Best Practice for Mast and Shrouds

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imeche

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We intend to crane Knotty Lady out of the water within the next few weeks and let her sit on her cradle for a couple of months. We will drop the mast and rest it between the pulpit and the pushpit and supporting it where required.

My question is, what is the recommended practice with the shrouds. Do we release them (therefore requiring to re-tension in the Springtime) or can we leave them fully connected for the winter?
 
I would have thought that you would have to release the tension in order to put the mast up again in the Spring. Also, wouldn't there be one hell of a twang if you tried to disconnect them to lower the mast with them still tensioned?
 
I think you will have to release them to get the mast down, but if you unwind each turnbuckle the same number of complete turns, (and write it down) you will have a good starting point for re-tensioning later.
 
You wont be able to move the mast without undoing the rigging screws. Mark each of the rigging screws with insulating tabe where it meets the threads. Next season retension to the insulation tape.

Donald
 
you must disconnect the shrouds but if you first put tape around the threaded area ,carefully so that it is exactly finishing at the turny bit, before releasing shrouds. When you put the mast up again you can wind to the same position when you tighten in the spring. I actually get away with releasing the shrouds on only one side leaving the other side unchanged.
 
It depends on the system you have for your mast, the comments made so far are correct but I used to have a deck stepped mast with an A frame that could be fitted to the forestay and the mast lowered without taking the tension off the shrouds. The tension came off as the masthead moved aft, a great system when you sail where they have low bridges.
Stan
 
Why take the mast down at all? It's a popular fiction that this is "good for boaty" Not only can the rig suffer damage when down - bits are bashed etc that you do not see until something fails next season.. and rigging screws are subject to torture on the way up and down. I'll bet you that even if you do it this time, you'll think 4 times next year.

PS. and the rig will not feel quite the same next year... I wonder why?

My mast has been up for the whole 9 seasons since launch. Next year it comes down for new (precautionary) rigging. I go up it once every season to ensure all fixtures etc are in 100% condition - when installed and in place!

PWG
 
Fully agree. You can almost guarantee to break something during lowering, hoisting or storage. Last winter we berthed ashore at Port Leucate, one of the windiest places in the Med when the Tramontane blows. Large numbers of boats were ashore but none had their masts down. The yards always cradle boats facing north-west, though, into the strongest prevailing wind.
 
I agree with StanD, I lower my mast several times in each season, using an A frame.
Just a couple of weeks ago lowered it for winter, then I take all rigging off clean it up and stow in shed for winter.
In the spring I put it all back on once boat is afloat ( not so far to fall).
Whole job takes around 15 minutes, no messing around adjusting rigging.
 
If instead of using tape, a measurement is made detween the ends of the male threaded parts of the bottle screw (Lidl digital calipers £9.99) then resetting to the same tension is easy, even after disconnection.
 
It all depends on how the mast is stepped. A keel stepped mast obviously must have all stays disconnected to be able to lift it up out of the deck. If it is deck stepped and will tilt backwards then just release the forestay. I have a high field lever on the forestay so mast can be lowered and raised without any adjustment to stays.

However every winter I unscrew all my rigging screws and grease the threads to avert corrosion binding the threads. It is likely yours are already corroded tight so you may be up for more turnscrews or at least a lot of difficult un seizing. (I hope not)

When my boat is wintered at home (only 21 ft) the stays remain in place and lay on the cabin and deck while the mast lays fore and aft from just below the pullpit in a rope sling to a suppoort post on the transom. If I lay the mast on the cabin top the aft swept spreaders come under unnatural pressure although the mast centre can be supported by padding.
I don't, but you may like to tie the stays together or to the mast to stop movement in the wind which can abrade the gelcoat. This can be a problem with trailer sailers when driven long distances at high speed. I hope some of these thoughts may be applicable to you.
good luck olewill (did I mention 33 degree forecast max today? and did you note I politely didn't mention the cricket) what a b****
 
[ QUOTE ]
Some yards won't allow you to leave the mast up overwinter in a cradle or shores because of the increased windage.

[/ QUOTE ].... and noise. (planning regs in residential areas, or risk of noise nuisance orders being imposed)
 
I take mine down (29' long keel) because last November I spent a night on her in a force7/8. The vibration was so dramatic that it was literally moving the boat from side to side on its cradle several times a minute. At one point I became sufficiently frightened to get of her and sit in the car. Other twin-keel craft near me were suffering similar vibration, but of course their owners were unaware.
Surely this must put enormous stresses on the rigging, fixings and shroud plates ?
I took the mast down the following week and shall do whenever she is ashore in future. An A-frame simplifies the process.
Ken
 
I've seen several boats laid up with their masts up blow out of cradles (or off their props). Depending on how sheltered you are, you might be OK but I prefer to take the mast down each winter. The rigging screws don't like being loosened and tightened repeatedly, it's true, but they seem to survive it well for ten years, after which I replace them anyway. Also, I've never had much luck putting the turnbuckles back to where they were the previous season. They usually get too tight to turn comfortably before they get to the marks. I think this is because the shape of the boat changes when lifted out. The weight goes on to the keel and the coachroof "relaxes" a bit. Once the boat is back in the water and the rig is (moderately) tensioned, I go for a little sail, leave it for a week and tighten the shrouds again the following week. They always go very slightly slacker and I assume this is just the boat assuming it's "in-the-water" shape again.

Could be that I just have a floppy boat though!
 
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