single handed trailer sailing

[BettaDuck]

I will be sailing single handed on my 68 D/S 1 and am looking for a way to raise and lower the mast by myself. I bought the folding hinge from D&R marine but haven't installed it yet. When I measure, I'm supposed to cut the mast where my halyard blocks attach. There is a fitting on my cabin roof behind the mast hole that I thought was part of a tabernacle or something but the previous owner told me it was where to belay the downhaul. I'm not sure about that. Posting some pics to check out. Are there any other single handed sailors that can recommend any methods that are already working? Thanks for reading

[willyhays]

The fitting aft of the mast looks to me like a stem fitting, typically located at the bow (stem). Here is an example: http://www.racelitehardware.com/rl389stfi.html

In your case it looks as though it might have been installed as an anchor for a boom vang. Although, as the previous owner said, it may also have been used to secure the downhaul. If it was used for the boom vang, I would suggest not using it for this, because it puts a lot of unnecessary load on the deck. Better, in my opinion, to affix the boom vang directly to the mast as low as possible.

One solution to securing the downhaul is a downhaul cleat that is attached to the track on the mast itself. These are very easy to install. D&R Marine has them: http://www.drmarine.com/proddetail.asp?prod=DR206

[K.C. Walker]

+1 for what willyhayes said.

[jeadstx]

If you are looking at a hinge for your mast, I would suggest looking at pictures of the DS II boats, many have hinged mast, including mine. The boom downhaul cleat is screwed into a aluminium tube in the mast slot above the hinge. It is adjustable in height, screwing in the cleat is what tightens it. On the lower section which stays attached to the tabernacle at the base of the section, the boom vang is held in place by an eye loop at the front just below the hinge with a line looping thru it to attach the vang to. An alternative way to attach the vang is by using a bail attached to the lower section, using a shackle to attach the vang. D&R sells the bail.

As mentioned, the hardware shown looks like an old stemhead off some boat. Personally, I wouldn't attach the vang there.

John

[itguy1010]

I will be sailing single handed on my 68 D/S 1 and am looking for a way to raise and lower the mast by myself. I bought the folding hinge from D&R marine but haven't installed it yet. When I measure, I'm supposed to cut the mast where my halyard blocks attach. There is a fitting on my cabin roof behind the mast hole that I thought was part of a tabernacle or something but the previous owner told me it was where to belay the downhaul. I'm not sure about that. Posting some pics to check out. Are there any other single handed sailors that can recommend any methods that are already working? Thanks for reading

You're really going to like having that tabernacle. I have no problem raising and lowering my mast by myself. I don't singlehand this boat yet but I have done a lot of raising and lowering in the driveway with no assistance to get familiar with the setup and changing things around such as adding a topping lift etc. I had to fabricate a mast support that attaches to my rudder gudgeons when on the trailer and I also had to pin my lower mast stub to the keel fitting (can't remember the name of that piece) inside the cuddy. I found out the hard way that leaving the mast stub loose allows it to just come up off the keel fitting when lowering the mast. I got lucky when the whole thing came free of the boat in the middle of getting the mast down but it could have had an unhappy ending for my mast head if I wasn't really on the ball. I'm 52 and in pretty good shape and raising the mast really isn't difficult. Not a whole lot of weight there. The one thing I do is make sure that I have the cockpit floor clear of all sheets and other things that my feet might get snarled in while walking the mast up or down. I keep my rudder in the cockpit when trailering and I've forgotten to pull it out before raising the mast and its an accident waiting to happen if its in the boat. Generally, I keep the shrouds (side stays) connected when putting the mast up. As soon as the mast comes up fully I put the front tabernacle pin in and gingerly climb out of the boat and walk up to the bow and pin the forestay. I haven't tried it by myself in any kind of wind so that might add a level of difficulty or stress but I think you'll find it a pretty effortless process once you develop your procedure.

Best regards.

Eric

[klb67]

I'll just add that sometimes I attach via bowline a short piece of line through the bow stemhead where the jib attaches, and put a loop in the other end, to which I attach the halyard shackle. If it is windy, try to put the bow or stern into the wind to avoid a cross wind. As you start to lift and rotate the mast up past shoulder height, you can keep tension on the halyard to help keep the mast steady. Once I'm holding the mast up over my head, as I begin to walk it forward, I try to go a little bit quicker if I can to get it vertical as quick as I can and gain the side support from the side stays. Once its up, I can cleat the halyard to make sure it stays up until I go around and attach the forestay. I keep the side stays attached when trailering. The only time I have had any worries (though no actual problems or breakage) is with a bit of a strong cross wind when I get the mast up in the air pretty far, but still without any tension on the sidestays.

I also can't imagine raising the mast on the water - I wouldn't assume it is impossible, but I have to think it would be pretty tough. Sitting on the trailer, not a big deal for me.

[BettaDuck]

Thank you all for your advice- Last week I cut the mast and installed the hinge. I re-located the halyard cheek blocks to just above the hinge. I also rigged a temporary tackle that attaches to my stem head and uses a spare block I had lying around. I loop one end around the mast just above the spreader bars and run the other end thru the block and back to the cockpit. I walk the mast up with my left hand and pull the line with my right and found this easily raises the mast. I would not try this with the boat in the water. I also found the mast did want to lift up off the mast jack and to drill and pin it would defeat the purpose of the mast jack, so I tied a hitch around the lower mast and belayed it to the mast jack bolt to solve that unhappy occurrence. I agree that the fitting on my cabin roof is an old stemhead from somewhere and have removed it for now. I was so happy with how it all turned out I kept going and made a set of boom scissors from some spare wood and a nut and bolt I had in the basement- cost $0. Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to respond, great advice from all !

[Signalcharlie]

To hold the lower part of the mast in place we put on a stainless steel hose clamp, with rubber gasket, around the mast just under the cabin top. Than keeps the short part of the mast from moving during stepping and trailering.

The other tip I have is to make sure the turnbuckles are laid out in such a way so that the D ring does not bind the turnbuckle T up as the mast goes up, as they can bend and the mast may not go up the last few feet. We taped the lower part of ours so they don't fall down all of the way.

Oh, hook the trailer up to the car or put blocks under the aft end of the trailer, lest you pop a wheelie while walking around towards the stern