Tim wrote:

Hello,
I need to lower the mast on my space sailer 22 (22ft masthead
keelboat) (see earlier messages regarding halyards). I have had
experience doing this on larger yachts (30 and 32 ft) but they involve
some pretty heavy masts. On those boats the technique was to set up an
A-frame using 2 spinnaker poles and lower backwards using substantial
tackles from a winch.

For a 22 foot boat, do you think the A-frame and large tackle will be
needed?
Yes. As your boat is shorter, so are the spinnaker poles. a 4 part purchase
is usually good.

Would it be sufficient to lower the mast using a simpler 2
part purchase and just support it when it is down by hand (I have a
cradle etc but seeing as I am taking the mast off I will just get
someone to unbolt it once it is down and held)??
No, it will wreck your mast foot, and I doubt if you can keep the spipole
up by hand.


Looking at the mast it doesn't seem that heavy but having no
experience with doing this on a boat this small it is hard to tell.
The mast itself is not very heavy. It is its length and the resulting moment
that you will have troubles with. The longer the mast, the harder erecting
it is.

I have much experience lowering the mast of open daysailors in the 20'
range. (but all gaff rigged and with tabernackle). In these boats you can
just unhitch the front stay and 'walk down' the mast (leave the jib up and
pay out the halyard to lower if you don't want to lower the jib).

On a bigger boat that is not build for this (24') we rig the spi-pole to the
foot of the mast and guy it to the shrouds. The shrouds are mounted on an
extension of stainless tubing that allows the shrouds to pivot at the pivot
point of the mastfoot. That is essential, because your mast foot will break
when the mast swings to the side.
The forstay is attached to the pole and a four part purchase tackle.
It takes a lot of time to set this up, so we only use it when there is no
alternative. A permanent A frame that doubles as pulpit can be much quicker
I suppose, but unless you have a tabernackle and a gaff rig, I doubt that
you will lower you mast that often for pleasure anyway.


--
vriendelijke groeten/kind regards,

Jelle

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