyard that is long enough that comes back to the cockpit. (MAKE SURE THE JIB HALYARD IS SECURED) Then stand beside the mast when raising to steady it so it will not go sideways while raising. Make sure no lines are hanging loose and inspect the shroud turnbuckles attached at the chain plates are not binding. Also make sure the trailer is on a flat surface. With mast up, pin it but when releasing the line in the cam cleat, use your shoe vs. hand as it is under a lot of tension. Then go back and readjust back stay to proper tension OR CLOSE THE TENSION ADJUSTER IF YOU INVESTED IN THAT. As a former Catalina dealer, this was the way I use to raise the mast by myself. crazy dave condon

sovereign17

Sailin Dog said: That's where my challenge is. If I can see a picture of it, I can make one. Not really a design guy, so that's where I need someone who knows the engineering of the thing. Thanks Click to expand

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IMAGES

Rise Up! How to Raise Your Sailboat Mast
The Perfect Solo Mast-Raising System for Small Sailboats
Sailboat Mast Raising System
MAST RAISING SYSTEM COMPLETE! Sailing Meraki
The perfect solo mast raising system for small sailboats
Precision Mast Raising System

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WR 17 Mast Raising System Version 2
Hobie 16 raising the mast super fast setup
Raising a Sailboat Mast #broads #norfolkbroads #sailing #norfolk
1990 O'Day 240 for sale in Lake Marburg, PA, US
Wind Tower in Hawaii
First Time Raising the Mast: Wings Like A Dove

COMMENTS

Mast Up Sailboat Mast Raising System
Mast Up Sailboat Mast Raising System is an easy mast stepping device and supports your mast while trailering or storing. Now just 2 people can raise any mast. Ideal for short handed mast raising. Fits virtually any boat with an outboard rudder (see the Mast Up Cockpit version for through-hull rudder boats). Mast Up telescopes to 9-1/2 feet.
Rise Up! How to Raise Your Sailboat Mast
To raise and lower the mast, I rig things and operate as follows. In this example, the mast is attached to a pivoting base and stowed lowered onto the bow pulpit. Between the athwartships attachment points and the mast tangs, I attach a set of temporary shrouds. These I made from coated wire rope (the same as used for lifelines).
A great mast raising system
8. hunter 23 wyoming. Sep 5, 2018. #1. I have a Hunter 23 and have tried several mast raising systems over the years and have finally found one that is superior to all others. It is fast, easy and safe, I found it on youtube under "mast raising tool". I made mine for under $50 and it works great.
The Perfect Solo Mast-Raising System for Small Sailboats
This system can be installed and used on nearly any small sailboat to make solo mast-raising easier. A closer look at the MacGregor mast raising pole and how it is attached to the mast. The MacGregor pole is a tiny trailer winch mounted on an aluminum tube with a block and eye strap on opposite sides of one end and a fitting on the other end to ...
Raising the Mast of a Small Sailboat with The Resourceful Sailor
After a rig refit, the mast of Sampaguita, a Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20, was ready to be raised. Still in her Port Townsend slip, the process was, generally, the opposite of lowering, presented in 'Lectronic Latitude on June 16, 2021 — Lowering the Mast on a Small Sailboat with The Resourceful Sailor. It required the same bridle setup.
Sailboat Mast Raising System (CHEAP!)
Today I try and develop a mast raising system for my Macgregor sailboat.Please consider becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/SailingFreeStyleOr gratuit...
No Fear Mast Stepping!
This is accomplished by the location and lengths of the two bottom lines. Clip the jib halyard to the uppermost eye on the gin-pole and bring it to an approximate 90-degree angle to the mast and tie it off. Next, secure one end of the boom vang (cleat end) to a point as far forward on the deck as possible and the remaining end to the top of the ...
DIY Sailboat Mast Raising System
Here's a DIY demonstration of raising and lowering the 35' mast using a hinged tabernacle, whisker pole, tackle, and manual anchor windlass on a 28' Pearson ...
Basics of Mast Raising
If the boat is not on a trailer, a multi-part tackle (4,5 or 6 parts may be required) can be attached to the end of a bowsprit to raise the mast. Both these system have successfully been used to raise the wing mast on a W17 trimaran, though using the trailer winch with a dedicated gin pole that pivots on the same pin as the mast, has proven to ...
My mast raising solutions
The mast is about 34' tall, and a very heavy section. the third video explains out some of the important geometry The anchor point for the side stays should be co-linear (all on the same line) as the mast base hinge or pivot bolt. Part 1 Mast raising: Part 2: Mast lowering Part 3: Close up of details:
The Mastendr Quick-Rig Sailing System from Com-Pac Yachts
1195 Kapp Dr., Clearwater, Florida 33765 USA. Call Us: 727-443-4408. E-mail Us: [email protected]. The Mastendr system, unique to Com-Pac, adds an ease and convenience to trailer sailing that is really astounding: your mast is up and you are ready to go in seconds, not minutes.
Four Ways to Climb a Mast Solo
Mast Mate ( mastmate.com, from $280): Made from tough 2in-wide nylon webbing, the Mast Mate is about as simple as a mast climbing device could be. The webbing steps are 17in apart, and there's a grommet just below each step to which a plastic sail slide shackle is attached. There are four standard lengths, from 27ft to 50ft.
Mast Raising System (for 7.3)
The outer (rear) end of the pole is guyed to the wood rails exactly in line with the forward mast step pivot bolt. I sit on the mast near the bottom and remove the forward mast step pivot bolt then slide the lowered mast to the rear on top of the roller. Once past the balance point, I can just lift the horizontal mast into a travelling position.
PDF Capri 22
This A-frame system is an essential tool for anyone planning on trailering , raising/lowering mast regularly. The system is inexpensive to build , easy to assemble and extremely simple to use single handed. ... Raising or lowering the mast is easy using this simple "A" frame system and mast crutch. This setup uses two 10-½ ft chain link fence ...
Home
MastMate is a system for the raising and lowering of the mast on a trailerable yacht.. MastMate allows one person to raise or lower a mast single-handed. This task can be accomplished easily, quickly, and with safety. Mastmate has been developed over several years, and safety for the operator and other crew has been a major consideration in the development.
Montgomery Sailboats Owners Group
The mast is lifted using one of the boat's sail handling winches. The mast is so light that a kid can raise it. The system can be left in place while sailing. Even without this option, one person can easily raise and lower the mast by hand." Priced at $98. (My brother owned a Mac-26 and this system, it works like a charm — but we never made ...
MAST RAISING SYSTEM COMPLETE! Sailing Meraki
Today I built and finished my mast raising system for my sailboat. This should make it faster setting up so I can get out sailing faster.Please Subscribe and...
how to build a mast raising rig?
The MK-II's came from the factory all set-up for Catalina's mast raising system. It uses a simple 8' gin-pole that slides into a hole at the base of the mast, and a couple baby-stays that slip into the mast with a "T"-fitting, and pelican hooks that attach to straps used to secure the halyard turning blocks to the cabin top.
Precision Mast Raising System
Precision Mast Raising System Available from factory for P-21 and P-23. See Carl Kotheimer's custom mast raising system for his P-21. Photo by Steve Goggi, The Sailboat Shop: System setup and ready to raise the mast. Photo by Steve Goggi, The Sailboat Shop: Up, up, up. A one person operation.
How to Step a Mast Single-Handed With or Without Using the Boom as a
Setting up the boom as a gin pole. The basic theory of a gin pole is to lift a heavy object below one end while it remains stationary at the other end. Support lines called guys position the lifting end over the object that is raised. A mast raising gin pole has one end stationary near the base of the mast, uses the forestay to support the lifting end, and uses a winch or a block and tackle to ...
V-22 best way to raise the mast singlehanded ?
fix the bottom of the pole with a stud sticking out the end about 1 inch (1/2" bolt shank epoxied in) that would insert into a hole at the base of the the mast. this would hold it secure while tripping the mast into position. no method can use a fixed pole as needs to hinge with the raising of the mast.
Precision Boat Works
Precision Mast Raising System Available for the P-23: Gin-Pole by bow is up and ready to raise mast. Single operator using winch has the mast close to full upward location.
1977 Com-Pac Com-Pac 16
The mast system was also modified and allows for easy mast raising. The boat also includes a gallow for easy transport. Here is your chance to own a one-of-a-kind Com-Pac 16. The boat and trailer both have clear titles. The boat is at the Sailboat Company and is available for viewing. Call or text at 910-554-5974 to schedule for an appointment.
How do I make a mast raising system?
Feb 27, 2014. #18. Several things to consider. First, have a telescoping rear mast crutch to get the mast elevated up enough if using any raising system. Secondly, let out all the way the back stay (You can add a permanent lever to the backstay to loosen up while raising.