Mastender raising system

[CaptRon28]

Has anyone with an Horizon actually raised the mast with this system? I tried it once last year but quickly opted for the then easier to do raise by hand method. With shoulder surgery 6 months ago and the boat going into the water in a week or so, I was looking for another way of doing it today. It seems to take a lot more effort on the winch handle than indicated in the video. The mast grudgingly started moving up but I abandoned the attempt because the amount of force involved could have easily busted something. I had to replace the sheared bolt holding the winch drum to the mount last year in my one aborted attempt then.

The rigging seems to be correct. I'll spray some Sailkote on the sheeves tomorrow, but they all move easily now. I think the gin pole could or should be a little longer, but then it will no longer attach to the bottom end of the wire stay. There'a a piece of metal clamped to the stay about an inch or two above the quick release. Should this be in front of or behind the slot in the top of the gin pole? I was putting it aft of the slot. I may try forward tomorrow.

Any other ideas?

[Glenn Basore]

Ron,

I gave up the mast tender system too, I use my boat trailer winch.

I still use the gin pole set up but I connect the winch hook to it. first you have to run the winch line over the bow.

I really find this to be a simpler way and much safer way for me. you can stop the winch at any point to un tangle lines etc.
just make sure the winch is in the locked postion before you let go of the winch handle.

I' will be 63 in June, have had numerous neck and shoulder injuries over the years and cant lift to much.

Try the winch, I think you will find out how easy it is to raise and lower the mast.

I wrote about using the winch some place under Eclipse a long time ago, you might be able to search for that post.

Glenn

[brackish]

cannot speak to the mastender system, never used it, but the trailer mounted system that came with my 23 was a disaster.  When I bought the boat, the PO's helped me to lower the mast for the tow home.  It took three of us and it still got out of control with side sway bending the step. Plus the components weighed a ton.  I built a light weight raising system (articles section) that lets me stand right next to the mast step and raise it by myself with every standing rigging component within sight.  15-20 minutes total set up and raise or lower.  Zero strain.

[kobo]

Capt Ron,

I have had my Horizon Cat for two years. I was never able to get the Masttender system to work. I too felt it was to much strain on the parts. I talked to the owners @ Compac and their response was: The mast is so light that they always raised the mast by hand and never bothered with the winch and Gin Pole. I would like to meet those people in the video, they make it look so easy. I trailer my boat alot and I have just resigned myself to hand raising. If you ever get it to work let me know the "Secret".

[CaptRon28]

Well - I tried the Mastender system once more. To lower the friction, this time I diverted the lifting line so that it was a straight pull from the cabin top to the turning block on the sprit. I bypassed the two blocks on the mast and forward part of the deck. Seemed to help a drop until the little bullet thats welded to the mast coupler that's used to hold the gin pole busted off and the two went flying about 30 feet. I don't think this thing will ever work. I wish I was there when they filmed the video. They must have had a helicopter flying overhead with a line going to the top of the mast.

I've tried it twice - first time blew the winch apart, 2nd time took care of the gin pole and its mount.

Only solution now is to get some more strength back into my shoulder. I pressed about 25 pounds this morning - 3 sets of 12. My wife can do more. Too bad she hates sailing.

[jerryd]

I have had the same problem with the mastender.  I actually got it to work once but the tension needed was kind of scary.  I have found that starting with the mast somewhat above the horizontal plane helps a lot.  Something like an 8 ft pole with a yoke to catch the mast on one end and a rubber tipped end to rest on the floor.  being able to disassemble  this rod makes it easier to store or leave in your vehicle. 

[CaptRon28]

Jerry -

Not a bad idea. I was thinking of modifying a collapsible heavy duty boat hook or painters pole with a wooden "Y" or "U" at the end. The mast is not that heavy, and it could hold it up at maybe a 20 or 25 degree angle. But I've got to weld the gin pole bullet back onto the mast coupling first. Once this is done, I'll get a friend to hold up the mast at that angle while I try to crank it up. Since the force has a horizontal and vertical component -  the higher the angle at the start, the lower the effort at the winch. With the mast down, about 90 percent of the effort is trying to move the mast forward. At 25 degrees, maybe 1/3 is actually trying to lift it.

How about a 20 pound carbon fibre mast? I could probably easily lift that with the one good arm, holding a beer with the other.