stepping down the mast for the first time on thursday!

[mrains]

I'm stepping down the mast on a CP23 for the first time this Thursday.  The description in the owner's manual is not particularly helpful.  Does anyone have a better description or at least some sage advice?  I haven't really made a plan, but I'm guessing that I'll cleat the sharp end of the jib halyard to the mast and run the headboard end of the jib halyard through a block shackled to the bow fitting.  Then I'll release and lower the mast, hopefully slowly and safely but possibly rapidly and catstrophically.

[CaptK]

Get help.

I dropped my 23 mast by myself, but I'd done that chore a lot of other times on Hobie 16's (which have a very similar sized spar), and so knew pretty much what to expect. It's always easier with someone else around, though.

If you are having to go it alone, the hardest thing is to keep the mast "centered" as it comes down.

If your boat has a stern pulpit, tape several inches of padding to it at the location where the mast will wind up. That way, if it does drop or come down fast, it won't be metal striking metal - the padding will help keep your luff track from becoming deformed by an impact.

Good luck!

[mrains]

Thanks!  There's two of us.  I called Hutchins Yachts today and got some advice from them.  They recommended two, one on the bow side of the mast walking toward the stern keeping the mast centered when it's up high, and one on the stern side of the mast walking toward the stern keeping the mast centered when it's down low.  They said that my idea, though technically reasonable, was unecessary and possibly worse in terms of keeping the mast centered on the way down.  So off I go....  That thing's coming down, one way or another, so I'll definitely take your advice regarding padding on the stern rail.  And maybe I'll wear close-toed shoes, too.   :wink:

[pbrenton]

We dropped mine with a crew of four; one held the forestay one the main halyard (both lightweights) while my big shouldered cousin Tom and I held/carried the mast as it came down - me on the deck over the (closed!) hatch and Tom in the cockpit.  The hard part is stepping from the cabintop to the cockpit, I surmised, so he was there to hand off the mast to.  The hardest part was holding the mast up after all the shrouds were detached.  There was a lot of side-toside force required, especially when a wake came by.

We had detached all the stays; I think I'll try to leave the aftmost lower shrouds attached next time - it should help keep the mast stable while it is still up, after all the other (except fore-) stays are detached and they will not prevent the mast from being lowered aft.  

Pete

[Steve]

Pete,
I have done it alone but two people are recomended for raising and lowering the mast on a 23. I always have the backstay, Uppers and aft lowers attached (loose) to help guide the mast up and down. After all is set up, to raise the mast I put one person in the cockpit just to back me up as I walk the mast up. I agree that going from the cockpit to the cabin top is the most difficult part. I also attach the Jib Halyard to the cleat at the bow. As I walk forward I snub the line around a cleat on the mast to prevent the mast from coming back down. It also serves as a temporary forestay when the rig is up. This allows me to attach the forestay/furler without someone holding the mast up. Lowering the mast, I use the jib halyard snubbed on the mast cleat as a brake and preventer. This works but only until the mast gets to about 25 degrees but by that time I am usually off the cabin top. Not looking forward to the lowering process because that means the end of the season. I sail barnegat bay NJ and usually push haulout until after thanksgiving. Good luck

Steve

[Steve]

Pete,
I have done it alone but two people are recomended for raising and lowering the mast on a 23. I always have the backstay, Uppers and aft lowers attached (loose) to help guide the mast up and down. After all is set up, to raise the mast I put one person in the cockpit just to back me up as I walk the mast up. I agree that going from the cockpit to the cabin top is the most difficult part. I also attach the Jib Halyard to the cleat at the bow. As I walk forward I snub the line around a cleat on the mast to prevent the mast from coming back down. It also serves as a temporary forestay when the rig is up. This allows me to attach the forestay/furler without someone holding the mast up. Lowering the mast, I use the jib halyard snubbed on the mast cleat as a brake and preventer. This works but only until the mast gets to about 25 degrees but by that time I am usually off the cabin top. Not looking forward to the lowering process because that means the end of the season. I sail barnegat bay NJ and usually push haulout until after thanksgiving. Good luck

Steve