Need to unstep Mast

[plumbdoctor]

Hi, I have never been involved with stepping or unstepping. I need to unstep my mast (Westerly Cirrus). I intend to get the boat lifted onto a trailer to transport it from Ramsgate to Cuxton. Any instruction would be welcomed.

 

[chewi]

Hi, I have never been involved with stepping or unstepping. I need to unstep my mast (Westerly Cirrus). I intend to get the boat lifted onto a trailer to transport it from Ramsgate to Cuxton. Any instruction would be welcomed.

In my club all the boats are dismasted to come into the yard, so I help with about a dozen a year of many classes, but all about 23-30 ft.
We have a derrick that we position about 6 inches ahead of the mast.
Lower stays are removed to allow a strop to be wrapped around the mast and lifted to the spreaders but taking no weight.
Remove any pins or bolts at the mastfoot and disconnect wiring.
The caps, backstay and lowers and forestay can be released an the weight taken on the derrick.
It helps to have a man on the furling forestay and another steadying the foot, you need to prevent the mast turning turtle while you gently lower it. stepping is much the same in reverse.


In both stepping and unstepping have a downhaul on the lifting strop, as it can get caught on lights etc and need a little fiddling, as irretrievably securing an insecure mast to the derrick is not a good move

If you're unhappy taking the weight on the spreader sockets the strop can be braced down to a mastfoot cleat, but in 13 years of doing this on several boats p.a. I've never seen damage done.

 

[William_H]

Hi, I have never been involved with stepping or unstepping. I need to unstep my mast (Westerly Cirrus). I intend to get the boat lifted onto a trailer to transport it from Ramsgate to Cuxton. Any instruction would be welcomed.

Much depends on the mast base. If it is hinged then you can DIY. Last eek I helped a friend remove a heavy mast on a 24fter. Firstly it was pivoted down into a crutch at the transom. The pivot bolt was removed and the mast slid forward until the mast base was on the pullpit. For transport it could then be lashed down on the cabin top. It took 4 of us perhaps 3 would do to both remove the mast and later to refit the mast.
If the mast is keel stepped or not able to be pivoted then you need a crane unless you try Lakesailor's A frame gantry to lift and lower. But again really only suitable for light masts.

To the OP these jobs of removing sheaves always go very sour. Corrosion etc making the job difficult. I would not risk getting a rigger to try to do the job then finding he had to get the mast down anyway. Not criticising the rigger here it is just a horrible job and you have to pay for his efforts successful or otherwise. Get the mast down and do the job properly with plenty of inspection of rigging. good luck olewill

 

[KenMcCulloch]

We had our 30 year old Selden mast down this past winter for new rigging etc. It's difficult to see how you could change the sheaves with the mast up. The head box needs to come off and you can't do that with the stays attached thereto in place. Newer masts have cunning arrangements that allow access to the sheaves and axles with the rigging in place but I doubt if you 20 yo mast will have that facility.

 

[chewi]

Much depends on the mast base. If it is hinged then you can DIY. Last eek I helped a friend remove a heavy mast on a 24fter. Firstly it was pivoted down into a crutch at the transom. The pivot bolt was removed and the mast slid forward until the mast base was on the pullpit. For transport it could then be lashed down on the cabin top. It took 4 of us perhaps 3 would do to both remove the mast and later to refit the mast.
If the mast is keel stepped or not able to be pivoted then you need a crane unless you try Lakesailor's A frame gantry to lift and lower. But again really only suitable for light masts.

I think the cirrus is deck stepped, but yes you're right , keel stepped complicates at least the height of lift, and denies the option of using the foot pivot.
Using A crane brings oily cable and contact with the mast/furling into the mix.

I would not advocate using the mast foot pivot without an experienced hand, the leverage is likely to break the foot fitting if it is allowed to sway sideways or the boat rocks beneath you. That is where I have seen damage done, so I use a derrick now.

To the OP I advise bite the bullet, drop the mast and remove the risk that you pay the rigger not to be able to do it.

 

[Highndry]

I'm probably being incredibly naive here but does no-one ever use a powered boom lift for mast work?

 

[steve_l]

In my club all the boats are dismasted to come into the yard, so I help with about a dozen a year of many classes, but all about 23-30 ft.
We have a derrick that we position about 6 inches ahead of the mast.
Lower stays are removed to allow a strop to be wrapped around the mast and lifted to the spreaders but taking no weight.
Remove any pins or bolts at the mastfoot and disconnect wiring.
The caps, backstay and lowers and forestay can be released an the weight taken on the derrick.
It helps to have a man on the furling forestay and another steadying the foot, you need to prevent the mast turning turtle while you gently lower it. stepping is much the same in reverse.


In both stepping and unstepping have a downhaul on the lifting strop, as it can get caught on lights etc and need a little fiddling, as irretrievably securing an insecure mast to the derrick is not a good move

If you're unhappy taking the weight on the spreader sockets the strop can be braced down to a mastfoot cleat, but in 13 years of doing this on several boats p.a. I've never seen damage done.

This is basically how we do ours. Done every year for winter lift-out. The sails and boom are removed at the berth, then it takes about 10-15 mins at the mast derrick. Everyone in the club does the same so it's quite routine. Also means that the rigging gets checked every year.