Mast stepping / unstepping

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RebelYell

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I am just about to acquire a Jeanneau Sun 200. I will need to haul and launch once per year and therefore need to unstep and step the mast.
There is no kit with the boat so I need to figure out a practical method for two people, possibly on and out of the water.
I have seen some posts (can't find them now) and one dreadful You tube video, but does anyone have advice, preferably accompanied by diagrams.
Thanks
 
On my Sun 2000, I made an A frame from 4x2 wood. Length of the legs was distance from shroud base to inside the pulpit. Approx 3 m and a bit if I remember. The apex of the frame was held together with 2 triangles of 15mm ply. Bolted through to set the legs at the correct angle for the beam of the boat.
Then I drilled straight through at the apex and inserted a length of screwed rod and an eyebolt each side, attached the genoa halyard and spinnaker halyard to one side and the mainsheet block set up, from the other side down to the stemhead. The bases of the a-frame were lashed to the shroud eyebolts on the side deck. It worked a treat and also stabilised the side to side movement of the mast although I still had swmbo on the end of the main halyard keeping it centralised for the first time I did it.
I had already tried to raise it using the boom as a single leg but the mast was far too unstable side to side than I liked. I wanted something I could do single handed and the A frame will be fine as long as there's no strong wind from the side. I wish I'd taken photos but didn't think at the time. If I drop this winter I'll get some pics as many people have asked how I do it.

p.s. kits are available from Jenneau at great cost and the ones I looked at did not fill me with confidence. They were a 25mm stainless tube single leg, stabilised by wires. My setup in total was less than 40 euros including wood, bolts, screwed rods and eyebolts.
 
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That's a relatively light mast and 2 - 3 people could lower this with care. Me Snapdragon 23 with heavier mast - my 10year old son and I used to raise / lower without any additions.
But a good and reliable method for all deck stepped masts - is the A frame.

My boat now has a heavy mast and needs 3 - 4 people with care to lower .... so I elected to create an A frame - I have 3 bridges to transit ..
I have two metal tube poles 3m long, long bolt connects both and allows me to spread bottom ends either side of cabin. Two wood blocks fitted to bottom ends of poles to protect deck. Couple of long bolts to pass through chainplate U bolts to fix in place (bolts just pass through - not necessary to tighten.

I use mainsheets from stemhead to A frame, spinnaker and lower storms'l halyard to A frame ....

I can raise and lower singlehanded now ... but usually have another person there to assist.

Some may suggest using a 'gin-pole' - but this is risky without use of side guys - the mast can swing to side too easily and and as happened to me when I tried this - the 'gin-pole' itself swung to side as well.

The main point to remember - is to try keep boat steady while raising / lowering ... to avoid mast swinging side to side.

Here is my A frame in operation ... AND a good example of what second guy should NOT do. He does not need to move from start position - he's there to steady the mast .. not to move about ..


For anyone with a 'keel-stepped' mast .... there is a kit from chandlers that has similar telescopic A frame that sits vertical and lifts mast out and you can then rotate to horizontal ... it works for 'deck-stepped' as well.
 
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