I need to weld up a new, taller front mast support on my trailer to accomodate the higher roof of our new minivan. While i'm at it (and since my wife's not real crazy about stepping masts), i'm thinking of designing it to be adjustable in height and adding a small winch for mast stepping by myself. Looked at various designs in Hobie catalogue for ideas and decided on single pole (mast support) with winch at waist level and a pulley near the top. Also a lateral retaining bar between the support and the front crossbeam to prevent movement of the cat on the trailer. I think a seven foot height should be OK? Anyone have any suggestions on this from past experience?
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Jason Kasper
2000 Mystère 5.0XL
Lake St Francis (St Lawrence River)
Lancaster, Ontario, Canada
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Trailer modification for solo mast stepping
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 07:08 AM
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 08:06 AM
do you trailer backwards?
my friend just created a telescoping mast yoke that extends up to about 7'
could have some improvements (bearings on the track to smooth up the motion) but works well -
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 08:25 AM
I did what you have in mind. I have a 15' Super Cat on trailer. My mast support is made of 2" box tubing. 1-1/2 Uni strut will sleeve right into the box tubing.Uni strut is available at Home Depot, or an electrical supply house. It's also called Super strut or Kindorf. The channel in the Uni strut gave me a place to run the rigging so I could hoist the Uni strut up so the top ends up about 10-0 off the ground.
I fixed a pulley at the bottom of the Uni strut inside the channel.This required modification of the pulley so it fit inside the profile of the Uni strut. There is a sheave at the top of the box tubing on the back side.It functions like an exit block. A line dead ties to the top of the Uni strut, goes down and around the pulley at the bottom, back up over the top sheave, and down to a cleat on the box tubing. I used those zinc plated pulleys available at the hardware store. There is about 18" of Uni strut inside the box tubing at full extension.
I used a trailer keel roller as a pulley at the top to accommodate the strap winch existing on the trailer. I have a removable rear mast support aft of the rear crossbeam that has the mast at about 6-0 off the ground at the back of the trailer. The higher the better here. I might make an adjustable rear support to push the mast higher.
I keep the stern straps tight while stepping and unstepping. This is critical. Otherwise the boat comes ass over on top of you.
I hook the front straps to the eyes in the trap wires to stop side to side motion of the mast. I run a bridle up the mast on the main halyard tied to the Aussie ring. It locks into the Aussie hook at the mast head. With the legs of the bridle led outside of everything I tie them to the hook on the winch strap which is run over the keel roller. It cranks right up single handed.
I have yet to be able to post pics on this site. I hope this description helps. I hate to throw this next line in,but.
Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only. You raise and lower your mast, by whatever method, at your own risk.
Good luck,GH
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 08:36 AM
Your photo must reside somewhere on the Web, you cannot post it directly from your computer.
Your solution, with pics would probably be of great value to many trailer sailors. You should create an "album" here, under Technical Help, save people from reinventing the wheel so to speak.
You can upload the pics directly from your computer to the album.
Here is the intel to create an album.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…ms/pictures-in-forum-faq
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 09:15 AM
Yes, and it's this process that has me throttling my monitor.
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 04:13 PM
Where does the process fall down for you? I can try and improve the instructions.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 04:58 PM
It is most likely operator error on my part. If I can get some decent pictures of my rig I will post them in some fashion, probably Photo bucket. Thanks GH
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 05:58 PM
You are almost there! I see you've created the album, now just needs pictures and descriptions.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…ctures/?g2_itemId=103389
It really helps other sailors if you create a Technical album, those are a lot easier to find in the future than a forum post and PhotBucket pictures. Often I'm looking at an old forum post and the PhotoBucket or ImageShack etc. photos are no longer available.
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 07:15 PM
I do not get it. Just step the mast and use the main halyard to hold it until you can get off and hook up the bridle. No funky pole, no winch. It helps if you back up a hill but still not a big deal. Find an old ladder and use it to hold the mast before you toss it up. JMHO, YMMV, Richard.
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Lake Perry KS
H-18
N-5.5 UNI +spin
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Posted: Jul 24, 2013 - 11:43 PM
All you need to do now is take the photos, & put them onto your computer, or plug the camers into the comouter, so it shows up as a removable drive.
Log in & go to your album. See on the left margin "ADD ITEMS".
Click on that & you will be directed to the proper page. On the box where it says "BROWSE", click the button, then navigate to whatever folder you have the photos in. Left Click the photo you want,(it will fill in what it needs).
Next type a description of what you are showing in the photo in the "CAPTION" box.
You can repeat this with several photos.
Finally, click on "ADD ITEMS", at the bottom. Voila, it will grind away & your album will be complete. As Damon said, it's better to have the photos here, there are tons of links around to photobucket etc, but the person has deleted them, or closed the account, so the link no longer works.
Edited by Edchris177 on Jul 24, 2013 - 11:47 PM.
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Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
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Posted: Jul 25, 2013 - 08:40 AM
can you set up a drop box, or ftp account for people to upload to?
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Posted: Jul 25, 2013 - 09:04 AM
I have gone that route. I can do it. I just don't like it. My rig lets me step single handed, in crowded boat ramp parking lots, with minimal hernia inducing strain. The rear mast support duplicates the ladder without the ladder.
If you like to step your mast in the traditional method why did you respond to this thread? The original poster asked how people had modified their trailers.
Thanks to all for advice on how to post pics. I fear this thread is veering off course. Let's get back to the original posters topic. GH
ps: I got some pics up in the album section. The captions hit a 404 error.
Edited by gahamby on Jul 25, 2013 - 09:59 AM.
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Jul 25, 2013 - 09:23 AM
+1
Thank you gahamby
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Philip
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Posted: Jul 25, 2013 - 10:14 AM
[quote=gahamby]
The pictures and descriptions so far are excellent.
If you haven't noticed it, when looking at your album
http://www.thebeachcats.c…ctures/?g2_itemId=103389
You will see a link in the left menu "Edit Captions" that brings up a page where you can edit all the text for all the pictures at once, with a thumbnail (and mouse over enlargements) for each photo in your album.
That way you can use the bulk upload option, then edit all the titles, summaries, and descriptions at once.
Thanks for taking the time!
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Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
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Posted: Jul 25, 2013 - 10:42 AM
Thanks for your input, gahamby. I like the idea of the rear mast support. I may do that too but it will be a bit tricky due to the short length of the trailer and the fact my Mystere sits far back on it because of its keeled hulls (rear crossbeam is aft of the back of the trailer). I'll see what i can do. Beats messing with a ladder for sure. One change i would make though is to have a much longer support leg for the post to eliminate strain/flexing.My wife will sure be happy if she never has to help step that 30' mast again!
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Jason Kasper
2000 Mystère 5.0XL
Lake St Francis (St Lawrence River)
Lancaster, Ontario, Canada
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Posted: Jul 25, 2013 - 11:02 AM
here are some images of this
i have circled the weld weld point & x'd out the custom jack stand that isn't part of the step system
he wanted me to point out this was mk1 - and has much room for refinement .. but it was successful in it's first few uses.
Edited by MN3 on Jul 25, 2013 - 11:09 AM. -
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Posted: Jul 25, 2013 - 02:04 PM
Does it go up on an old traveler track? I dig the decked over trailer. Is that full length? Is that a bows pointed backwards rig?
As to the rear support; How far back would you have to cantilever? This would be a great excuse to buy one of those Little Giant stepladders that fold up nice and small. In regard to the taller front support, do you have to store the mast on top for travel? I noticed with the rear support on my rig I could travel the mast base down low by the winch and save a step. That puts the head of the mast well above car height but increases my towed vehicle length.
Edited by gahamby on Jul 25, 2013 - 02:16 PM.
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'82 Super Cat 15
Hull #315
Virginia
Previously owned: '70 H14, '79 H16, '68 Sailmaster 26, '85 H14T
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Posted: Jul 25, 2013 - 03:25 PM
- no, he welded some alum into the shape of a travler and put it on an old travler track (most of us would use an old travler, but he got skillz)
- I love that trailer (and boat) all custom - full length? idk, it's a 20' cat
yup - most of us "locals" trailer this way to help with solo stepping. He has a bad back and wanted an easier way ...
wheel on top so the mast rolls as it lifts- all the force is straight down ... i am sure he overbuilt that base by a huge margin
he built custom wings that are folded in. he has some gimick to tie the wings/mast together for travel. There is a front support to keep the mast level & out of the spinnaker pole/bag -
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Posted: Jul 26, 2013 - 10:21 AM
Maybe i'm missing something here, but how would trailering your cat backwards make mast stepping easier?
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Jason Kasper
2000 Mystère 5.0XL
Lake St Francis (St Lawrence River)
Lancaster, Ontario, Canada
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Posted: Jul 26, 2013 - 03:45 PM
Because you can use the from mast rack on your trailer to hold your mast at a much higher starting angle so when you lift it the rest of the way you do not have start from the bottom.
I would do this for mine but I don't have a rear mast stand and with the boat backwards there is no rear beam in the right place for the tail of my mast to sit.
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Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association
1982 Prindle 18
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