Raising a keel-stepped mast (the easy way)

[GreenLake]

The topic keeps coming up.

Here's a link to write-up of two solutions.

1. The first part (hinged sleeve) works like simulating a tabernacle, but retains a full length mast.
2. The second part is a suggestion that takes all need for strength and agility out of mast raising. It can be adapted to any mast, but the design as shown could be added to the hinged mast sleeve. However, if you've been raising a full-length mast without a hinged sleeve, you'll be surprised what a difference that alone will make.

Neither part requires any advanced wood or metalworking skills.
https://forum.daysailer.org/greenlake/daysailer/MastRaising.html

Here are images of the hinged sleeve:



With this little gizmo, stepping the mast single-handed is really straightforward while standing on the cockpit floor (if you're short, you may need to rig up something to step up on forward of the seats).

If you have back problems, or just don't like manhandling a mast, the A-frame tripod hoist is an alternative addition to the hinged sleeve. It does take a bit more time to set it up and tear down, so I don't use it most of the time, and you may never have a need it. But it is by far the method that requires least strength and agility, and is very safe (the mast can't get away from you).

Mast raising with tripod (open the image in a new tab to see all of it)

MastRaiserLarge.jpg (252.77 KiB) Viewed 6960 times

• Insert the mast foot into the sleeve.
• Either push it up from below, or attach the line from the tripod to the mast ring to pull the mast up to a vertical position.
• Lower the mast manually, or simply let go some of the line from the hoist and the mast will drop.
• Align with the mast step, (remove hoist, if used)
• Set up your standing rigging as usual and go

PS: the metal disk has come in handy as a place to mount fairleads near the mast base.

PPS: for completeness, here's a link to a post describing the manual technique (https://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=11039#p11039).

[vastzero]

Hello,

Thank you for the suggestions. I had initially thought of making something like that with the hinge and the lift contraption. But then made what I made after seeing the video I posted. Regardless, we tried the stand up method and it worked great. So until I get around to building the hinge/sleeve at least we know we can do that.

I really appreciate the response and help!

I'll post some pictures once I figure that out.

Thank you again!

M

[GreenLake]

Sounds great.

I've only ever refurbished/partially rebuilt this hinge, but that was super easy, so I'm assuming that putting one together from scratch shouldn't be that much harder. Not shown in the photos is a plywood backing plate below deck to distribute the load from the fender washers on the six bolts that are used to hold the hinge disk in place. (Two of them also attach the hinge itself)

The big composite image shows the original state of it, the other photos are more recent. I attached several fairleads to the disk which are used for spinnaker downhaul, halyard and jib halyard tensioner. Very convenient to mount all of these onto the disk and not directly on deck.

You can also see that the disk floats a bit above the deck because of the raised mast partners it rests on. After snagging my jib sheets one too many times, I fitted a small aluminum strip to close the gap on the front. Can be glimpsed in the other photos (the two are not taken at the same time, which you can see if you count fairleads ...).

Note the continuous jib sheet with a Prusik knot to connect to the clew.