One guy-easy lift gin-pole DIY project

[mgoller]

Hi Sailors,
I have been asked a lot recently about raising the mast on the 19.  I needed a way to safely raise the mast by myself so I explored what other people do and then tried to make it as simple as possible.  Look in the Com-Pac 19 photo section for details.  This could easily work for the Com-Pac 16 to make mast raising easier if needed.  I think the 23 and up folks use a crane or Huey heavy lift helicopter or something, not sure.
2 x 4, saw, a drill and some local hardware is all you need.
Good project for the winter.
Ask if you need help or post improvements.
Taking up slack on the shrouds so the mast doesn't sway at 45 degrees is mechanically possible but I haven't come up with a simple way.  Any ideas?
Happy Happy!

[spaul]

Marcus, I had a MacGregor 26S which had a mast raising system. It consisted of a gin pole about 8-9'long, used the mainsheet tackle system with it's cam cleat, and "baby side stays". These baby stays attached about 5' above the deck to the mast sides and then to points about 3' to the side of the mast on the deck. They were just long enough to keep the mast from skewing sideways but not so long they were too tight with the mast going up.
I'm guessing you could accomplish the same thing with a bridle around the mast and rope baby stays to the chainplates with perhaps a cam cleat or some means of adjusting the length as you go up (or down) with the mast.
Believe it or not I'm contemplating modifications to my cp27 mast and mast step to accomplish the same thing. We use an 80' gin pole at our association to raise and lower masts quite effectively. We have a long arm on a swivel at the top of the pole and 5/8" line through a self braking hand winch on the pole. A loop is placed on your mast below the spreaders and the mast is lifted off the step. a line is then used to lower one end of the mast so it's level and then crank the mast down to where it can be loaded on the boat lengthwise. Reverse for going up.

Go here and look for the 26S manual. It should show the mast raising system.

http://www.macgregor-boats.com/sailaway3.html

Steve Paul
cp27/2

[pvansickle]

Hi Marcus:  I've got a CP23/2 for which I've made a mast raising system.  I have an 8' 3/4" galvanized pipe with a yoke on the mast end and a couple of eyes on the outer end.  The yoke slides onto the mast hinge bolt through the tabernacle.  I attach the fore mast stays to the outer end of the pole and have a 4:1 pulley system attached to the fore stay bracket at the bow.  I also made an adjustable crutch that fits on the stern and gives me  5-6' of mast lift on that end.  It is fairly easy to raise the mast as long as I provide support sideways for the mast.  Going down is even easier.  The job of raising the mast is most easily handled by two crew, but I have done it myself.  I really like the suggestion made to you of the short ties for lateral support.  I will give that a try.  I'd like to have a different tabernacle that is taller and provides more lateral support.  My biggest problem is provided by the weight of the jib roller furler on the forestay.

The CP23/2 is more a trailable sailboat than a trailer sailor, but I've gotten the program down to 45 minutes from arrival at the ramp to tying to the dock.

Peter