crabber mast

[grimwith]

I'm going to step my Cornish Crabber mast, (without the aid of cranes etc)..people power only, plus a few cleverly placed pulleys and ropes. Has anyone out there managed to work out a clever plan?
many thanks

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[snowleopard]

is it deck or keel stepped and if the former is it in a tabernacle?

also is the boat afloat or ashore?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[grimwith]

Thanks for the prompt reply
The mast is stepped at deck level on a tabernacle and the boat will be on its trailer

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[snowleopard]

right. you have two problems to overcome:

(a) the initial pull will have a very poor angle of leverage so you need to apply an upward rather than horizontal pull

(b) because the shroud attachment point is below the pivot point of the mast, the shrouds will remain slack until the mast is almost upright and it may twist sideways in the tabernacle.

what you need is an A-frame (AKA sheerlegs) made from a couple of stout posts, around 10 ft long, lashed together at one end with the other ends resting on the deck either side of the mast foot. pad the bottom ends with rags and lash them so they can't slip sideways or backwards.

attach the forestay to the top of this bipod, then connect a block & tackle (at least 4x power) to the end of the forestay and to the stemhead fitting. if you have a winch on the trailer this will help with the pull.

have a man on deck to ease the mast up from the horizontal and to clear any snags as halliards catch round cleats etc.

because you are almost flush-decked there shouldn't be too much slack in the shrouds but if it becomes a problem there are 2 ways to tackle it: either tie lines round the shrouds and run them forward to the stemhead to keep the shrouds tight or use a couple of halliards to the gunwales to stay the mast and ease them as you lift.



<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Benbow]

I have assisted in exactly this operation several times. We used essentially the method Snowleopard describes. The difference is that the boat in question had an anchor winch on the foredeck which was used to provide the pull. You can safely help the mast past the difficult phase when it is flat on deck and you have no leverage, by using a ladder on the ground to lift it a little. I would also have two people on the ground one on each side with a halyard to keep the whole thing straight. As Snowleopard says, a sharp person on deck is essential to spot and clear the snags. Properly planned it goes up quickly and easily.

Just make sure no-one is ever under the mast, so that if it should come crashing down no-one dies.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[grimwith]

Thanks Snow Leopard and Benbow for the detailed advice....much appreciated.

<hr width=100% size=1>