Stepped My Mast Today

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Clemson
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2021 9:00 am

Stepped My Mast Today

Post by Clemson »

It was a bit of a shit show, but only because this is the first time I had a mast stepped and the boatyard told me I didn't even need to be there. Obviously nothing could keep me away, but thank god I had this forum and had been studying for the last six months because I had to direct every step, no pun intended, and was left to wedge, bolt down the collars, deck and vang, caulk and attach everything else all by my lonesome.
I would have taken more photos and video, but I was too busy getting it done. I also don't know how to attach a video, though I have a couple. I will try to upload the shot of the crane crew destroying my anemometer and in the end my mast successfully standing proud.

Extra special thanks to Tom Alexander who went above and beyond to get me the 1987 28' manual.
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newt2u
Posts: 236
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2019 11:24 am
Location: UK

Re: Stepped My Mast Today

Post by newt2u »

Congratulations on getting your mast stepped, when will you be launching and sailing?

re video, I have never been able to upload a video and I suspect there is a reason for that, i.e. server bandwidth for streaming. I have added videos to a post in the past by including a link to a video on another site, e.g. Vimeo or iCloud. I have never been able to fully embed but have in the past included a screen shot with the link.
Rockin - F21 twin drop keels - located Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK

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Castaway
Posts: 286
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: Lerwick, Shetland Isles

Re: Stepped My Mast Today

Post by Castaway »

How sad to see this. Since having a very near miss with the wind instrument, I have always gone up the mast to remove it before stepping, and replace it after. Happily, I have a power winch and a helpful crew (she's the skipper, of course!) which makes it practical, even at my age.

Because there are no stays, it is feasible to allow the top of the crane jib to be below the final level of the masthead, arranging a lifting strop above the CofG of the mast so that it swings upright with the masthead clear of the crane. I discovered this by accident, when I got a crane too short to do otherwise, but have used the technique since.

My main avoidance strategy is to leave the masts stepped; the windage is low, due to lack of standing rigging, and the picture below shows how Castaway was set up ashore before a winter when local windspeeds exceeded 100mph. She didn't move at all.
Castaway ashore in Lerwick, 2006
Castaway ashore in Lerwick, 2006
DSC_2413.jpg (204.07 KiB) Viewed 1136 times
I hate unstepping the masts, it takes so long to remove all the sealant, collars, wedges, etc, and then replace them the next year. I have just been to check on Castaway after two and a half years of Covid-19 enforced neglect in Sweden; she's dry inside, at the base of both masts, which were last removed in 2014, for a major refit. Unless the yard insists, you might wish to leave yours standing, too.

Regards,

Gerald

P.S. I'm curious as to the provenance of the flag on your neighbours yacht, what does it signify?
Gerald Freshwater,
s/y 'Castaway', (UK F35 cat ketch, centreboard, 1987)
Lerwick Boating Club
Shetland Isles, Scotland

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RadioZephyr
Posts: 259
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 10:04 am
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Stepped My Mast Today

Post by RadioZephyr »

Castaway wrote:
Thu May 26, 2022 3:14 pm
P.S. I'm curious as to the provenance of the flag on your neighbours yacht, what does it signify?
It is, for some reason, the state flag of Hawaii.
Josh
Sunset Spy
F38, Hull #152
Boston, MA

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Castaway
Posts: 286
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: Lerwick, Shetland Isles

Re: Stepped My Mast Today

Post by Castaway »

RadioZeohyr wrote:- "It is, for some reason, the state flag of Hawaii."

Aah, the Sandwich Isles!

Thanks for the reply; never seen that flag before.
Gerald Freshwater,
s/y 'Castaway', (UK F35 cat ketch, centreboard, 1987)
Lerwick Boating Club
Shetland Isles, Scotland

Clemson
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2021 9:00 am

Re: Stepped My Mast Today

Post by Clemson »

yes my neighbors boat was from Hawaii. I was hoping to ask him if he sailed it to Maine. From looking at it, I doubt very much that is the case.

I do not plan on stepping the mast again anytime soon, if ever. I bought her thing way because the previous owner just assumed the buyer would be trailering it away. I am sailing here home on Tuesday.

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