What's the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

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What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

I want to lower the deck stepped mast on my Cape Nebe 28. Any suggestions about the best way of doing this manually and without injury or damage to the boat! The rig is similar in size to a Vancouver 27/28. Thanks
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

If you have a pair of spinnaker poles, you can make a decent A frame and use that to raise and lower the mast.
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

It appears from this picture (if the link works)

Here if it does not


1554961_10.jpg


that the mast step is on the lower fore cabin roof and immediately in front of the higher main cabin roof. Even if it is on a pivot bolt it looks to me as if the usual systems using a spinnaker pole or an A frame to lower the mast backwards onto a support at the stern is unlikely to work. The only hope of using one of these systems would be if you have a proper tabernacle with the pivot bolt high enough to allow the mast to be tilted backwards onto a support.

It may be that something similar to the Compass system may be necessary. No need for it to be telescopic if you don't want to carry it with you.
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

If you can get two other boats of the same size or larger than yours, either side you can rig halyards to lift and control the mast drop.

Don't know if it works, I read about it in an account of a battle in the Napoleonic wars.
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

I know it's a bit smaller, but I have regularly helped step/unstep a mast on a 23' boat, using a jockey pole and a line through the bow roller back to a cockpit winch.

The best time was when we took the boat back to the mooring on the Exe after the winter lay-up one Easter, stepped the mast, then said "What will we do now?" After checking the stores and the state of the wine cellar, and getting a weather forecast, at 8am the following morning we were having a barbeque in the sun on a beach on Sark /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

Slightly off topic but a thought.

Are you doing this in a marina/boatyard and are they/you insured for doing it? All of the boatyards that I know aren't insured for this kind of activity. Your's might be......
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

in our yard five men three ropes and its down we have boats up to 32 foot if you need any more instructions then e mail me back ,but itm is easy Kieron
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

The first question is do you have pivoting mast step? The second is do you have room aft of the mast to lower it on the mast pivot to a crutch, to an angle where you can reach it to lift with man power?

if as Vic suggests the aft cabin raised roof will not allow the mast to pivot down far enough then you will have to either crane it out or use the A frame lift.
If you use the A frame lift then just like with a crane you must lift from a point well above the balance point of the mast to keep is vertical.

If it were my boat with a raised aft cabin I would be fitting either a tabernacle as in 2 posts with the mast between and a pivot bolt up high. or I would be fitting a wooden block spacer under the mast to raise the existing pivot base. or fitting a pivot base if it doesn't have one.

Lowering the mast with a pivot base. They usually pivot backwards but there is a largish cat near me where the mast is pivoted forward. The boom and mainsheet can be used as tackle. I am always inspired by the thought of this boat proceeding under our bridges with 20 ft of mast sticking out the front of the boat like a giant battering ram. Anyway don't discount the idea of lowering forward however.......

When you lower the mast the first stage is to drop it into a crutch. This is a lot easier if it is at the transom because hopefully the crutch catches the mast above the pivot point (CofG) If it doesn't the next stage can be very difficult. if the crutch is as high as possible then you have less load on the gear as the real weight is when the mast is near horizontal. So have a crutch that is like 2 metres high so that you can just reach the mast to take the weight. I have another short crutch for storage.
It is easy to lift the mast down to the next crutch.
With the mast this low you can go under bridges etc. Here in Fremantle even very large boats do this on a regular basis because of bridges. We raise and lower while under way.

However the next step to get the mast right down and off the boat is more difficult. If the mast is supported by the crutch above the balance point you simply remove the pivot bolt then slide the mast forward in the crutch (a helper lifting the mast at the cutch) until the mast base is on the pulpit.
if as is often the case the crutch is not far enough aft then you have to push the mast base down to remove (refit) the pivot pin or lift the mast at a point nearer the top. This can be done from a conveniently placed jetty or another boat. (even a step ladder)

Finally if you really want it right off you need helpers to carry lift the mast off the boat. This should not normally be necessary if you have suitable crutches to store the mast over the cabin for winter. You should be able to do all maintenance from this location on top of the boat. (and of course only the forstay is disconnected.

The lowering mechanism for tilting the mast aft has been described often. I think 2 poles (spin poles) is easiest to manage although one pole (guyed) can be OK. I have purpose built rings on the side decks approx abeam the mast to fit the poles in. The location is not important and depends on the length of the poles. I use the forestay while others use a halyard. Use a 4 purchase tackle carried aft to the best winch for actually raising /lowering.
good luck olewill
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

The A-frame from Compass works well on my boat which has a similar configuration to your boat. Once bought it could easily pay for it's self over a few years and if you can get together with a few friends even sooner.

Yoda
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

My 1960"s International Folk Boat is fitted with a pivoting mast step and the mast is lowered forard onto the pulpit single handed.
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

[ QUOTE ]
It appears from this picture (if the link works)

Here if it does not


1554961_10.jpg


that the mast step is on the lower fore cabin roof and immediately in front of the higher main cabin roof. Even if it is on a pivot bolt it looks to me as if the usual systems using a spinnaker pole or an A frame to lower the mast backwards onto a support at the stern is unlikely to work. The only hope of using one of these systems would be if you have a proper tabernacle with the pivot bolt high enough to allow the mast to be tilted backwards onto a support.

It may be that something similar to the Compass system may be necessary. No need for it to be telescopic if you don't want to carry it with you.

[/ QUOTE ]nice picture of my boat at the dock in ft walton beach fl /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

you will need to do it at a yard, the blot at the base of the mast is not a pivit blot. and yes I did bye the boat in that picture.
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

[ QUOTE ]
nice picture of my boat at the dock in ft walton beach fl

[/ QUOTE ] Thanks for allowing us to use it to illustrate the post /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif and for confirming my suspicions
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

your welcome vic I just made the deal on her a few weeks ago she is realy in great shape. I had her out in 15knt winds the other day one reef in the main and doing 5 to 5.5 on the gps. you can see her on youtube.com type in nebe cape 28 take care.
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

[ QUOTE ]
I want to lower the deck stepped mast on my Cape Nebe 28. Any suggestions about the best way of doing this manually and without injury or damage to the boat! The rig is similar in size to a Vancouver 27/28. Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]what happend to this poster with the nebe cape 28? they have not posted since 2007?.
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

Who knows? Some people ask for help and advice but don't bother to even say thanks let alone report back on their experiences! I have answered several questions from one individual on our owners association forum but not yet had a reply from him.
Next time he asks a question he might not get an answer!
Posted some stuff from one guy, .... not a word. Pisses you off sometimes.
 
Re: What\'s the best way to unstep a mast (without a crane!)

[ QUOTE ]
Who knows? Some people ask for help and advice but don't bother to even say thanks let alone report back on their experiences! I have answered several questions from one individual on our owners association forum but not yet had a reply from him.I hear ya it seems like that happens on all the forums
Next time he asks a question he might not get an answer!
Posted some stuff from one guy, .... not a word. Pisses you off sometimes.

[/ QUOTE ]
 
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