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Well, it has been winter here for a short while now and I am thinking of modifications I can make to my Cat. I find the mast is very auckward to raise even with two people. Being 18ft in length it is very top heavy when raising it, even with someone pulling on the fore stay. If it very windy out, this really increases the risk of injuring someone. I have dropped the mast on more than one occasion but have not hit anyone or my vehicle so far.

Anyway, I was wanting to create some sort of pulley system that I could rigg up to the front of the mast that might give me leverage to pull the mast up by myself. Typically, I attach the shrouds and then raise the mast with someone pulling on the forestay while also trying to hold the base of the mast in the socket. (Not an easy task)

Any idea's?

Without re-engineering the mast base to have a tabernacle, you may want to consider something that I used when raising my clothesline pole a couple of years ago.

Basically, I made an "X" brace out of 2 2X4s with the top of the X being smaller than the bottom. I set the pole into the top of the X and then moved it forward and closed the bottom, raising the pole as I went. I put a piece of plywood at the front of the hole to keep the bottom of the pole from sliding forward and to guide it in.

I have no idea how you would fabricate something similar, but the one thing I liked about this method is that I was able to control the top of the pole fairly safely.

What about using something similar to the way a gaff is raised and the peak halyard is adjusted?

I still need to keep the base of the mast stationary some how, but a pully systems like that may work ok.

Any suggestions?

Shawne, I assume the mast on your cat is much like the Hobie mast Pop had on his cat in that it turns with the sail, is secured by the stays and simply rides on a small knob on the cross member. Therefore, how about fashioning a removeable wooden bracket that would be mounted temporarily on the cross member that would keep the mast base in the correct position. Then a pole with a U shaped bracket on the top temporarily mounted on the back cross member, any length would help but the longer the better. Sit the mast base in the bracket on the front and the mast in the bracket on the back. Then simply use a couple of double blocks which would give you a four:one purchase, one attached to the main halyard dogged off (so it would function like it was attached to a central forestay) the other to a central point on the trailer where you would attach a central forestay and haul the mast up, dog it off and secure all stays, remove brackets from the cross members and GO SAILING!

I used a system similiar to raise the mast on my Catalina 25, it is basically the same thing Andrew is talking about using, the same principal anyway.

What say ye?

Hey Shawne,

If money's no object, you could always try something like this:

http://boatbuildercentral.com/proddetail...=E_mastkit

The pricetag is way up there, but the mast ways only a couple of pounds. Carbon fiber, gotta love it.

I don't know how the catamaran is rigged, is there a tabernackle, or does the mast get dropped into a hole? Is the sail mounted to the mast with a sleeve, or in a track, etc? If it's a tabernackle, you should be able to get a length of 2x, clamp it to your stump, so it stands up tall, run your forestay over it (have something to keep the rope from coming off the side), and use the trailer winch to pull on the forestay. If not, you may be able to try something similar if you make a U-shaped pocket around the mast hole so that the mast can't just slide past it or off to one side while you raise it. Wish I could be more help, but I just don't have any idea how that boat is rigged.

Andrew/Angie,

I think I follow you. Not quite sure though, do ye have any diagrams?

Yes the mast turns with the sail, (Hence the pivot bolt) I get the bracket to hold the mast base and I get the U shaped pole setup to elevate the mast. It's the old block and tackle, dog biting a trailer, while purchasing 4 pulley's, and something about a winch, I am not following. I looked at Scott's diagram for his gaff traveller and thought it might work.

Well, I am not really that confused, but a diagram would definately be beneficial.


Stuart,

Here is a diagram of the standing rig. There is no tabernackle, the mast base sits on a pivot bolt in a socket installed in the front cross beam.

{Click for larger image}
<a href="http://byyb.org/cpg143/albums/userpics/10041/Standing_Rigging.JPG" target="_blank"></a>

Thanks for the suggestions.

Quote:Andrew/Angie,

I think I follow you. Not quite sure though, do ye have any diagrams?

Sadly all I have is "before/after" pictures. The "during" part consisted of some very uncomfortable moments for the others involved. When the pole finally slid home, it turned out that my helpers were in the distance and moving fast. It seems that a 300lb tree swinging from horizontal to vertical looks pretty scary to a 12 year-old :wink:

Me post a diagram, you really must be kidding :lol: :lol: :lol: It's all I can do to post a message. :oops: (computer neanderthal). Drop me an address in the pm box and I will draw a diagram and send it via snail mail, sorry that is the best I can offer.