Similar to Dogboy's method, you can also do it solo. Get an electric winch w/ remote for under $90 at Harbor Freight. Attach it to your trailer and hook up the trap lines to the winch. Slide the mast back, pin it, and then place the end of the mast on a 6-8' ladder to get it above tramp level. Climb aboard, grab the remote, and start winching, guiding the mast up. Once it's up, use the winch pressure to hold the mast while you hop down and pin the forestay.
Edited by timinaustin on Nov 14, 2014 - 10:45 AM.
--
Tim
81 Hobie 16
87 Nacra 5.7
Austin, TX
--
Solo sailing a Hobie.
-
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Apr 24, 2014
- Last visit: Apr 09, 2017
- Posts: 98
Posted: Nov 14, 2014 - 10:41 AM
-
- Rank: Master Chief
- Registered: Jun 20, 2006
- Last visit: May 22, 2024
- Posts: 7089
Posted: Nov 14, 2014 - 12:07 PM
I hate my at Harbor Freight winch. it sucks
it craps out (probably thermal shutdown) after 10' of line is retracted
worthless- do yourself a favor and go with a better quality brand/ store - -
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Oct 09, 2014
- Last visit: Dec 31, 2014
- Posts: 45
Posted: Nov 14, 2014 - 12:44 PM
I've been reading about electric winches and the concern for me is power. My trailer power connection is just the 4 in a line type. It was installed by the dealer. So, I honestly don't know what capacity that connection has in terms of amperage. If I add the smallest capability electric winch, will I need to add another set of wires to power it? -
- Rank: Administrator
- Registered: Jul 19, 2001
- Last visit: Nov 15, 2024
- Posts: 3446
Posted: Nov 14, 2014 - 01:05 PM
Absolutely! You'd either want to run the largest gauge power wire you could route directly to the car battery, plus a fuse, or some people carry a separate 12 volt battery in a box on the trailer to power the winch.
The stock wires for the trailer lights have just barely enough power for lights. In fact I use a powered converter for the trailer lights that provides more amps for the lights, which is important if you have a lot of lights on your trailer like four side lights plus rear and center. The stock four plug or non-powered plugs draw power from your tail lights and will sometimes short them out or cause the vehicle lights to dim when the trailer lights are on.
Example of powered trailer light module.
http://www.amazon.com/Val…-Converter/dp/B001KNS8ZA
--
Damon Linkous
1992 Hobie 18
Memphis, TN
How To Create Your Signature
How To Create Your Own Cool Avatar
How To Display Pictures In The Forums.
-- -
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Oct 09, 2014
- Last visit: Dec 31, 2014
- Posts: 45
Posted: Nov 14, 2014 - 03:23 PM
Battery in a box could work. I have a charger at home that I could use to recharge it. -
**unknown user**
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Jan 01, 2024
- Last visit: Sep 11, 2024
- Posts: 32
Posted: Nov 14, 2014 - 07:26 PM
Thanks for the advice guys! I like both options. Dogboy, I get what you're saying. It's easier if someones around to help me with this. It's definitly easier to install a winch on my existing trailer to assist in raising the mast. Thank you.
Dave, I definitely will email you. I'm interested in seeing what you have on solo mast stepping. Thanks again! -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Jul 20, 2011
- Last visit: Apr 07, 2019
- Posts: 323
Posted: Nov 14, 2014 - 07:30 PM
If you have the space and time, nothing is easier than this :
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DO4RxwvjKtM
--
Tim Grover
1996 Hobie Miracle 20
Two Hobie 14's
1983 G-Cat Restored
Memphis TN / North Mississippi
-- -
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Sep 15, 2014
- Last visit: Nov 18, 2019
- Posts: 14
Posted: Nov 17, 2014 - 11:23 AM
Dogboy, that's fine when you have someone with you, but when you are alone raising the mast can be a pain.
I made me a triangular mechanism that sits on the trailer right against a couple of the frame bolts that is a little over 6' tall. I run the forestay across the top of it, then hook it to my winch on my mast support of the trailer. I can raise the mast solely with the pole up, the problem is controlling the sway of the mast. I usually have one of my kids on the boat to handle the sway while I raise the mast with the winch. It works well. But I have figured out it's better to raise it with the jib halyard attached to the winch that way the forestay can be easily attached to the bridle while the winch and halyard keep tension on the rig.
--
Carl S
1985 Hobie 16 the kids call her "Queso"
Baytown, TX Sea Scout Ship 208 "Red Skies Ship 208" on facebook
Nacra, Dolphin, Capri, Sunfish, MacGregor 26x, these are a few of the boats we sail
-- -
**unknown user**
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Jan 01, 2024
- Last visit: Sep 11, 2024
- Posts: 32
Posted: Nov 17, 2014 - 12:39 PM
Hey Carl, my concern with using the jib halyard is that it is cable attached to a line. Is this not the week point? I get what you are saying, the forestay is easy to hook up this way since it is loose. Is this ok because you use the 6' triangular mechanism which takes a lot of strain out of the lift process? What type of tripod mechanism do you have and price? Any pictures? -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Sep 29, 2012
- Last visit: Jan 10, 2018
- Posts: 441
Posted: Nov 17, 2014 - 04:36 PM
http://www.thebeachcats.c…pictures?g2_itemId=53380
This is an early solo mast step rig I built for my H16, I continue to use the same basic concept to this day, using strong flat rubber bungees attached to the trap wires to provide forward tension to hold the mast up. On some of my rigs, I use the forward mast holder as my gin-pole but add back-stays to provide stability, even when I trailer the boat backwards, the same concept applies except I now step the mast using man-power instead of a winch. 2 flat rubber bungees attached to the thimble on the bottom of each of the trap-wires and pulled forward and attached to some point on the trailer with as much forward tension as possible. Raise the mast, step off and pin forestay, there is a point when raising the mast that the bungees are stretched almost max, creating a little resistance but once past that point they help pull the mast vertical and keep it there while I attach forestay.
HTH -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Dec 01, 2011
- Last visit: Nov 02, 2016
- Posts: 165
Posted: Nov 17, 2014 - 07:16 PM
This is what I use as well. I've tried double bungees, but they would not provide enough tension. One issue with flat rubber bungee -- it can break without warning. My new upgrade will be replacing the rubber with a set of 4-6x regular bungees in parallel. See how this goes.
This is my setup, as well as discussion on the same topic:
http://www.hobiecat.com/f…hp?f=23&t=51335&start=15
--
Jack B
Hobie 17
BC, Canada
-- -
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Sep 15, 2014
- Last visit: Nov 18, 2019
- Posts: 14
Posted: Nov 18, 2014 - 10:50 AM
The triangular mechanism I built is just a couple of chain link fence top rails welded to a piece of angle iron and with another small piece of angle iron welded in at the top where the two poles come together to form a V for the forestay/halyard to ride in.
The bottom angle iron piece is probably around 4 feet wide with the fence posts angle grinded and welded one on each end of the angle, then welded together at the top with the small 1.5" piece of angle iron holding it together. It is a very crude design that I just threw together with stuff I had laying around the house to try to make something work. I've only used it a couple of times when I had my younger kids with me. But it supports the full weight of the mast for the lifting and if I had a way to keep it from swaying side to side (I like the bungee idea and will try that this year) I could solo raise the mast. The triangular mechanism isn't fastened down, so as you start winching and lifting the mast, the triangle actually tilts forward with the pressure from the cable and once you have your tension on it with the mast up, will typically fall down. Allowing it to tilt as the mast raises keeps it from damaging the insulation on the cable.
I am able to raise the mast myself by just pinning it at the base and picking it up from the back of the tramp, rest it on my knees, then scoop it up and step it up the rest of the way. The problem there is getting the forestay pinned if you don't have someone there to assist. I've heard of another way of doing it, which is to attach a pulley to the bridle rig, attach a rope to the halyard or forestay and run it through the pulley and back to one of the jib cleats and through, then maybe clip it on your waste. Then step the mast and keep one hand up supporting the mast while you use your other hand to pull the rope through the cleat and lock it down to hold the mast up. Then you can go pin the forestay. I have the stuff to do this, but haven't tried it yet either as I've always had one of my kids with me to sail.
--
Carl S
1985 Hobie 16 the kids call her "Queso"
Baytown, TX Sea Scout Ship 208 "Red Skies Ship 208" on facebook
Nacra, Dolphin, Capri, Sunfish, MacGregor 26x, these are a few of the boats we sail
-- -
**unknown user**
- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Jan 01, 2024
- Last visit: Sep 11, 2024
- Posts: 32
Posted: Nov 18, 2014 - 02:53 PM
Thanks Carl. I used that jib cleat method by myself and yes, it works fine. I can step the mast myself by picking it up too but I just wanted a way to make it safer for me and anyone near.
