Mast bending or lowering

[mainshiptom]

I own a Mainship 350/390 and managed some Dutch and Belgium canals with the height of over 4.5 meter, My Bimini is easy to fold down in minutes but there is a small aluminium mast on the flybridge that I would like to lower or fold down.



Is there a simple link or base that folds or maybe a hinge? its made of aluminium and not heavy, if anyone got experience or ideas please share.

We plan to cruise to Germany and a lower boat would extend the canals and rivers we could get into, in Gent and Brugge twice I scratched the bottom of bridges no damage done but would be nice to lower or even remove mast, currently mast only hold anchor light.

 

[Bouba]

The trawler forum is a better bet especially with an American boat
http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s11/folding-mast-mainship-350-390-1999-a-25181.html

 

[mainshiptom]

The trawler forum is a better bet especially with an American boat
http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s11/folding-mast-mainship-350-390-1999-a-25181.html

Good Point Bouba,

I will post on the trawler site but also thought someone will have a good idea here or experience.

 

[jfm]

Just google/image hinged mast foot or mast tabernacle. It’s a catalogue item. You can buy one or get a ss fabricator to make one from a sketch. It’s a very simple device.

 

[jfm]

I just looked at online pictures. You would be better with an elbow a metre up the mast, not a hinge at the foot. A ss fabricator could easily make this. Make the two tubes in the hinge unit a close fit to the mast profile and say 175mm long, then glue the 2 mast sections in with 3M 5200 white glue. And organise for the wires to move where needed and tuck away when the mast is up. Slightly harder if you have radar because there might not be slack in the cable.

 

[jfm]

I just looked at online pictures. You would be better with an elbow a metre up the mast, not a hinge at the foot. A ss fabricator could easily make this. Make the two tubes in the hinge unit a close fit to the mast profile and say 175mm long, then glue the 2 mast sections in with 3M 5200 white glue. And organise for the wires to move where needed and tuck away when the mast is up. Slightly harder if you have radar because there might not be slack in the cable.

 

[mainshiptom]

I just looked at online pictures. You would be better with an elbow a metre up the mast, not a hinge at the foot. A ss fabricator could easily make this. Make the two tubes in the hinge unit a close fit to the mast profile and say 175mm long, then glue the 2 mast sections in with 3M 5200 white glue. And organise for the wires to move where needed and tuck away when the mast is up. Slightly harder if you have radar because there might not be slack in the cable.

great idea we have a fabricator nearby, thanks

Tom