One-person mast stepping

i use a similar method raising solo but here are the differences.

After pinning the masthinge, I tie a length of 1/4 rope (10ft) to the thimble on the end of the forestay.

There is a shackle that I have mounted to bar on the trailer just above the winch. I run the line through that shackle on the trailer. This is my forward anchor point. I take the line back to the tramp and climb up on the boat.

I put this line loosely in my pocket. I go to the back beam and pick up the mast facing aft making sure the shrouds clear the corner casings.

If you pick it up smoothly and make a turn to put it on your shoulder, the effort required is not that bad. Now push the mast up. You might have to pull the bottom back a bit to get it to fall in the socket.

Once in the socket, lean on the mast to get it forward as the shrouds will allow.

Remember that line in your pocket? Pull it out, pull the slack and use a cleat on the mast to tie it off. Use the figure eight on the cleat.

Hop of boat pick up bridle wires (with plate) match up with plate on forestay and insert another shackle, pin ect.

Go uncleat the 1/4 line off the mast and untie from thimble

Now you are done.

Hey hrtsailor,
I forgot to mention in my other posts that if you are ever heading back down to Emerald Isle to sail let me know. I've really been wanting to take the boat down there but I usually like to have another boat on the water with me when I sail in the sound/ocean. If you let me know enough in advance my family/aunt has a cottage down there off of Coast Guard Dr. where I normally stay. You can contact me at james060583 at aol dot com.

I just put the boat on the ground, capsize it & brace it up with a pole, step the mast horizontally & then right the boat.
(I'm cartopping a H-14, so YMMV)

i made a 'gin pole' mast stepper from a tapered (spar quality) 2 x 4. i looked at the 'mast stepper' diagrams and figured it out. its sooo much more relaxing to just crank the mast up with a wench...i mean winch ; ) doing the work. i remember too many times hoisting the mast over my head while wobbling around on the tramp, then having a shroud get hung up on a rear corner post. then what??? with the 'gin pole' mast stepper, i can raise and lower it as much as i want, clear the shrouds, drink a beer and have a conversation, whatever. no stress, matey. i made mine from scraps, i imagine the commercial version is even better.

dannyb9 - Would you share your design? I have thought of ginning up my own gin pole also, but never figured out a good design...

thanks

heres a link http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2778577940053419764CtTtxd this is a proof of concept prototype, maybe it could use a coat of paint? : ) the procedure is to
use the bipod to suupport the back of the mast so it can be pinned.
run the jib halyard through the gin pole slot and mount the bottom end of the gin pole to the base of the mast. the gin pole should be vertical at this stage.
tie the gin pole sidestays to the front corner castings.
tie the trapeze wires to the front corner castings
tie the winch line (1/4" dacron) to the jib halyard with a clove hitch (do you trust your knots?) just above the jib halyard thimble. this keeps the thimble unobscured so the bridle can be attached after the mast is raised.

Crank it up! then attach the bridle to the jib stay.
i guess thats clear as pluff mud, but its very simple to do and... it works!

Hi! I'm a new comer to your forum, and I stumbled upon it looking for suggestions for one person mast stepping. Thank you guys for posting such detailed instructions! I can't wait to try it out and figure out what I can work with.
Also, has anyone tried one of those righting bags that fill with water so you can right the boat alone? I'm thinking of getting one but was hoping to hear some opinions first...
Thanks again!

Trash bag. Once you're ready to right the boat, fill the bag with water, hold it in your lap. Several guys do it.

http://www.catsailor.com/forums/sho... ;amp;page=0&fpart=3&vc=1

Perfect! And much gentler on the old wallet... Thanks!

Keep in mind that the Blades Pete is referring to weigh like half as much as your H-16, or something ridiculous like that. <img src=

alt=

/> I doubt a couple of gallons of water will do it for you. In other words, I'm recommending you forget the Alabama trash bag.....see if you can find a Texas-sized one!

Seriously, search this forum for righting and you'll see some other options. I have the large Murray's bag. It's an expensive PITA, but it works....every time!

Whatever system you choose to try, practice with it under controlled conditions with help available. Light wind is generally considered worst-case since, with proper technique, the wind helps you right. You need to be confident your system will work when you really need it!

I thought I'd bring this back TTT...

I have a 5k electric winch kicking around which I can chain to almost anything (I made an adjustable bracket for it). I was thinking about using this to step the mast on my H16 with the winch attached to the back of my truck. I have a spare motorcycle battery that would probably work fine to power it for this small 'lift'.

Anyone see any reason why this wouldn't work well, assuming I had the mast supported at the back with a 6' to 8' tripod to take some of the initial stress off?

I origanally bought this for my table saw as an out put stand. Now that I have too small of a garage to set up my saw I use this when I step the mast up or when I lay it down.

The roller makes it easy to move the mast to install the step pin at the base.

then it folds flat and fits in my trailer sail box.

At 59 and having to trailer it all the time, I normally go solo a few times a week. I also have to unhook my shrouds at the side chain plates along with the trapeze bungees in order to remove my mast from my trailer each time in order to get everything to fit in the garage. (Homeowners Association rules).

When I am setting up, I leave my boat tied down on the trailer and put ~5' tall tripod about 10' behind the back crossbar to support the mast before I pin the stepping hinge with a phillips screwdriver. Next I connect a 6' piece of rope to the hook on the end of trailer's winch strap and lay it and the hook on the tramp next to the mast base. After hooking up the shrouds, I raise the mast by standing on the tramp with one foot on the back crossbeam. When the mast gets up to about a 60 degree angle, I slide my left hand down closer to the bottom of the mast and pull back with it while pushing forward with my right hand. This allows me to guide the ball at the base of the mast properly into the mast step. After the mast is up all the way I lean into the mast with my shoulder and I reach down and pick up the 6' piece of rope (that is connected to the winch strap hook) and wrap the rope around the mast above a cleat I installed about ~5' up the side of the mast. Next I tie the end of the rope off to this cleat (on the side of the mast). With the mast securely upright, then I can use the winch to pull the mast forward a few inches so the shrouds are almost tight which is enough to connect the forestay to the chain plate. After that I uncrank the winch so the forestay is now holding up the mast and then disconnect the 6' rope from the cleat on the side of the mast and go from there.

To take the mast down, after I have pinned the stepping hinge, I tie the 6' rope around the mast above the cleat and connect it to the winch hook. Then using the trailer winch I crank it a turn or two to create slack in the forestay before removing the chain plate pin. I hold the mast upright with my shoulder while I untie the 6' rope and then lower the top of the mast onto the tripod. Since I have to remove the mast from the trailer when I get home, I disconnect the shrouds and bungee cords for the trapeze lines. Using 6 small bungee cords, I strap the shrouds, forestay, halyards and trapeze lines to the length of the mast. Next I unpin the stepping hinge and walk around to the middle of the mast and pick it up and walk it forward around the side of the tramp to support it on the Y post above the winch.