Mast Crutch

[Garyandjoanlee]

Hate the idea of my mast, bungee'd to a 2x4, and attached to my nice stainless stern rails. Same with the bow rails. Gotta be a better way? What do most of you use for trailering?

[Bristol14]

The previous owner of Mudlark designed wood fittings lined with bunker fabric that attach to the bow and stern pulpits. To support the center of the mast, he made a wood piece again lined with bunker fabric that sits and is bolted to the mast step. Works great!

[deisher6]

Hey Gary & Joan:
After trying three versions of homemade crutches on our C-16, we bought an IdaRudder with the mast support.  I highly recommend it.
regards charlie

[brackish]

A 2 x 4 can be much more than that.  My stern crutch is a 2 x 4 flat across the stern pulpit with felt wrapped U-bolts and wing nuts for quick attach.  In the middle is a short wood block with a keel roller, very important to get the height necessary to avoid dropping the mast on the weather bump on the sliding hatch and to make it easy to roll the mast forward.  My bow crutch also spans the pulpit, has the same quick release setup and has a v-trough sprit that goes past the end of the mast to provide support for the furler extrusion.  Takes about five minutes to put them both on and they work great. I don't trust bungees I use those tent line quick slide tensioners to stabilize the mast.  Pictures the next time I set them up, probably in a couple of weeks.

[carry-on]

If you travel often, a hinges step and gallows makes life easier.
The ComPac factory could advise about parts.

[Garyandjoanlee]

The ida rudder sounded good but I think that company (Ida marine) is history. Might go with the 2x4 modification / roller idea. Appreciate all the answers.

[deisher6]

Hey Gary & Joan:
Ida Rudder is now Rudder Craft  https://ruddercraft.com/index.php?route=common/home
Prices seem to be steeper too.  However, we trailered our C-16 over a very rough washboarded road 8 miles long to launch.  It would still be worth it if we still had the boat and were still in MT.
regards charlie

[ameysails]

for the AFT
we used the rudder stem
drilled a 2nd hole below where the tiller is attached
used 2 sections  ALUMINIUM tracking from a kitchen vertical blind
placed a plastic board between them and the fork are covered with
old bike tire outer tube
see pic
for the bow...hangs from the pulpit on a rope sling which is enclosed in a rubber hose
and
middle rest on PFD pillow on cabin cover
eezzee peewee

murphey

[Garyandjoanlee]

Murphy! MacGyver has NOTHING on you!
Thank you all. Going with a matching lined wood structure that secures into the stearn and bow rails. Will post pic when it is made.
Gary

[Yamaha33410]

I leave mine attached to the mast step and have an adjustable work stand, RIDGID part number AC9934 I got for 30 bucks from home depot, I have that set at the right distance so the mast lays on it without hitting the sliding hatch. The rear of the mast I use a single ratchet strap around the mast twice securing it to the rear cleats. I usually don't trailer very far but I did do a trip to the keys like that for about 300 miles round trip without any problems. I didn't have any kind of hardware for supporting the mast when I bought my boat and this was the cheapest, easiest thing I could come up with. I leave the side stays on and have my topping lift/halyards shackles secured to the sidestays well. I release the ratchet strap and just pivot it up and attach the forestay.. easy peasy

[MHardy]

Here's the solution on my 16. Contact Keith Scott at the Sailboat Company for details on what's needed. I think it's a modified version of Com-Pac's boomtender. It's great as the mainsail and boom never have to be removed.

[Garyandjoanlee]

That looks great. Love the idea of leaving the boom on the mast!