Stepping mast solo on P18 :: Catamaran Sailboats at TheBeachcats.com

Stepping mast solo on P18

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expoguy

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jul 10, 2017

Last visit: Aug 04, 2017

Posts: 25
Posted: Jul 29, 2017 - 11:03 AM

So I purchased a 1981 P18 and I am working on mast up storage. Until then I was wondering how I could raise the mast solo and thought someone here might have a method. Maybe a a standard manual boat winch ?
tstein

Rank: Lubber

Registered: Jul 30, 2012

Last visit: Dec 02, 2020

Posts: 61
Posted: Jul 29, 2017 - 01:58 PM

I had the same issue with my P-19 mast procedures. After numerous trips to Lowes, experimentation after experimentation and lot of head scratching I finally came across a brilliant product I found on this website. The dude's name is Jon and his email is joncom@juno.com. He sells a gin pole system that fits just about most beach cats and the beauty is in it's simplicity and ease of use. I opted to purchase just the gin pole assembly and not the rear support since I had already fabricated one from electrical conduit piping. He includes all hardware and easy instructions. After install and using the system now I can't imagine anything simpler and safer. Good luck, I give his product 2 thumbs up!

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Todd

Virginia
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klozhald

Rank: Chief

Registered: Apr 19, 2011

Last visit: Dec 10, 2024

Posts: 1461
Posted: Jul 29, 2017 - 03:47 PM

tsteinbrilliant product I found on this website.

Did he advertise on thebeachcats.com, or does he have a website?

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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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MN3

Rank: Master Chief

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Posts: 7090
Posted: Jul 30, 2017 - 08:43 AM

I have owned a gin pole - was a nice tool but doubled rig time (plus was a bear to set up)

Most of us "locals" solo step our 30 and 31' sticks all the time
the secret is to tow your boat "backwards"

this way when at the beach we simply pin the mast to the ball and the mast yoke is holding the mast with about 5' of space to get under it , put a foot on the back beam and walk it forward.

It does get a little tricky walking the forestay forward to secure it solo but can be done
pknapp66

Rank: Mate

Registered: May 09, 2009

Last visit: Aug 14, 2024

Posts: 686
Posted: Jul 30, 2017 - 08:55 AM

Getting the boat pointed a bit down hill really helps with standing the mast.

Pete

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Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20
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tnell

Rank: Mate

Registered: Apr 15, 2004

Last visit: Jan 13, 2023

Posts: 358
Posted: Jul 30, 2017 - 09:57 AM

If you somehow drop it, there goes your car. But I guess y'all do it this way all the time with no trouble.

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Tim
Collierville (Memphis), TN
Supercat 15--sold :(
Hobie monocat--given
Vanguard 15--traded for...
Nacra 4.5--sold
Nacra 5.7
Hobie 14–sold to make room for...
Supercat 17–sold
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MN3

Rank: Master Chief

Registered: Jun 20, 2006

Last visit: Dec 04, 2024

Posts: 7090
Posted: Jul 30, 2017 - 03:28 PM

tnellIf you somehow drop it, there goes your car. But I guess y'all do it this way all the time with no trouble.

you gotta ask your self ... "what's more important: sailing or a car?"

jk :)

if my pin snaps (never happened) or my mast base breaks (would still stay put) or a stay breaks ... i would simply push my mast a little to the side and it would miss my car

but you are right... added slight risk (i have car insurance)

I dropped my h18 mast once about 15 years ago ... learned a lot -

you can weld or bolt a 5' bar to your mast yoke and your car would be safe!

And if you look at my top pick, i have a telescoping yoke, that's only 1/2 way up... (makes it a lot easier)

i always get there early - beat most of the people/cars and leave room around my boat
I check, double check and tripple check everything, if someone is around i ask for help if i think i need it

then

to answer your comment above:

I have had a h18 mast hinge break on me, i have seen a supercat 17 ball fail and the mast fall, and i have seen a p16 drop a mast during stepping (and hit my boat) ...

but i have never seen someone hit their car with a mast in this config - but it is possible if your mast ball and pin system fails

Edited by MN3 on Jul 30, 2017 - 03:36 PM.
car_guy

Rank: Mate

Registered: Sep 25, 2010

Last visit: Oct 12, 2023

Posts: 180
Posted: Jul 30, 2017 - 09:10 PM

Years ago I took MN3 advice to put boat on trailer backwards and it is the only way... I did it more for setup time reduction but it does make throwing the mast up and down pretty easy. I think the trick is once you start raising mast stay committed and get it up quick.

For solo I have a block on quick shackle I put in bridle for raising solo, then I attach line to forstay and hold tight as I jump down and connect. Although lately I've just been asking a passer by to hold for stay while I jump down.
Dogboy

Rank: Mate

Registered: Mar 19, 2004

Last visit: Nov 21, 2024

Posts: 964
Posted: Jul 30, 2017 - 09:27 PM

I don't know about this business of holding the forestay and jumping down to pin the bridle or just tilting the boat bow down - this all sounds a bit sketchy to me. Anytime I have solo stepped my mast, I've used my main halyard as a temporary forestay. Add an extension piece to the end of the halyard and tie it either to the trailer, the forestay adjuster, or a bow tang. Then hoist the mast up and once it's up, pull all of the slack out of the halyard and cleat it off. Then jump down and pin the forestay to the bridle. It also helps to put a 5-6 foot ladder under the mast tang before raising or lowering the mast so you don't have to reach down so far (this is similar to trailering the boat backwards and using the mast stand as a crutch).

sm
MN3

Rank: Master Chief

Registered: Jun 20, 2006

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Posts: 7090
Posted: Jul 31, 2017 - 08:22 AM

QuoteI don't know about this business of holding the forestay and jumping down to pin the bridle or just tilting the boat bow down - this all sounds a bit sketchy to me.

it is - sketchy

we all have spins here, so we use the spin halyard tied to the turnbuckle ring above the furler or to a bow tang, Once the mast is up, just reach down and secure the cleat.

If i didn't have that rigged i would tie an extension to my forestay and reeve it through that same ring
if i had to I could ask anyone standing to simply hold the forestay for me as i step off the tramp

but as long as the mast is straight or preferably down hill a little -it is not hard to walk forward with the forestay in hand and get up front to tie it off - but it is nerve wracking and and the last option - i have done it many times, but glad i have a spin halyard reeved
JohnES

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Registered: Sep 01, 2002

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Posts: 797
Posted: Jul 31, 2017 - 08:55 AM

Attach your main-sheet to the front of your trailer... attach the other end to one of your forward trap lines.. Depending on you mainsheet, you may have to rig a pigtail. I always go with the starboard as the mast is rotated to favor this with the hinge set up. Lift the mast, tighten the main-sheet to hold the mast.. from there you can let go of everything and attach the forstay to the bridle wires... easy peasy... I do this all the time.. with my Prindle 18.

Edited by JohnES on Jul 31, 2017 - 12:02 PM.

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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FloridaRoadie

Rank: Mate

Registered: Jun 04, 2010

Last visit: Mar 14, 2019

Posts: 119
Posted: Jul 31, 2017 - 11:41 AM

Stepping a P18 mast is a pain in the ass. Why they designed it to be side step I do not understand. I have not trailered my P18 for the last 5 years. When I did I carried a 8 foot step ladder. I could not use the trailer mast yoke like MN3 because the mast is pinned on the side and the diamond wire is in the way. I had a measured line I would use to place the stepladder behind the rear crossbar. I would rest the mast just above the diamond wires on the stepladder then go to foot of the mast rotate it 90 degrees and pin the mast hoping the other end did not slide off the stepladder (it came close a few times). Once rotated and pinned the mast was just high enough the diamond wire was not touching the rear cross bar. I would then find someone to help me lift the mast. You do not have much leverage when the mast is just above your knees and you can not get under it because of the diamond wire. That is why I keep it at the club in mast up storage. If I had not found the mast up storage I would have gone with the gin pole by the guy listed above.

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Prindle 18 w/ wings, Prindle 16, Prindle 15, current
Hobie 16 in rebuild
2 Hobie 18 past
NACRA 5.2 past

Saint Cloud, Florida
member Lake Eustis Sail Club
http://www.lakeeustissailingclub.org
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JohnES

Rank: Mate

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Posted: Jul 31, 2017 - 12:04 PM

FloridaRoadieStepping a P18 mast is a pain in the ass.

I guess after you do 1000 times you just get use to it....

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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Dogboy

Rank: Mate

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Posts: 964
Posted: Jul 31, 2017 - 12:32 PM

If you step your mast with the boat on the ground (rather than on the trailer), things are easier because since the boat is lower, the person (or step ladder) holding the top of the mast put the mast at a higher angle relative to horizontal. So you don't have to bend down as far to pick up the mast and you don't have to lift it through as great an arc. You can also place your beach wheels under the rear crossbar so that the boat has a bow-down position which makes it easier to hold the mast up once it's been raised (as recommended in a prior post).

sm
MN3

Rank: Master Chief

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Posted: Jul 31, 2017 - 01:51 PM

for sure but dealing with the un-stepped mast and boat is a huge PITA too - unless you have a helper... and if you have a helper ... you don't need to do that anyway

QuoteIf you step your mast with the boat on the ground (rather than on the trailer), things are easier

Edited by MN3 on Jul 31, 2017 - 01:51 PM.
MN3

Rank: Master Chief

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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 - 10:57 AM

Here is an old video of my buddy ray dropping his mast with the sterns facing the car
he had just released his spin halyard that was tied off to the furler (that was holding the mast in place)
https://youtu.be/iEHWujFuDsQ
tnell

Rank: Mate

Registered: Apr 15, 2004

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Posts: 358
Posted: Aug 01, 2017 - 11:32 AM

When you said "dropping", I was expecting some spectacular failure! Well I'm glad it was uneventful anyway!

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Tim
Collierville (Memphis), TN
Supercat 15--sold :(
Hobie monocat--given
Vanguard 15--traded for...
Nacra 4.5--sold
Nacra 5.7
Hobie 14–sold to make room for...
Supercat 17–sold
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MN3

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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 - 01:08 PM

tnellWhen you said "dropping", I was expecting some spectacular failure! Well I'm glad it was uneventful anyway!

haha - i guess i should have said "lowering"

I always call it "breaking down" a boat to drive home - i probably should call it tearing down
FloridaRoadie

Rank: Mate

Registered: Jun 04, 2010

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Posted: Aug 01, 2017 - 04:41 PM

I should have read Tim's post before viewing the video. I was thinking crushed roof. MN3 you got me on that one.

--
Prindle 18 w/ wings, Prindle 16, Prindle 15, current
Hobie 16 in rebuild
2 Hobie 18 past
NACRA 5.2 past

Saint Cloud, Florida
member Lake Eustis Sail Club
http://www.lakeeustissailingclub.org
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MN3

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Posted: Aug 02, 2017 - 08:08 AM

QuoteMN3 you got me on that one.