Mast up or down?

[Sea_dreamer]

Its getting to that time, when the boat comes out of the water. Its a big boat (38), but not overly heavy at 6 tonnes.

Not wanting to trust to wooden posts (as my father had done for 12 years before), and wanting to keep the mast up, we have just ordered a cradle from Tennamast. I was quite happy that we could leave the mast up for the winter and work on everything while it was in place.

But with the autumn weather (up here) and hurricanes in the US, my confidence is receding! Any thoughts on additional precautions that can be taken over the winter while it is in its cradle. If it is going to blow over, is it going over whether the mast is up or down?

Comments?

John

 

[Evadne]

I'd always drop the mast, it's less windage to blow the boat over, less wear and tear on the rigging and you have no worries next season about scaling the heights for your annual rigging inspection.
On the down side, if your boatyard or crane driver is inept you can cause damage, and if you have foresail furling gear it is especially vulnerable. You pays your money and takes your choice.

re. the blowing over, I've never heard of insurance companies making an issue of whether the mast was up or not, so it seems a less than common event. On the other hand, I live on the semi-tropical south coast, not a windy, treeless tundra where the wind rarely drops below gale force all winter. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[fireball]

You could always stay the mast directly to the ground - if there is enough width in your hardstanding ...
You'll obviously take down all the sails to reduce windage.
If there is a prevailing wind, make sure the boat is headed into it.
If there is a sheltered corner - put the boat in there if at all possible.
If there is a bout of hurrican winds forecast you can always shore it up with extra supports higher up the topsides.

Just had a quick thought - if you tie a single line onto all your halyards you could hoist them and only have to tie off the tail - reducing the windage and reducing the elemental damage to your halyards (assuming you put the other ends under a cover/in a bag)

 

[Sea_dreamer]

I was thinking of the additional stays - I will see where the marina puts us!

Good idea on the halyards. Anything to reduce windage can only help.

John

 

[Lakesailor]

Shepherds in Windermere had a row of yachts fall over in the storm in January. They all had their masts up. The storm was from the SW and apparently reached 108mph (although some reported that thier max readings had been 120mph). Our prevailing strong winds in the winter are NE so that was a tricky call.
I'd drop the mast. The forces acting on the hull are channeled through the support pads and the tip of the keel, but there isn't any give, whereas on the water the forces are fed through the whole of the leeward side of the hull, there is give and the keel bears against the water which moves.
(Although of course there is no wave action to accomodate)

 

[savageseadog]

If you leave the mast up take any furling or non furling sails off, also an idea to drop the boom onto the deck.

 

[cliff]

Depends on where you are taking it out. If at Troon you will have to de-mast her. They had several boats blown over a few years ago so now insist on the owners removing the masts for winter storage. Plus piont is you can work on the mast easily and it is easier to tarp the boat without the mast. I prefer mast down and boat in cradle and also propped.
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"Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity"

 

[Sans Bateau]

[ QUOTE ]
You could always stay the mast directly to the ground - if there is enough width in your hardstanding ...

[/ QUOTE ]
The way the yards pack them in you'll be lucky.
[ QUOTE ]
If there is a prevailing wind, make sure the boat is headed into it.


[/ QUOTE ]
That'll be a £20 note in the hands of the crane driver.
[ QUOTE ]
If there is a sheltered corner - put the boat in there if at all possible.


[/ QUOTE ]
There goes another £20!
[ QUOTE ]
If there is a bout of hurrican winds forecast you can always shore it up with extra supports higher up the topsides.


[/ QUOTE ]
That'll be fun on a Weds evening if you live more than a couple of hours from the boat.

Rather than leave the halyards in, get some suitable synthetic cord and mouse the halyards, you can take them home then and stick 'em in the washing machine.

 

[fireball]

I didn't say it would be cheap!

 

[Achillesheel]

What does one pay to have a mast taken down/re-erected?

 

[silvertop]

Depends on the yard at Preston I think its around £40 each way.

 

[Sea_dreamer]

If the online quote for Largs Marina is to be believed its about £60. With all the extras mentioned in the other posts it could be alot more!

Its not so much the mast itself that presents the challenge. I am a bit daunted by the idea of disconnecting all the electronics. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

John

 

[fireball]

How much electronics do you have to disconnect? Surely its only bad if you have radar up there as well - doubling the connections ...

 

[steve_l]

Over here we always un-step the mast. Takes about 15-20 mins for a 30ft'er.
The mast is then often placed in cradles fore, aft & amidships which sit on the deck. Spreaders are removed and all projecting bits padded. The mast then forms a ridge pole for the tarp cover which is tied down like a tent for the winter.

If the cradles are high enough, it's possible to work under the tarp to do all those little deck jobs in the dry without worrying too much about the weather. Before you cover the boat you can check the rigging in comfort and order new if needed when the riggers are not so busy.