The big mast raising ceremony

[Styge]

As I get ready to try raising my mast for the first time, I have read so many threads about this that it has become a little daunting.  I will of course be man handling it up with brute force and several friends standing around beer in hand giving useless advice (just kidding - if they want a beer they better better be holding a piece of rigging) MY boat has a little different set up from what seems to be the norm.  My backstay has a twin block and line assembly running from the bottom of the backstay to the plate mounted on the transom.  Anyone else have this arrangement?  Also, is it okay for the spreaders to seems a little loose.  The mounting bolt to the mast is tight (certainly don't wish to over tighten it) I don't think this is a problem since the forces acting on it go inward toward the mast) Just asking!
I was hoping to be in the water by now, but since this boat is new to me, it seems you start one job and find three more. 
Finally, I believe my boat may have belonged to a fellow who was once active on the list with the call sign of newt. I have been piecing together my boats lineage (for no other purpose beyond curiosity) I found a picture of a guy sitting in his cockpit on a laptop with some interesting tiller to sheet setup and noticed that was definitely the cockpit I am now polishing!
Anyway, hope to report back about my first cruises soon.

Styge
Most northerly CP23?
Juneau, AK

[Tim Gardner]

Styge,

Newt was indeed a regular on this site, and, in fact is a former administrator.  Nice to see the boat stayed on this site.

TG

[Bob23]

Styge:
Being a 23 owner, I have found the secret to raising and lowering the mast. Good friends, pizza and beer! Quite simply, you cannot go wrong!
   I do remember Newt. A fun guy, we became friends here. My, that's a long, long time ago!

[Styge]

So, I did get the mast raised last week finally, with the help of my wife and a friend.  It was a little hairy but went well. I can see how it could get away from you with a little trip/slip or an unanticipated gust, so I shall be cobbling together a bridle as many of you have.  This past week got away from me so little got done.  I did finally solve one minor issue that I have with my furler and that is where it attaches to the bow plate(?) Its a Harken 00AL and very nice, buy had a SS bolt in use instead of the proper clevis pin.  After a quick search online I realized I was not going to pay $70 for one these very specific pins and set to figuring a solution.  At this point I think I have it.  Taking a 3.5" SS bolt, drilling two holes for the cotter pins either side of the stay fitting, and leaving a little extra for the furler drum tangs(?) to click over, and sawing off the head and thread.   Trying to hold the forestay and drum and then slot a bolt though all five holes was mission impossible not to mention the tensioning aspect of the forestay.  Which when the drum is in its place, the turnbuckle is up inside the drum!  Fun times!!
I'm glad I didn't try doing this down at the harbor for everyone else's light entertainment!

Sailing AK
 

[Salty19]

Congrats on your new boat!  Newt is a great guy and he loved that boat.

As for the furler,  I would really suggest you rethink the pin, and shop around for a better price.  That bolt/pin needs to be forged as it receives a lot of stress.  SS is soft-ish without forging treatment.

I use the same furler on a CP19 and have a rigging tip. Yep, the turnbuckle is up inside the drum so it will be hard to change tension on it without lowering the mast and pushing the furler all the way "up" to adjust it. If the foil was cut to the right length, there should be just enough room to adjust and install cotter pins (barely with a tight fit).  It was probably adjusted to the right length when you bought it.   

What we do is  I attach an old halyard with a 5/16 shackle to the fitting at the base of the furler (through forestay and furler).  This line is wrapped around the trailer tongue and used to help raise and secure the mast.  I raise in the cockpit and deck while my wife pulls this line with leather gloves on and secures the line once the mast is up.  Then we switch places and my wife pushes the mast forward with the backstay very loose.  This gives a lot of slack (Ok not really, but it's enough) to remove the shackle, align the furler and forestay, then insert that pin. I always bring a pair of long pliers to pull the forestay out as it tends to get wedged inside.   This whole process only takes a few minutes.   I don't use a bridle but have been thinking about it.  Of course the 19 mast is lighter so we've been managing OK without it.

Hope that helps--go get the right pin!

PS..forgot to mention---the 5/16 shackle on that halyard helps to keep the forestay from getting up into the drum during storage and pre-mast raising activities.  I leave it on when the mast is down so don't have to fight them when ready to rig the furler after raising mast.   Saves a lot of effort and time.

[Bramble]

On my 23, I was able to raise the mast single handed. 
I'd keep the bow & side  shrouds attached & I'd lower & raise it by releasing the backstay & dropping it toward the bow.  This would allow me to attach the backstay to the mainsheet at the boom turning block.  The tail of the mainsheet was long enough for me to maintain tension as I walked to the bow to catch it on the way down, or to lift it on the way up to get the angle for the mainsheet to come into play.  This probably would not work with a roller furler in place.
mike

[brackish]

My $.02 on mast raising methods:


https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/79da05ca-f059-4e29-ac0a-ac1a60bd2a2a

[Renae]

My $.02 on mast raising methods:


https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/79da05ca-f059-4e29-ac0a-ac1a60bd2a2a

Very well thought out.

[Styge]

I do like the set up Brackish has created, however, my trailer has the mast raising pole set up and that took up a lot of the weight on the way up.  I have set up two lengths of chain either side attached to the stanchions and of adequate length to put a link inline with the mast foot bolt.  I have a line running from the chain link, through the eye on the gooseneck (positioned much further up the mast - didn't want t o drill any more holes) backed by three sailstops to prevent it sliding.  To be honest I can handle it myself, but am just looking for a little insurance in case of a misplaced foot during the process.  Also, I have to drop it without having dry raised the sails because the furler drum won't drop all the way back to its original position allowing the key piece to slot back into its home that prevents it from sliding allow the foil.  I'd forgot how much fun boat were!

Sailing AK

[brackish]

I bought my 23 from two very nice women who spent all day with me giving me all the details about the boat.  The last thing we did was haul it out and drop the mast using the trailer system.  Even though they had experience using the system, we lost it on the way down resulting in a bent step.  I immediately looked for a better system.  I like it because I can use it on the water.  No more climbing ladders or worrying about power lines between me and the ramps. 

[Styge]

I never even met my seller, just spoke a couple of times on the phone and he hadn't used it for two years. So, I am very reliant on this forum for info.  He was in Anacortes, and me in Juneau, AK.  A friend of a friend was very kind enough to put her on the ferry for me.  First time I saw it was to pick her up at my end.