STEPPING THE MAST

[Rick Ramos]

I'm considering purchasing a 19 in the next two weeks or so.  Hopefully, those of you reading this board can give me some information regarding stepping and housing the mast.  What I'm most interested in is how long does it take, how many people are needed, and how much effort is required?  Your answers to these questions will help me to decide if this boat is "truly trailerable" within my definition of the term.  In addition, I would appreciate the step-by-step processes each and any of you, who would care to share them, uses to step and house the mast.  

Thanks for your help and advice.

Rick

[TroyVB]

Hi Rick,

I sail a CP 16 so the procedure may be a little different.  I am not sure if the 19 has a backstay.  My 16/2 does not.  I keep the shrouds connected to the chainplates and the mast rides in the boom crutch and on the bow pulpit so the procedure for rigging goes like this:

1) Place base of mast in the tabernacle on the cabin top (mast rests in the mast crutch for this procedure)
2) Raise mast standing in cockpit and step forward with the forestay to make it fast to the bow
3) attach boom, mainsheet and topping lift
4) Bend on the main (attach main halyard)
5) Hank on the jib, run jibsheets (attach jib halyard and downhaul)

I typically do this before backing into the water once in I lower the rudder and I'm sailing.  I can rig Sanctuary in 20 to 30 minutes.  As I said I am not sure if the procedure is a whole lot different with the 19.  Hope you found your boat! Enjoy it.

[steve brown]

Rick, Raising the mast on my CP-19 requires two persons. There is a back stay and two shrouds port and starboard. It is important to insure that there are no kinks in the rigging when raising the mast. The mast is moved aft horizontally to allow bolting the mast foot to the tabernacle prior to lifting. The strongest and most sure footed of the two person crew should do the major lifting of the mast while the second person attaches the head stay. It will take a bit longer than the 16 as the 19 mast is heavier and taller, but the remaining procedure is similar. Some folks have made gin pole devices for raising the mast but I have not tried it yet. Best wishes to you and the new boat.
Regards,
Steve

[crbakdesign]

I trailer my CP-19 with no problem.  Usually I raise and lower the mast with an assistant on the ground.  The stays alway remain connected and arranged for easy liftoff.   I connect a 1/4" x 20 ft line to the top of the forestay turnbuckle.  From the cockpit I can raise the mast handily up over 45 degrees and from there on the assistant pulls it vertical while I leisurely move to the bow and snap in the forestay securely. I follow the same method when lowering the mast.  Take your time and make sure the shrouds are free and the backstay fully extended.  Naturally, before you do this, mount your wind indicator and halyards if they aren't already rigged.  

I am also certain the mast can be raised and lowered singlehandedly with some form of lever, just haven't had to do this yet.

[crbakdesign]

Securing the boat on the trailer is a half hour or less.

[mgoller]

Hi Rick,
All the advice here is good.  One extra item is to fully loosen the backstay turnbuckle, leaving plenty of thread showing for safety.  Once the mast is raised you will attach the forestay (which I leave pre-set) and then go back and tighten the backstay.  There shouldn't be any slack in the forestay or backstay when done.  It is going to be tight like a guitar string.  How tight is too tight?  I hand tighten the backstay and then with a screw driver I give maybe five turns.  You'll feel it when you are getting tight.
I always leave the shrouds set and never need to change.
Look for a plumb mast fore and aft and side to side.   There should be no bend at all.
Now, I raise the mast myself.  It is quite a difference from the 16.  I weigh 220 lbs and am 6'2" and pretty strong.  The couple of times I did it with muscle I realised it was at my limit.  The mast has a tendency to fall off to the side about half way up.  You have almost no leverage when it falls to the side.  The foot plate isn't enough to keep it from falling to the side.
So, I made a gin pole from a 2 x 4.  I attach it about a foot above the foot plate.  I attach the jib halyard to an eye bolt.  Then I run another line from the eye bolt down and through the anchor ring.  (I have used the winch line when I'm on the trailer and I have someone to winch)
If I'm by myself, I stand in the cockpit and pull the line, the leverage is great, and I help the mast up and steady it.  The tricky part is at 45 degrees.  You have to with one hand keep pulling the line, hold the mast and step up on the cabin.  Then the shrouds start doing their thing and take the side to side problem.  Then I just push the mast vertical and walk the deck holding my line and fasten it to the forward cleat.  Now I am hands free and I attach the forestay.  (I like multimediasmith's photo of a modified forestay with a quick and drop free attaching method, its in the photo section of this site).
Then I remove the 2 x 4 gin pole tighten the bolt at the foot and adjust the back stay.
Having a helper makes this a snap.  When my kids get a little older!
I really need to get my pictures of this method posted.
Taking the mast down involves the gin pole with the process reversed.  
I think making a checklist of the process would be a good idea.  I have forgotten to attach my wind indicator and antenae, I have forgotten to loosen the backstay, and have forgotten to make sure the rigging was free and reachable.  Think it through follow a checklist and you will get your time down to 20 minutes maybe better.  But why rush?
If and when you need more detail on the gin pole I would be happy to diagram and dimension the hardware.

[DaveBarni]

Rick,
I am here in Cape Coral and I raise the mast with no problem with my girlfriend even with a 135 roller furling on the headstay. It takes 15 min. to launch and retrive.
Come across the bridge and will show you.
I am in the process of selling my CP19 and has all the equipment you need and major upgrades,even auto pilot.
Here are pictures

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/davebarni/album?.dir=4eb7&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/davebarni/my_photos

Dave, Dbarnic126@aol.com

I'm considering purchasing a 19 in the next two weeks or so.  Hopefully, those of you reading this board can give me some information regarding stepping and housing the mast.  What I'm most interested in is how long does it take, how many people are needed, and how much effort is required?  Your answers to these questions will help me to decide if this boat is "truly trailerable" within my definition of the term.  In addition, I would appreciate the step-by-step processes each and any of you, who would care to share them, uses to step and house the mast.  

Thanks for your help and advice.

Rick

[pelican]

I step my 19 mast alone. ( not by choice) I bought a pulley at Home depot  and tie it to the bow cleat w/ a 6'' piece of line.  I tie a line to the main hailyard to make it longer and run that through the pulley to the rear of the cockpit.

I put the mast on my shoulder and pull on the line going to the pulley and the mast comes up as I walk, push up, and pull the line at the same time. When the mast is up, I tie the main halyard off to the bow rail and then I fasten the forward stay.

With practice, the mast goes up quickly. Be careful not to fall if the boat is on the trailer. Long way down to the parking lot

[mikeg]

Rick,
I agree with Steve Brown's post (didn't read the others but I'm sure they're brilliant as well ;o)    Raising our CP19 mast is a two person job for sure. With the correct purchase/gadget it could be done solo- but it's a heavy duty job. Of course, my last boat was a 17 foot dinghy/daysailer (with spreaders, shrouds, roller furler) but nothing near the heavily built mast materials/bigger gauge shrouds/stays on the 19.  My wife "womans" the bow. While I step the mast up, she prepares to use a quickpin we purchased to pin the CDI furler drum/forestay to the connection on our bow pulpit/sprit.   Of course, we loosen the backstay buckle enough so that we can get just enough slack to sttach the forestay. ONce everything's set up, we then retension the backstay and the forestay.
Best
Mike G.
s/v Freebird -Alachua, FL

[Craig Weis]

Hi, Skip here.
I raise and lower the masts of three Com-Pac 19's each sailing season.
These sailing vessels are... are Comfort and Joy, Wind Rover, and PeanutButter.

It's pretty easy. Going up. Or down. Always on the trailer. Always over land so dropped parts and pins can be recovered. Harken pins are expensive! Always use new stainless steel split rings or cotter pins.

~Back stay is already loose from last season's take down.

~Two side stays are untouched. They are actually behind the mast and will 'fold down' with the mast.
When going up you may find that these side stays may want to hook under the wooden eye brows at the edges of the cabin. Watch for this. Everthing should be clear, ready to go!

~Two of these C-P 19's have furlers. A Harken and a CDI. One is a std. Masthead.
I use a rug runner to protect the deck and hatch cover from any furler scratches...just in case something goes a miss and the furler touches the deck.

~So I lift the mast off of the bow pulpit and 'plant' the bottom of the mast into the mast step and put the bolt and wingnut and washers through the mast hole and step. [the back of the mast rests on the stern pulpit] ~Keep the wingnut on the bolt loose 'cause the mast will travel up as it pivots from horizontal to vertical, then drops down to sit flat and square within the mast step.

~For safety sake I tie a line on to the base of the fore stay furler or turnbuckle, making sure that this line will not interfere with the actual fitting of the fore stay pin and I run this line through the anchor roller and down around and up from the trailer tongue. My assistant hangs onto this line. Usually around her waist for easy pull.

~Standing in the cockpit with the sliding compangin way hatch closed and locked to the drop board, I simply heft the mast onto my shoulder and walk forward. The mast will 'cock' enough off center for me to step up onto the cockpit seats and deck and cabin top. From here I just push the mast up while the safety man [women] keeps the forestay line tight. At this point , if I wanted to I could let go of the mast and it will stay put from anywhere in the arch before being vertical.

~When up just sit on the bow and slip in the forestay pin and tighten the back stay turnbuckle and put in all the split rings. I use split rings 'cause they look better and don't scratch skin or rip cloth. I don't like cotter pins.

~On my boat I off set the lowered mast on 2x4's u-bolted to the bow and stern pulpits so I can get into and out of the cabin easy. I shove the mast all the over to above the deck rub rail. Out of the way.

~Going up...just do it backwards. It's up or down [after everthing is loosened up or tightened up, faster then you can read this] .
Easy as pie. Skip.