raising the mast

[Guest]

i've got a DSII and, obviously, have the tabernackle mast. i recently discovered a pulley on the trailer that looks as though it's meant to help step the mast. it seems that one would attach the aft pin in the tabernackle and then use the main halyard, through the pulley on the trailer, to pull the mast up. once it's up, tie off the halyard and then attach the forestay and fore pin in the tabernackle. would this work? i'm guessing that the halyard is strong enough. thanks. BTW, with mast up, i drove into a power line. destroyed the tabernackle. will have to replace. oh well. fair winds.

chad

chad (gilliscmnr19-at-juno.com)

[Roger]

That is exactly how it is done. You actually don't even need a pulley on the trailer. I attach the jib halyard shackle pin to the stemfitting where the jib would go (the aft most of the two holes). I then attach the mast as you indicate through the rear pin on the tabernacle then huff it up on my shoulders, (shrouds already attached), and jib halyard in one hand. As it gets up to shoulder height, I take up the slack on the halyard, then pull with the halyard as I push off the shoulder with my other hand to bring the mast to an upright position, setting the mast base onto the tabernacle. I then cleat off the halyard, and slip the forward pin into the tabernacle, and finally go forward with the forestay and attach it into the formost hole of the stem fitting. I then release the job halyard from the stem fitting. This is a one person job, but the mast rests in a cradle pole that sits in the gudgeons, and hold the mast parallel, making the lifting somewhat easier.