Subject: Re: [Catalina22] New mast raising system

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 20:35:38 -0500

Turk~

I'm with Rich...the mast raising system is nice.... but I really like big pole barn.  Think I could bring SeaBatical down there for a few weeks to get some things done on her while it warms up here??

Keep up the good projects.  And let's see some technical details on that mast raising system.

Fair winds,
-- 
Dan Schafer
Traverse City, MI
"SeaBatical"
1983 Swing Keel~#11577
http://webpages.charter.net/seabatical

[email-masked] wrote:

>Turk,
> 
>Must be nice to be able to work inside this time of year.  It hit 40  here 
>today; I got a few things done in the heat of the day.
> 
>Rich Magner
>SeTherin #9472
>Glastonbury, CT 
>

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From: Turk <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 21:25:17 -0500

The mast system was concieved out of the fact that I want to take Miss 
Kitty (my wife) and Miss Kitty (the boat) on several side trips this 
year to several lakes.  We are fortunate to have 4-5 good size lakes in 
the area along with Lake Erie up north.  I'm in northeastern Ohio.

After searching on the internet and looking at several mast systems, 
There were 2 that seem to catch my eye.  Both use the "A" frame concept 
but one pivots while the other does not.  I choose to have mine pivot 
although there is a lot said for making it stationary - less parts.

I used Oak for the two "bases" and aluminum tubing (1") for the "A" 
frame.   The brackets can be found at a good scrap shop and the "L" 
shaped pivot points are reinforcement for wood truss systems and found 
at lowes or Home depot.  The aluminum tubes fit into a 1 foot section of 
stainless tubing for added strength and to make teardown quick.  They 
just slide in and out - no bolts.  The bolt used as a pivot acts as the 
stop for the aluminum to bottom out on.  There is a complex angle built 
into the pivot as the "A" frame points in to the bow and must also pivot 
up and down.  Best way to do that was trial and error and keep 
bending!   The oak was cut to fit in between the eyes for the uppers and 
lowers.  I used a piece of cardboard  to make a template.  They are 2 
feet long and 3/4 inch thick.  The bracket that wraps around the 
lifeline support is the key to keeping the whole thing in place as the 
mast is lifted.  There is alot of force downward on the oak supports but 
it wants to stay in place.  I added a rubber backing to protect the deck 
surface.  The "A" frame surprisingly does not bend much at all as the 
force is being directed straight down the tubes.  I used one aluminum 
cross brace which works fine but 2 braces in an "X" pattern would add 
even more stability.  I ran out of aluminum! 

As I said earlier, I raised the mast for the first time today.  I have 
the transom mounted support for the top of the mast and it helps alot in 
getting things started.  I suppose someone could always hold the mast up 
as things get put into place, but that would require 2 people with one 
running around pinning the mast, untangling lines, and attaching uppers 
and lowers.  You really need the rear support for this to be practical.  
As the mast comes up there is a lot of force even with the mast top all 
ready angled up on the rear support and only after about 6 feet of 
movement upward does the load get easier.  And then, the load is gone 
and everything gets real stable.  Just what I wanted!  The angle you see 
in the picture is about when everything gets real nice and easy.  I can 
see the need for 2 people to be there just to walk the mast up to keep 
it from swaying, but all in all, is is quite stable.  Stable enough for 
me to set the cam and walk down and take pictures.  In another 10 or 15 
degrees the uppers and forward lowers will start to kick in and 
everything will be competely stable.   I started by using the forward 
stay wire as the line to pull up the mast but switched to the halyard as 
it looked like unhooking and rehooking to the bow point might be a 
little tricky.  By using the halyard  it frees up the forward stay for 
the person up front to hook when everything is vertical.  The halyard 
stretches a little, but not bad.

It's all built to tear down quickly and fold up to be tucked in the bed 
of my truck.  It also may work for several if not all of the other 
sailboats at our little club (21 boats).   Most of the guys are a little 
more experienced than I in the art of raising the mast and will probably 
just hoist it up as I'm in the parking lot goofing with putting the "A" 
frame together. "Hey Turk, your's is done. Stop messin with that 
contraption!"

Ah well - it was fun building and really works well.  We are travelin 
this summer to a lake near you!!!

I also included shots of my dinghy trailer with the extendable tonge and 
a shot of my glossy hatch covers.

http://www.elmhurstprop.com/mastraise/index.htm

Turk
Miss Kitty
Master metalworker