My 2 cats are kept in a sailing club yard with mast-up storage. I intend to leave them at the lake over the winter months on their trailers and I still have the mast stepped on both boats. Is it best practice to lower the masts over the winter? If I leave them up, should I tie a line from the bridles to the front of the trailers and remove the "slop" from the rigs? Just curious what others have found works best over the years...
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Tim Gibson
1982 Hobie 16 Carumba Sails
1980 Hobie 14 Cat Fever Sails (SOLD)
Memphis, TN
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Rig tension in mast-up storage
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Posted: Oct 12, 2022 - 03:19 PM
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Posted: Oct 13, 2022 - 07:08 AM
Hey, Tim!
While not as gung-ho as I used to be, I still try to get out in the winter sometimes. We get some 70-degree days, and the wind is generally better in winter than summer. I especially enjoy taking the H14 out in the big winter wind...easy to right and less liabilities. Of course, you would need some cold weather gear.
Even a bare stick catches a lot of wind. At our club during a storm, masts will be flopping all over the place, some violently. When leaving the mast up on the H16, I ALWAYS attach the jib sheet to the bridle and crank it hard to tighten the rig. I suppose you could do the same on the H14 with the mast rake line if you have one. Otherwise, I'd recommend you run a line from the bridle back to the main beam or whatever and tighten it as much as possible.
If winter sailing is absolutely out of the question, best practice would indeed be to drop the masts. Then you can rest easier while dreaming of sailing in warmer weather!
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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16
Clinton, Mississippi
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Posted: Oct 13, 2022 - 08:48 AM
If you're not sailing during the /winter months, take the mast down. If for no other reason, you want to check out what's going on up there and eliminate something that could ruin your day. Before you step the mast in the Spring, you can spray the sheaves and check the wear on the teflon/nylon rotator bearing.
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Bill Townsend
G-Cat 5.0
Sarasota
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Posted: Oct 13, 2022 - 10:00 AM
Thanks Jerome & Bill!! Makes perfect sense. I did get out and sail last December on a 70 degree day but I'm afraid the water level @ Arkabutla will be too low to trailer launch over the winter so it might make sense to go ahead and drop the mast(s). Bill is also correct that it will give a chance to inspect and lubricate the mast in the Spring (Lord knows there's probably still Florida mud and sand in my sheave). Thanks again for your input
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Tim Gibson
1982 Hobie 16 Carumba Sails
1980 Hobie 14 Cat Fever Sails (SOLD)
Memphis, TN
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Posted: Oct 16, 2022 - 08:56 PM
If you’re not going to use the boat, take the mast down!
It takes very little effort, & saves the rigging, & the attachment points.
Remember, metal suffers from fatigue. It’s difficult to secure the mast so that it never moves, & even if you can, the shrouds are still subject to oscillating loads.
This creates fatigue in metal parts, which is detrimental to useful life.
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Posted: Oct 17, 2022 - 10:06 AM
Thanks Ed! You guys have me convinced to take down the masts for the winter.
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Tim Gibson
1982 Hobie 16 Carumba Sails
1980 Hobie 14 Cat Fever Sails (SOLD)
Memphis, TN
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Posted: Oct 17, 2022 - 04:40 PM
When I had my boat stored mast up, I left it up year round. In Texas, we can have 80 degree days in December/January so it made sense. Yes, it only takes 20-30 minutes to rig it, but with small kids and a small window of opportunity, I needed every 10 minutes I had. I would agree to drop the mast and take a look at all the rigging. I would pull everything off the mast and look over everything well. Look at tarping the boat also to keep the elements off the trampoline and running rigging.
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Scott
Prindle Fleet 2
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