DaySailer.org Forum

Does anyone have suggestions for singlehanded masting for an oday javelin? My husband and I attach the forward stay and both shrouds, then he lifts and holds the mast while I secure the mast. I am unable to lift the mast myself alone to an upright postition.
thanks
martha

martha Dragon (joeandmartha-at-rcn.com)

I'm not familiar with how The Javelin mast attaches and is raised, but I have made a pulley setup for my Daysailer 1 that allows me to raise the mast by myself (I can raise it with out this pulley arrangement, but it gets a bit shakey when it's almost all the way up). I can email you a couple pictures that might give you an idea for your Javelin. Basically, there's a tall upright at front of trailer. A pulley is attached to this at the top. The mast is hooked up at the rear hinge pin, side shrouds attached, front stay left unattached. the mast then is raised up maybe 30 degrees and supported there with a stand made to fit over the center board area. The "free" end of the jib halyard is tied to the pulley housing (stationary part of pulley assembly). A line is then tied to the halyard shackle and this line ran thru the pulley and back to the cockpit. From here I start pulling on the line till the mast is all the way up. At that point I keep tension on the line (or tie it to a convienient cleat) while installing the front mast hinge pin. Once this is installed I can go forward and install front stay.

When doing all this I've found it necessary to "follow" the mast as it goes up in order to steady it and prevent it from maybe falling off to one side and bending the hinge plate. Basically, the arrangement works well but is not a simple setup and does require care in using it.

steve parsons (saabdrver-at-aol.com)

i have a javelin also and converted to a 2 pin tabernacle that can be purchased at drmarine.com which makes raising the mast a one person job. also added a harken 435 furler system in place of the forstay. those 2 changes make life much better and enjoyable.

Raising the mast alone is accomplished with the shrouds port and starboard always attached, slide the mast back so that the rear pin lines up in the tabernacle, and insert it. This task is easier if you can rest the back of the mast in a mast support through the gudgeons. Attach a 3 foot line between the head end of the jib halyard (where it usually attaches to the sail) and the stemhead, and grasp the other end of the halyard tail in one hand taking up the slack, as you walk the mast up with the other hand. When it is upright, cleat the halyard, (which will hold the mast in place), insert the forward tabernacle pin, and go to the bow and attach the forestay to the stemhead. Release the halyard and remove the short bit of line you used to extend it.

Check this site for pictures of the mast raising leash and mast supports:

http://groups.msn.com/RogerConrad/shoebox.msnw