DIY mast stepping on Halcyon 27?

[bluedragon]

Just got a Halcyon 27...transported by road so the mast is happily sitting on the push/pulpits at present. The mast step has a substantial bolt through the aft end that would seem to allow the mast to hinge backwards for lowering / raising once attached at this point, so I'm wondering if I can raise it myself (with the help of a few friends!) rather than a trip upriver to the boatyard crane and its associated costs. It's a fairly meaty aluminium section and about 30ft long. I can just about lift either end from the guard rails without assistance, but I've no idea of its total weight. I've read about using a spinnaker pole or similar in a vertical position as a lever, then using the forestay to raise it, but is this a realistic possibility with such a size boat and mast. Do I risk more than I'd save? Is there a relatively foolproof way of doing this? Any ideas anyone? I imagine in 1969 when she was built, DIY mast stepping was the norm rather than marina cranes, and that's maybe why she has a pivot point at the mast heel.

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[Gunfleet]

Hi and welcome. I used to do this by myself with an old 22 ' Kestrel. It was some times a bit alarming but isn't so bad if you have a few people with you. You do need to use the boom or the spinnaker pole to make a 90 deg angle at the front of the mast, otherwise you can end up with a very oblique angle as the mast begins to rise. If you have a 6 part tackle, or even the mainsheet to go on the end of the pole down to the stem head you'll cut down on the work by getting mechanical advantage.. Make sure all the standing rigging is ready to go (loosely taped?). Make sure your masthead light works otherwise you will be doing it again soon. Make sure there's nothing overhead, and that you can't damage anyone else's boat. If you have a couple of spare halyards tie them off and have your friends hold them out to the sides so that the mast isn't able to wobble laterally as you raise it. THis last point is a lot more important than you think - Dutch boats that raise and lower their masts a lot often have extended chain plates so their tops and the mast foot are in a line of axis. Once it's all prepared away you go. If you've any doubts at all, use the boatyard crane. You could do a lot of damage with a mast if you dropped it. Good luck!

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[Robin]

I have done this in the past on boats up to 24ft and seen it done on a Centaur 26. It is best if the mast base is in a tabernacle. With the bolt in the mast foot on the back there may be a problem with the geometry ie you need room for it to rotate yet when up it needs to sit flat in the mast base, the 2 are incompatible. An 'A' frame made out of old scaffold poles helps with the side force and getting enough leverage, main halyard to one side of the apex, mainsheet between apex and bow. Have plenty of helpers!

Most boatyards though have some way of doing this, even if they book a crane or a 'cherry picker' to do several on the same day at shared cost. Given the option this is safest and at least risk of damaging your mast, wind instruments, VHF aerial, Tricolour or bottlescrews.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[graham]

If you do it it pays to remove your rigging screws and temporarily replace with lanyards.If the rigging screw jams as the weight comes on ie as the mast is almost vertical,the threaded part will bend.Bent rigging screws should not be re straightened so a half hours work could save you a few bob.

Raising is in fact easier than lowering as the weight gets less as it goes up .

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[halcyon]

Had enough trouble fitting ours with a crane.
Do not think I would like to try it, the block on the bottom of the mast is designed to locate against the fron inner face of the casting on the deck, the pin is then a clearance. You may find that it will foul the top edge of the casting as you rotate it, also when you have it near vertical lateral loading are very high,and there looks a lot of mast. This could give very high loading on the casting were the pin goes through.
I'm not saying it's not possible, but I would have to be desperate to try it, and a lot of planning would be invoved, if there's a crane handy use it.

Brian

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[halcyon]

Had enough trouble fitting ours with a crane.
Do not think I would like to try it, the block on the bottom of the mast is designed to locate against the fron inner face of the casting on the deck, the pin is then a clearance. You may find that it will foul the top edge of the casting as you rotate it, also when you have it near vertical lateral loading are very high,and there looks a lot of mast. This could give very high loading on the casting were the pin goes through.
I'm not saying it's not possible, but I would have to be desperate to try it, and a lot of planning would be invoved, if there's a crane handy use it.

Brian

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[Mudplugger]

Used to raise & lower mine 35' in day's of yore, Spinnaker pole fastened to front of mast, with strong lashings to chainplates, from end of pole!, cap shrouds lashed to chain plates (loosely) as well, Main sheet tackle from Spinny pole to stem head fitting. Then I extended chain plates to same axis as mast bolt which made it even easier....Don't forget to have Back Stay attached but running easily! HTH Tony W.

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony W.

 

[fireball]

Raised the mast on a 22' by hand with exactly the same setup as your describing (bolt through the aft end of the foot) .. the best method ended up being a pole with padded jaws strapped to the mast and from the loose end - two lines tied to the guardrail (on the horizontal plane inline with the mast foot) to stop the pole from swinging sideways too much. Two lines were taken down from the top to the bow roller - fixed pulling point & inline with the whole assembly - one to pull and the other as emergency backup!

To lift it we had one on the line at the bow (on the ground as we were still on shore) and two of us to lift the mast at the stern and slowing walk up (it only needed 1, but you can't hold it and move around the boat at the same time!).

The backstays were connected before the whole procedure - but then we knew they were the right length as we'd taken it down the previous year!

We found it very easy with 3 of us, but then it is a lighter mast and the boat not worth so much ...

the new boat is a different matter - it slots into its step - no DIY lifting for that one!

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[William_H]

Here in Fremantle boats with masts 3 times as big as yours regularly lower them to traverse under bridges to get to the ocean while underway. I strongly recommend you learn to do it yourself as it is far better than climbing the mast and may give you access to new waters.
You need to set yourself up properly for lowering raising and you need helpers at least until you feel comfortable with the exercise. You need to ensure the mast step and base are suitable as a hinge but from your description I can't imagine they aren't suitable.
You need an A frame or stayed pole for a crutch mounted on the transom or aft end of the cockpit which is as tall as possible so a person can still reach to lift the mast from the cockpit. (the taller this is the easier it is to connect the step and to raise it providing it can be lifted.
Put the top of the mast into this crutch while the base is still near the bow on a support. You need to walk the base toward the step while someone in the cockpit lifts /slides the mast aft until you can put the pin for the hinge in. This is the difficult part as the mast will be very heavy at the stern. If you can get a person up a step ladder to take some of the weight near the top this will help or if you are in the water if you can manouvre the boat so that the top of the mast can be lifted from a high jetty this will aid the fitting of the mast into the step. As pointed out the loads on the step can be a fair bit but it should take the load. Warning- the type with aluminium lugs do not take side bending loads ie keep the mast on the centre line. getting it into the step is the hard part. And not necessary for going under bridges or even for work on the mast top if you can reach it from a high jetty.
The actual raising is done using a tackle typically from the forestay to the bow at least 4 purchase which will reach back to a winch. With the mast down this pull will be very close to the line of the mast so a pole must be used to improve the pull angle. Most locals here use 2 spinnacker poles fitted into specially mounted rings on the deck abeam the mast. The forestay or the tackle where it connects to the forestay goes through these. They start off near vertical and come down to the deck as the mast rises. You can use one pole suitably stayed with ropes which fits onto the mast near the base. If you are on the hard you may use people either side with halyards stretched sideways to ensure the mast stays on the centreline of the boat as it rises. You will find that as the mast approaches vertical you don't need the winch. Ensure as already suggested that turn screws are straight and not twisted however I don't think you need to remove them just go slowly, foul ups are always part of the exercise. (back stays especially). Once up you can connect the forestay at your leasure. If you use a halyard then you can pull it up really tight to ease the attachment of the forestay, however I am not fond of puting a lot of load on them. I use a highfield lever that enables me to easily attach the forestay while the tackle is attached to it then just snap closed to load the forestay.
Now if you are on the water you need a way of staying the mast to stop sideways swing when the side stays are loose. Not so much of a problem with masthead rig but a real problem with fractional rig. You can fit a clamp to each side stay about 1 metre up from the chainplates to which tackles can be attached which are adjustable from the cockpit which pull the stay forward toward a point on the deck a metre or 2 ahead of the chainplate. These have to be tightened as the mast rises to keep tension on the sidestay. As stated you can have a solid extension of the chainplate (stayed forward) to a point exactly in line with the mast hinge so that the side stay remains tensioned on the traverse from horizontal to vertical (masthead rig only). If the water is flat and you have helpers you won't need all this to support the mast sideways (especially if you get it up to near vertical smartly) but if you are going to do it often it is worth getting properly set up.
Just be carefull at first. I have a 27ft mast (fractional) on a 21 ft boat which I can put in the step and raise singlehanded so you can do it on yours with helpers. Even if you chicken and get a crane you should set yourself up to lower it in future. For a beginner it is easier to start with the mast up in learning all the tricks. You should be really gratefull you have a mast stepped on deck that can pivot down. good luck just do it. Will

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[MarkJohnson]

Roger,

I had mine put up by a crane, took the fun out of it but it was done in 20 minutes and no damage. Its always nice to have someone to sue if things go wrong!

When you do it, write a few words for the newletter on the method.

regards

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[VicS]

I step a similarly stepped mast on a much smaller boat single handed using an A frame, the main sheet to haul it up and a spare halyard to support it all while I uncouple the forestay from the A frame and fit it to the stem head fitting.
I have a suitable beam that the feet of the A frame rest against, and stand all the rigging screws up using very light shock chord tied to the guard rails to prevent them snagging and bending. As the shrouds go down to deck level there is still nothing to prevent the whole lot swinging side ways on the way up but with such a small mast it only needs a steadying hand provided it is not too windy.

I have watched others step masts on boats up to the size of a Centaur but it begins to look a bit of a stuggle at that size.

In the initial stages there is a tremendous shear load on the bolts or screws holding the mast step to the deck so you must be absolutely certain of their integrity. The higher you can support the top of the mast before you start the better.

I would say you cannot afford to have any helpers directly under the mast as you haul it up because the damages that may be awarded against you in the event of someone being hurt, or worse, make the whole idea a pretty dodgy one.

I would stongly recommend getting it done with a crane if you possibly can.

A friend has a Berwick and from what you have said your mast is nearly as heavy as that one. We have found that although the boat yard derrick will handle it the best method is to get the mobile crane to do it on craning in day.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>

 

[Avocet]

Avocet is 27' long and has a mast about 30' long - probably a very similar setup. It's no problem at all with a few helpers. You don't mention if you have roller reefing. If you do, it's a bit more difficult because you have to think about not bending the roller extrusion too much as well as everything else. Without the roller reefing, it's pretty easy. We just put the bolt through the mast heel (same as yours) and then a couple of us got a step ladder in the cockpit and lifted the mast with the top of the ladder under the spreaders. This got it high enough for one person on the ground with a length of rope round the Jib halyard to just pull the mast vertical while the two of us in the cockpit steadied the mast laterally. Obviously we had the backstay and both the aft, lower shrouds connected first! All that then remained was to put the forestay pin through it's bottle screw as the mast came vertical and connect the other shrouds.

I completely agree with whoever said to be careful about bending the bottle screws - it's very easy to do! Other than that, it's no problem.

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[bluedragon]

Phew...I didn't think I'd get such a detailed response!! It seems to split into a) don't do it, and b) have a go. I think pragmatically I'll use a crane this time around (just got the boat, currently afloat, some questions about whether she'll hinge properly on the step, etc) but I'll observe very carefully and see if I can track down any sailors around here who've done this before. As one respondant said "you need to know how to do this yourself"...watch this space later in the year. MANY THANKS TO ALL...

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