setting up mast single handed

[william suggs]

I am a new 16 owner and real novice and need help i setting up my mast and rigging. I have Bob Burgess book but still am having difficulty. Any help would be appreciated you can contact me at 386-454-2610 and e-mail at wjsuggs3@gmail.com Thanks alot

[skip1930]

On the CP-16 be sure the side stays are loose enough to hook the head stay. Side stays keep the mast from going forward.

I just pick-up the mast on my CP-19 over my head and walk forward. Lean on it and have my helper tie off the mast till I have that pesky Harkin pin inserted.
Then tighten the back stay.

skip.

[carry-on]

William,
If you enter " raising the 16 mast" or similar words in the search box, I think you will find some useful information.
What model 16 do you have? If you post the model or year you may get very specific info.
Here's what works for me.
My 16 is a '97 with mid boom sheeting and a mast tender system. the mast is hinged at the tabernacle, so I have the boom lashed to the mast, plenty of slack in the main sheet, no kinks in the shrouds.
1)Mast is pinned to the tabernacle hinge.
2)Hook the jib halyard to the bow pulpit, mast and boom on my right shoulder while I am standing in the cockpit.
walk the mast up to the vertical while keeping tension on the jib halyard. Secure the jib halyard  to a cleat.
3)Go forward and connect the forestay. As Skip advised you need slack in the forestay turnbuckle to make the connection easy.
4) Tension the forestay. Now the jib halyard can connected to the head of the jib sail.
5) Return to the cockpit and lower the boom to the horizontal with the topping lift attached.

There isn't much weight to the mast and boom. Tthe walk up is not difficult unless lines or shrouds catch on something.
Are their two pins at your tabernacle? If so, the aft pin would be set before mast raising and the foreward pin set once the mast is vertical.
For travel and to keep the mast a little above vertical you may want a mast crutch. If you search "mast crutch" you should find several ideas on how to construct a crutch.
Hope this helps.

[Bob23]

This may seem basic but please check for powerlines. A friend of mine lost her husband and son, both long time sailors when thier Hobiecat mast struck a line. And never be in a hurry.
Bob23

[dontpanic]

I trailer with the foot of the mast supported by the bow rail. The top of the mast is supported at the stern on a boom crutch I made. The crutch I made basically has a roller that supports the mast. To connect the foot of the mast to the tabernacle I don't have to actually lift the weight of the whole mast. I just roll it backward until the foot is at the tabernacle location and then insert the pin. I am 70 so I wanted as little lifting as possible.  Then as mentioned above, I attach the jib sheet to the bow fitting. I then raise the mast and when vertical I tie off the jib sheet to hold the mast upright. Then I go around and attach the forestry and then remove the jib sheet connection from the bow.

Since I almost always sail solo, this method is very easy to handle alone.

As an aside, I made the mast crutch out of an old aluminum walker. It is very light but strong. I put some preformed foam insulation on the top rail that supports the mast as well as acts like a roller.

Don't Panic

[Pacman]

I found an easy way to raise the mast and launch my boat without assistance:  

Before raising the mast, I unhook the trailer from my van and lower the tongue with the toung jack so the coupler is almost touching the ground.

Then I place a jackstand under the rear of the trailer to hold the stern up.

Now, I can stand securely in the cockpit and use two hands to raise the mast.

Because the boat is tilted toward the bow, gravity will hold the mast in place as it "hangs" in place on the shrouds while I get off the boat and walk around to the bow and attach the forestay.

Then I extend the tongue, attach it to the hich, and launch.

No sweat, no drama.

[Tim Gardner]

Pacman,

This may seem basic (to paraphrase Bob23) but be sure to block your trailer wheels before uncoupling the trailer.

TG

[Pacman]

Pacman,

This may seem basic (to paraphrase Bob23) but be sure to block your trailer wheels before uncoupling the trailer.

TG

Yes, wheels are blocked whenever the trailer is not securely attached.

I sail single handed so all of my little routines were developed over time to make it easy for me to do the work easily and safely with no drama.

Good wheel chocks are a must.

[dontpanic]

I can't believe I said jib sheet. Of course I meant jib halyard. Couldn't be easier or more secure.
Don't Panic