I have always trailered my boats (Hobie 16s) quite a bit from event to event and often wondered if all the bouncing and pounding down the highway would eventually damage the mast. No one I know ever had a problem. Now with my Nacra 5.0, which for convenience trailer with the mast on it's side, I notice that even with just mast sag from gravity (parked) the diamond wire on the bottom is under tension while the upper is slack. The bottom diamond wire is obviously taking a nice jerk with every bump in the road.
I'm planning to build a new mast cradle for the rear crossbar which will accommodate the mast orientation of my choice. Is it better to trailer with the mast luff track up or luff track down?
When trailering a mast with diamond wires do folks generally leave them connected or disconnect them?
Thanks In Advance
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Hobie 16 (3 formerly)
MacGregor 25 (formerly)
Chrysler Dagger 14 (formerly)
NACRA 5.0 (currently)
High Point, NC
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Mast Orientation For Trailering
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Posted: Apr 05, 2016 - 03:14 PM
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Posted: Apr 05, 2016 - 03:55 PM
I leave all the wires connected and turn it on its back. I wouldnt want the luff track to hit something on the support and pinch it off if it was facing down. On my 18 I run the mast with the base forward and have it so that it's supported right behind the spreaders. This makes the mast tip basically not stick out behind the boat at all. The rear beam is basically not having to support any weight at all since the mast is almost balanced off the front support. I use an old trailer tire sitting around the traveler cleat to support the back. -
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Posted: Apr 06, 2016 - 08:50 AM
I do pretty much the same. It usually rotates about 30° after a few miles driving, I can't keep the spreaders "horizontal", but I don't care much. It depends on the shape of the mast support, if it doesn't block rotation you can hardly keep it where you want, unless you are really good at tying. For winter storage I prefer luff track down to keep the track cleaner, but for transportation I prefer to protect the track. -
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Posted: Apr 06, 2016 - 08:51 AM
I do pretty much the same. It usually rotates about 30° after a few miles driving, I can't keep the spreaders "horizontal", but I don't care much. It depends on the shape of the mast support, if it doesn't block rotation you can hardly keep it where you want, unless you are really good at tying. For winter storage I prefer luff track down to keep the track cleaner, but for transportation I prefer to protect the track. -
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Posted: Apr 06, 2016 - 09:13 AM
Laying the mast on it's back seems like a lot of work for very little threat. The track if very strong and the mast is light, I wouldn't be worried about it pinching if you have it supported properly. I like to trailer the boat backwards on the trailer with all rigging coiled on tramp. This greatly reduces time to raise the mast, especially if you're alone.
I wouldn't trailer it with mast on side though, I was given a free H18 mast once and the guy had it tied up to his barn on it's side, when we took it down it had put a bend in the mast... it had been there for years tho.
Edited by car_guy on Apr 06, 2016 - 09:21 AM. -
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Posted: Apr 06, 2016 - 02:58 PM
I use 2 foam yoga blocks. They are cheap if you do not get them at a specialty yoga store. Carve outline of the mast roughly into them(They shape super easy). One sits on the mast support, one sits on the the rear cross beam. They are pretty durable. It helps keep your mast in the position that you want and adds some shock absorbing qualities. It also solves the issue of keeping it off the tiller cross bar if you need a cheap fix for that issue. -
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Posted: Apr 06, 2016 - 03:06 PM
I like that idea for the trailer mast support. I was just using some carpet on the metal support. I might try that block of foam idea myself. -
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Posted: Apr 07, 2016 - 11:38 AM
Thanks everyone for all the input.
I really like the idea of trailering with the luff track down for the purpose of minimizing the amount of dirt that accumulates there. With that said, my intention is to cook up a rear crossbar cradle based on this bow vee stop:
http://shoreline-marinedevelopment.com/products-poly3inchbowstop
It fits the mast almost perfectly from the luff track side. I'll use the same stop on the front mast support and post a few photos of the setup when it's complete.
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Hobie 16 (3 formerly)
MacGregor 25 (formerly)
Chrysler Dagger 14 (formerly)
NACRA 5.0 (currently)
High Point, NC
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Posted: Apr 15, 2016 - 04:11 PM
If you lay your mast on it's side, it is going to get bent while trailering, unless you have three supports. If it has diamond stays, you are stressing out the cables as if you are sailing. You should put the luff track up or down, based on how you trailer. Store it this way also.
There are picture here of a rear cradle that swings out of the way for launching.
http://www.thebeachcats.c…pictures?g2_itemId=90998
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Sheet In!
Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Posted: Apr 18, 2016 - 02:52 PM
How about building a frame of angle iron (padded of course) that would rest on the sides of the tramp frame and raise the mast up several inches off the back frame, but also have a longer V-style support to strap the mast to? By longer I mean say a 3"-4" piece of angle iron that could be maybe 2 feet long running back to front. So when you strap the mast to it, you'll strap it at the front tip of the angle iron and at the back tip, essentially giving you 2 feet of additional support instead of 2" with it resting on the back tramp crossbar and tiller handle?
I'll see if I can work up a drawing in vizio to demonstrate...
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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
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Posted: May 13, 2016 - 09:35 AM
Here is what I came up with:
Here is the v block:
http://shoreline-marinedevelopment.com/products-poly3inchbowstop
The aluminum angle is 1/8 X 2 X 2 inch, 6061. The white blocks are UHMW, 1 X 1 X 7 inch.
Edited by leeboweffect on May 13, 2016 - 10:44 AM.
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Hobie 16 (3 formerly)
MacGregor 25 (formerly)
Chrysler Dagger 14 (formerly)
NACRA 5.0 (currently)
High Point, NC
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Posted: May 13, 2016 - 11:01 AM
looks good but what this from popping off the track when you hit a pothole (or go too fast over a speedbump? (or sliding side to side) - I would tie it down to that eyestrap at the very least
I would also strongly suggest you don't use bungee to secure a mast (or hull to trailer) - these are not safe against any real forces and degrade with UV and use.
Story time: back in my early days of sailing beachcats ... I was driving home after a sail on Davis Island (rich part of tampa) and had the upper mast secured to my mast yoke (trailer) with bungee. the top of my mast touched and got tangled on some low hanging tree branches, broke the bungee and swung off the trailer (but was still tied at the front beam). The mast swung into a parked car and hit the driver window (with expected results). had this swung the other way, it would have speared oncoming traffic (with potentially deadly results).
that exact deadly scenario happened to someone leaving our causeway. On the drawbdridge - they had a mast break free in the same manor (bungee broke, mast swung off the yoke) but this time it was into oncoming traffic, and killed the other driver.
Real, strong and new line should be used to secure boats and anything that can potentially be a hazard to other drivers (imho)
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Posted: May 13, 2016 - 11:09 AM
Correct MN3, prior to hitting the road my plan is to secure the base with bungees and line to the crossbar. I was in a hurry fighting an approaching shower last evening when I shot the photos so I didn't have time to add all that.
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Hobie 16 (3 formerly)
MacGregor 25 (formerly)
Chrysler Dagger 14 (formerly)
NACRA 5.0 (currently)
High Point, NC
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Posted: May 13, 2016 - 12:05 PM
cool beans!
I like to share these little tips / stories so other people who read them may benefit from mystupidityexperiences
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Posted: Aug 04, 2017 - 05:41 PM
Wonder if person using yoga blocks could show pictures or describe how he secured rear yoga block?
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Dave R.
Grand Haven, MI
'84 Prindle 16
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Posted: Aug 04, 2017 - 05:59 PM
Suh-weet build, leeboweffect!
Nice, wide weight dispersal on your crossbar.
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Bob
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Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Posted: Aug 04, 2017 - 09:36 PM
The key seems to be to 1.) keep the mast on the trailer and 2.) avoid point-loading the luff track... I was prowling Ebay and found a steel prop that supports the sides of the mast and slots into the rear traveler track of my H18. I haven't seen a simpler system... I'll try to find a picture.
I trailer with the boat pointed forward, the luff groove pointed down, and an 8' ladder strapped to the trailer with a large-diameter roller permanently fastened to the top step of the ladder. Deploy the ladder at the launch, lift the mast onto the roller, and walk between the car and the boat to roll the mast back until the stepping pin can be inserted... no rolling of the mast on its axis to make a mess of the shrouds or tramp lines.
I use silicon bungees that are purported to be 'unbreakable' but a rope safety is probably a good idea.
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Posted: Aug 04, 2017 - 11:14 PM
I have a plastic adjustable thing called a "mast caddie" that attaches to the rear crossbar but it's a pain in the butt because it and the tiller crossbar fight for the same space. I decided the other day to just use an old life vest between the mast and the rear crossbar and that works fine.
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Marty
1984 Hobie 16 Redline Yellow Nationals, "Yellow Fever"
Opelika, Al / Lake Martin
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Posted: Aug 07, 2017 - 02:40 PM
Thanks!
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Hobie 16 (3 formerly)
MacGregor 25 (formerly)
Chrysler Dagger 14 (formerly)
NACRA 5.0 (currently)
High Point, NC
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Posted: Aug 07, 2017 - 02:42 PM
At some point I plan to also incorporate a brace between the mast ball and mast to further reduce bouncing when going down the road.
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Hobie 16 (3 formerly)
MacGregor 25 (formerly)
Chrysler Dagger 14 (formerly)
NACRA 5.0 (currently)
High Point, NC
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