DaySailer.org Forum

In a few weeks I'll be moving my dry moored DS II from the lake to our club's indoor storage a few miles away for the winter. I then have about a 20 mile trip home. I'm contemplating brining my mast home with me to work on some projects on it over the winter. I have a Yakima roof rack on my Explorer that I'm confident will handle the mast. I'm looking for confirmation that I won't do any harm to the mast since it will be resting/secured at only 2 points about 6' apart, rather than out near the ends where it usually rides when on the trailer cradles. I'll probably attach a front and rear rope on the mast too, much like I'd haul my canoe, with a rear flag on the rear of the mast. The mast will be fine, right?

You probably intend to do this, but add lines that drop vertically to the front and rear bumpers, and lines that go diagonally from the end of the mat back to the bumpers. If you have plenty of 2x4s, lash those to the mast to gives some rigidity to the mast. Rember when you turn there is a long section of mast at both the front and back of your car.

I transported a mast on the top of my minivan this summer with no problems. I drove it about 80 miles at interstate speed. I did not even tie any ropes to the ends, just a flag. I did make some saddles out of 2 x 4 lined with pieces of yoga mat. However, I think that was overkill. I think if you lash it down so that there is no possibility of its sliding you will be fine.

When trailering my mast is supported by two supports, one at the transom and one inserted into the mast step. Those are about 12' apart and because I don't like long overhangs in the back, there's a section of about 10' in the front that's unsupported. I haven't seen any ill effects of that, though I do run a line to the forward cleat which limits the upward bounce. I pull the boat 2-3 times a year for about 50 miles each way.

Also, I store the mast like this and have seen not permanent bending, despite draping a tarp over it.

So, I think you'll be fine. Make really sure that the mast can't turn into a missile, if you do end up in an accident. Multiple turns of rope around the mast that will pull tight with movement and lead back to a strong point on the rack.

You could add a support from the trailer hitch to provide a third support point at the back of the vehicle. Two years ago I transported a 25.5 foot mast for a Rhodes 19 from Savannah, GA to central Texas (1200 miles). Due to the distance I was going to be hauling it, I added a front reciever hitch to my Jeep and made supports to fit in the rear hitch and front hitch. I also made a center support. Then lashed everything down well. I didn't impale anyone on the trip home. I also added a tail light to the end of the mast in back to make the mast more noticable.

jeadstx - thanks for posting that pic. I was wondering what my mast would look like on top of the Explorer - that gives me a very good idea.

I was most concerned about the potentiail to do damage (bend?) the mast at the mounting points, with so much at either end of the mast that would be unsupported. Although I would hope and expect the mast to be plenty strong to deal with any such forces, I wasn't positive.

I'll definitely have it lashed down well with a BIG flag on the end.