Idiots Guide to Lowering the Mast

Mast, Boom, Standing and Running Rigging, Furler System, Reefing, Barberhauler, Lazyjack etc
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philw
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon 02 Sep 13, 21:32
Your Country: UK, Poole

Idiots Guide to Lowering the Mast

Post by philw »

Hi all,

This idiot would like a guide for raising and lowering the mast.... can anyone help?

Phil
Phil Wheeler
DF800 185 - Trilemma

Poole, UK South Coast
gminkovsky
Posts: 210
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 19:58
Your Country: USA, Long Island Sound

Post by gminkovsky »

I just did this for the first time ever on my 920 (to save money)!

I followed the instructions in the manual EXACTLY. It turned out very simple to lower the mast. The difficult part was to move the mast aft and place it on mast supports.

Once the mast is down, it is attached by a pin to the mast base and the rest of it - about 3/4 of the length - is resting on the bow pulpit and hanging forward of the boat. We supported the tip of the mast on a nearby dock. The tip was about 6 feet (2 m) higher than the pulpit. My son was holding the top of the mast on that dock. I gave about 1 foot slack on the dock lines, and then my wife and I picked up the bottom of the mast and walked back on the boat about 6 inches (15 cm) at a time while the boat moved slightly forward. Then rest the mast down; give more slack on dock lines and repeat the process. This took a long time - probably 30-40 minutes. The tide was going out and the distance from boat to dock was rapidly increasing.

The 920 mast is very heavy even though it is carbon fibre. I think 800 mast is aluminum, so it will also be heavy. This would work better by having 2 (strong) men working the bottom end. Also, I did not remove the boom once the mast was down. The additional weight made it even more difficult. Next time I will remove the boom before moving the mast.

Read Quorning instruction a few times, then follow the procedure in reverse. Have the instructions in front of you and double-check everything.

Here is the relevant part from the manual (these are not my words! this is exact quote from my manual):

STEPPING THE MAST:
QUORNING BOATS ApS only recommends to step the mast when using block, lines and special wire supports on the floats that are optional equipment. If a crane is available we recommend using this. The mast can be stepped on the boat, but at owners responsibility using this handbook as a guideline to raise and lower the mast. While hoisting or lowering the mast no persons are allowed in front from the centre of the boat in a range of min. 15 metres. Raise of lowering the mast in winds exceeding 15 knots of wind is prohibited.

Move (lift) the mast forward. You need one person on the deck and one or two persons with a ladder on the ground. You then secure the mast foot into the mast base on the deck and secure the mast with the pinbolt in the front of the mast base that then works as the pivot pin to step the mast. The mast then rest with the forward jumper stay on the pulpit. Remember to mount the windex and if necessary antennas. Then pull the main halyard, spinnaker and genoa halyard “down” from the mast and pull reefing lines and halyards through various leading blocks back to the halyard stoppers on the cabin roof. The easylocks are marked how the various lines have to go. The reefing lines have to be pulled through the mast with a lead line (runner).

FORESTAY AND SIDESTAYS:
Forestay and sidestays are mounted in the same fitting on the mast as the three upper diamond stays each with an 8 mm quicklink that has to be secured with a “key” No 14.

SIDEWAY SUPPORT OF THE MAST:
To support the mast sideways there is as option a set of cable device, two sets (one for each side) of double cable with an “eye” between the cables. The “long” cable is mounted in the top shroud fitting which is the fitting mounted on the outer side of the float through the deck behind the hatch (not the eye for pulling in the float).
The “short” cable is mounted in the quickline where the netting is mounted to the wing fitting. Now you can mount the “short” cable on the sidestay to the eye in the mast support cables and the mast is now supported sideways during the whole operation.
Tie the barberhaul to the outer padeye on top of the aft wing. Then through the block in the boom for the main sheet. Pull it through the one fixed mounted double wheel in the cockpit aft, and lead it to the SB winch on the cabin roof. Same goes for the opposite side also to SB winch. Finally mount the main halyard with its block and shackle in the traveller on the boom. The spinnaker halyard is mounted on the forward cleat. If there is no double block mounted for this job, two single blocks tired around the traveller do the same job.
One person lifts up the boom and both “barberhaul” lines are pulled at the same time over the SB halyard winch on the cabin roof. The boom is now set up and ready to lift the mast. Barberhaul and main halyard are adjusted in a way that the boom points a little forward so that when starting hoisting the mast the boom is still pointing a little forward and is in the centre of the boat sideways. Before setting the mast check once again that everything is in order and placed properly.
Make sure that only one or max. two persons hoist the mast. One person hoists the mast via the winch with the two barberhaul lines – and one person who only controls the spinnaker halyard to prevent the mast from falling backwards. Hold the spi-halyard tight to avoid the mast from falling backwards with a jerk before it is raised, and again when the mast is to be laid down, pull the mast forward in the beginning with the spi-halyard until it is over balance centre, and can be lowered quietly and easy with the barberhaul lines via the boom.
Then start hoisting the mast slowly – take your time – take it easy. Keep an eye on all the lines – that they are not hanging or jamming on to something! When the mast is hoisted about 80%, the forestay profile is mounted to the forestay fitting. Again holding back easily on the spinnaker halyard so that the mast is raised quietly.

IMPORTANT: When the mast is all the way up, secure both barberhaul lines (that you hoisted the mast with) over the winch so the mast does not fall down.

When the mast is in place you mount the spinnaker halyard in the eye where the barberhaul line is fastened on the outer aft wing. The spinnaker halyard is tightened gently to enable dismounting the top shroud from the mast support cables and mount the long wirestrap in the top shroud fitting on the outer rail of the float behind the float hatch. The same goes for the other side and now the backstays are placed in the remaining short wire strap respectively in the padeye aft of the aft wing inside the float.
Clear up all halyard and lines. Mount the main sheet etc.

IMPORTANT: When lowering the mast, first mount both barberhaul lines via the mainsail boom, the double block in cockpit to winch so the mast does not tilt forward before mounting the sidestays to the support cables on the floats. The procedure is reverse as described when lowering the mast.
gminkovsky
Posts: 210
Joined: Wed 01 Nov 06, 19:58
Your Country: USA, Long Island Sound

Post by gminkovsky »

A few more comments:

I think it is actually easier and with more control to lower the mast by yourself instead of using a crane. With a crane we always had the mast tilt sideways and threaten to break the mast base.

I recommend to do this with someone experienced the first time. Before I did this myself this past September, I helped another 920 owner lower the mast (but not remove) to go under a low bridge. This was 2 years ago, but I had a pretty good understanding of what we did then.

We did this with the boat in the water. It can be done on land as well. However, with my boat on the trailer I estimate that the tip of the mast will be 12 feet above ground. So in order to support it and be able to move it, you would need 2 12-13 foot a-frame ladders so you can rest the top on one ladder, then move the second ladder back to support the mast as you move it back, then move the first ladder back of the second and so on...

I think it would help tremendously to make a support to be placed just aft of the mast step. The support would have a horizontal member with a thick pvc tube (maybe 12-15 cm diameter) over it spinning freely. Then the mast base can be picked up, placed on the pvc tube and rolled back. I am planning to make one for the spring mast raising.

It would be even better to make a similar support to be placed over the bow pulpit.
philw
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon 02 Sep 13, 21:32
Your Country: UK, Poole

Post by philw »

Really helpful reply - 8) :D

Thank you very much.
Phil Wheeler
DF800 185 - Trilemma

Poole, UK South Coast
popeonarope
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon 10 Dec 07, 11:38
Your Country: UK, Keyhaven/HANTS

mast lowering

Post by popeonarope »

I've made a mast support for my 800 which is a simple horizontal piece of wood (from roof winch to winch) with a U-shaped cradle). Now I've got the knack of it, I routinely raise and lower the mast on my own (it takes me 1.5 - 2 hours to take the mast down). The most amusing bit is sitting legs akimbo over the bottom of the mast when you take the pin out and then trying to roll the mast forward. If you put a screw driver as a lever through the pin hole, it means you can just about stop the mast from tilting side-ways (as you'll be too far towards the end of the mast to steady it at the cross trees). Its a little nerve wracking the first time you do it and I wouldn't recommend if you weigh less than about 12 stone.

Humphrey.
philw
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon 02 Sep 13, 21:32
Your Country: UK, Poole

Re: mast lowering

Post by philw »

popeonarope wrote:I've made a mast support for my 800 which is a simple horizontal piece of wood (from roof winch to winch) with a U-shaped cradle). Now I've got the knack of it, I routinely raise and lower the mast on my own (it takes me 1.5 - 2 hours to take the mast down). The most amusing bit is sitting legs akimbo over the bottom of the mast when you take the pin out and then trying to roll the mast forward. If you put a screw driver as a lever through the pin hole, it means you can just about stop the mast from tilting side-ways (as you'll be too far towards the end of the mast to steady it at the cross trees). Its a little nerve wracking the first time you do it and I wouldn't recommend if you weigh less than about 12 stone.

Humphrey.
That sounds very encouraging! As the end of the season rushes up to us I've been giving this some thought. Any chance you could give me a shout next time so I can come and see how it's done properly?

Thanks, Phil
Phil Wheeler
DF800 185 - Trilemma

Poole, UK South Coast
Christine
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon 19 Nov 07, 22:44
Your Country: UK, South Coast

Lowering Mast

Post by Christine »

How did you get on Phil? Have you lowered your mast yet?

Christine
philw
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon 02 Sep 13, 21:32
Your Country: UK, Poole

Post by philw »

Hi Christine,

Sorry - I didn't spot your post earlier!

We got the mast down safely and relatively easily. There is still LOTS to improve upon. It felt a bit like wrestling with a bad tempered giant. Folk all round pulling on ropes for all they're worth!

I'm planning to make up a couple of the posts that fit into the ama hatches for next time, and I have had some excellent advice too. It'll get easier each time we do it I'm sure!

Phil
Phil Wheeler
DF800 185 - Trilemma

Poole, UK South Coast
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