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Ensign Sailing Forum

unstepped mast advice
Author Last Post
10/29/2018 6:54 PM
Vic, Christian, very  good advice and much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time,
10/28/2018 5:23 PM
Fwiw, we have no problems in accessing the boat for interior work during the winter, with the second system. They each leave the same clearances. Though the first do leave the fore and aft decks clear, those are areas we don't find a need to work on during the winter.

    I concur with Vic re trailering and any above-decks mast support during trailering. If not on the trailer, I would just put down padding and lash it to the deck.

    Btw, a critical matter with a tarp over a mast is the need for padding on any of the fitting areas that would chafe. The easiest and best we have found, is rubber-backed door mats or auto floor covers, tied on with bungees, light line, sail ties, etc.

        Best, Christian, Watercolors #170

On 10/28/2018 1:38 PM, Ensign Sailing Forum wrote:
Thanks Christian.  either way would appear to work fine and it sounds like the 1st would allow me better access to the interior if I wanted to fiddle around before Spring.

That said, I didn't phrase the question very clearly. Ideally I would like a set up that would do double duty and could act like a crutch to secure the mast when the boat is being trailered as well as acting as a ridge pole for winter tenting.  I've seen some setups that would  work but are secured down to the trailer frame rather than to the deck and the boat will be stored on stands. Has anyone got a rig like this they could share some ideas for?


10/28/2018 1:48 PM
John,

If you live in an area where it snows, I would recommend against a dual use support system. The winter supports need to be high enough to create a steep enough angle to shed snow, and these would be too high, or at least inconvenient, for travel supports.

Vic Robert's
#2032


On October 28, 2018 10:38:55 AM "Ensign Sailing Forum" <ensignsailing@ensignclass.com> wrote:

Thanks Christian.  either way would appear to work fine and it sounds like the 1st would allow me better access to the interior if I wanted to fiddle around before Spring.

That said, I didn't phrase the question very clearly. Ideally I would like a set up that would do double duty and could act like a crutch to secure the mast when the boat is being trailered as well as acting as a ridge pole for winter tenting.  I've seen some setups that would  work but are secured down to the trailer frame rather than to the deck and the boat will be stored on stands. Has anyone got a rig like this they could share some ideas for?
10/28/2018 1:29 PM
Thanks Christian.  either way would appear to work fine and it sounds like the 1st would allow me better access to the interior if I wanted to fiddle around before Spring.

That said, I didn't phrase the question very clearly. Ideally I would like a set up that would do double duty and could act like a crutch to secure the mast when the boat is being trailered as well as acting as a ridge pole for winter tenting.  I've seen some setups that would  work but are secured down to the trailer frame rather than to the deck and the boat will be stored on stands. Has anyone got a rig like this they could share some ideas for?
10/27/2018 1:38 PM
I posted a line sketch one before, don't have it at hand nor have time at the moment, sorry. But at Saratoga Lake there are two approaches, with many variations on the most common, and my partner and I came at long last to a good solution.

    So the most involved, used by maybe 1/4 of the boats, is a big wooden X at bow and stern, resting on the ground. It's more an inverted V in appearance, as the upper part above the crossing point is only 6 - 10", to cradle the mast. The crossing point is fastened by a single through-bolt. Those at our club are made of 2x6s, but 2x4s would be more than adequate.

    The legs are braced by diagonals that go to the ground; on the the bow structure, braced toward the stern, and vice-versa. They can be staked, or braced to the X with a board.

    The other boats use a smaller X, (2x4s) sitting on the deck. Legs about 4 feet overall. Bracing is by a third leg which is hinged from the top. The T or strap hinge is fastened by the bolt through the crossing point (a hole drilled through the upper half of the hinge.) Bottoms of legs are beveled, with a piece of rubber or carpeting to protect the deck.

    If you just sketch that out it should come clear.

    Typically these have screw-eyes near the bottom, with a light line connecting all three to control spread. (We eliminated this, see ff.)

    What we finally arrived at, after many years struggling with how to fasten these in place (they came with the boat), was to move the screw-eyes to very near the bottoms, then use pieces of light line to tie each in place.

    At the bow, the single leg is against the center (dock line) cleat; the side legs are against the fore chain plate. At the stern, the center is against the socket for the flag mast; there are several possible candidates for the side legs, take your pick.

        Good luck, Christian, Watercolors #170.


On 10/27/2018 8:38 AM, Ensign Sailing Forum wrote:

Anyone have some advice for a newbie for securing my unstepped mast to the deck for transportation and storage for the winter?  The boat will sit on a cradle until spring and I’ll be ‘wrapping’ everything with a blue tarp. Advice, sketches or a photos of how you folks support it would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks  / JRiley1425
10/27/2018 8:28 AM

Anyone have some advice for a newbie for securing my unstepped mast to the deck for transportation and storage for the winter?  The boat will sit on a cradle until spring and I’ll be ‘wrapping’ everything with a blue tarp. Advice, sketches or a photos of how you folks support it would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks  / JRiley1425
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