Assuming you are strong enough to lift your mast from near the step is isn't
that hard.

Firstly prepare a spinnaker or jib halyard by fastening it to the bow of the
boat

Raise the mast and while pushing into it with your shoulders, tension and
secure the other end of halyard.

The Halyard will hold the mast in place while you go forward and secure the
forestay.
Simple!!

(This will not work on rigs that launch with the mast over the bow though)

Practice it with a buddy onboard a few times just in case.

DP
"rick" wrote in message
...
I have found I can trailer my 29ft sailboat just fine and I can wetlaunch
once I get the trailer galvanised but stepping and un-stepping the mast
poses a problem in areas where there is no crane. If I make a tabernacle I
need a ginpole or some way to get the mast through the 20-60 degree angle
where I can't reach it and where the angle is insufficient for the forstay
to lift it.
Does anybody have any experience stepping their own mast?

I have heard that using the boom as a ginpole might work but???
rick

where's ya bin?



--
Flying Tadpole

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Hi from me, too....have you healed all your aches and woes? You back
sailing yet?

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein



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Hi backatcha..

Looks like I got here via the evils of cross-posting. Not doing much
sailing these days as my "other life" has become busier in the chase for the
illusive dollar.

The poor boat just sits and stares at me now. How sad!

Hope all is well..

DP
"katysails" wrote in message
...
Hi from me, too....have you healed all your aches and woes? You back
sailing yet?

--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein



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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.726 / Virus Database: 481 - Release Date: 7/22/2004

The poor boat just sits and stares at me now. How sad!

That is very sad....but it doesn't mean you can't post here
anymore....everyone goes through a dry season now and again...
--
katysails
s/v Chanteuse
Kirie Elite 32
http://katysails.tripod.com

"Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax
and get used to the idea." - Robert A. Heinlein



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katysails wrote:

The poor boat just sits and stares at me now. How sad!

That is very sad....but it doesn't mean you can't post here
anymore....everyone goes through a dry season now and again...

Yeah, like spending half the time stuck in the frozen sand waves
from the Pleistocene trying to find a well that doesn't exist
yet...
--
Honey I gotta go south!
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/3/fl...dpolemusic.htm

OY DP! Welcome back, dude!

d parker wrote:
Assuming you are strong enough to lift your mast from near the step is isn't
that hard.

One problem I haven't seen any of the others address is the mast falling
sideways when trying to raise it. Our trailerable boat had a 26' mast
with a rolled-up jib, I could lift it by hand but the tricky part was
making the step up from the bridge deck to the coach roof.

Our boat had a set of side babystays which I rarely used. These were
secrued to loops on the lifeline stanchions so tha they were in line
with the mast step pivot. I think that for boats without this feature, a
loop of line on each side of th emast could serve the same function.

Run a loop from somewhere not too far up the mast, like maybe the
spinnaker pole hoop, to a block on the gunwhale forward of the mast
step, then to another block the same distance aft of the mast step. Put
another identical loop on the other side. Now the mast is free to pivot
up and down but cannot fall side to side. You could use a ratchet block
to help get it up.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King