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Doug,
if you go to reference section under main menu then look at past bulletins there are a number of articles on raising/lowering masts. The main thing is ensuring that the shrouds are kept taught during the process, as the pivot points are different for the mast foot and shrouds this entails making an arrangement to raise the shroud attachments, either permanently or temporarily (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7zprD7rUaoBNFZsRFd1eUxDMTg/view?usp=sharing) if I remember correctly in one of past bulletins someone had devised a temporary solution using wooden batons, I have raised/lowered A90s mast in past but after dropping and smashing the old wooden mast when a shackle gave way I decided that for the number of times I raised it in a season it was safer to have it craned on and off. I know Trevor (T10) lifts his mast using the spinnaker pole for leverage which is what I believe was the original design concept
This article by Richard Hall (with photos) is quite useful and has other tips on handling the mast.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nI5ur0ami89ryTRwADjFwVcXFsArsqd4/view?usp=sharing
Doug,
my replies from last night don’t appear to have posted there are various articles in past bulletins which can be found within the reference section of main menu, I raised/lowered A90s mast on a number of occasions the trick is ensuring that the shrouds remain tight either by raising the attachment point to the same height as mast pivot this can be done permanently see https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7zprD7rUaoBNFZsRFd1eUxDMTg/view?usp=sharing
or temporarly using this https://atalantaowners.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/AOA-Bulletin-1986-87.pdf
i stopped raising mast myself when I smashed wooden mast after a shackle parted i decided its far easier to have it craned on and off at end of each season
Dom
Hi Doug,
Dom’s comments re having the ‘cap’ shrouds taught at all times is crucial if you don’t want (and you really don’t) the mast to flop from side to side. I have seen the spinnaker pole rigged at right angles to the mast to give greater initial leverage deployed to good effect even though the spinnaker pole look flimsy.
On T4, I was spoilt by having a pulley block set into the gable end of the YC’s shed, about 5 metres above the ground, which gave a good lead for hauling the mast vertical. I also lowered the mast on one occasion by borrowing (with permission) the mast of a neighbouring boat to provide the necessary lead for when the mast was lowered to the horizontal.
A1 has a dedicated aluminium pole tripod arrangement to provide the lead.
Chances are there are as many tried and tested methods as there are boats. And you never hear about the attempts that have ended in failure – with Dom’s notable exception.
Good luck!
Mike
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