Making a mast rest

[HeaveToo]

Soon I am going to design a rest for the back of the mast to sit on while it is on the trailer.  The main reason for this is that I am going to put a roller on the bracket for the mast to sit on.  This way when I go to put the mast up I can go to the front and roll the mast back until I have the bottom of the mast into position.

This bracket will be simply made out of 2x3 boards.  It will be held fast into place by some old halyard material that I have on hand. 

I am also thinking about making another piece with a 2x4 in 8 feet of length.  I will use this as a piece to get the mast up off of the back to get a better angle for the mast when you raise it. 

If I do this and I add some side supports it will allow me to possibly use the winch to bring the mast up the rest of the way by winching up the mast through the jib halyard.

Does anyone have some suggestions for this?  I am trying to keep the cost down (I am a bit over budget for the season already).

[brackish]

My suggestion here:

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=3823.0

My rest is simply a 2 x 4 that straddles the stern pulpit with a couple of u-bolts that hold it on.  It has a block with a small trailer keel roller on it.  The block elevates it about six inches and the purpose of that is to make sure you can be on the rest and still miss the weather bump on the sliding companionway hatch when you roll your mast back to install your mast pivot bolt.  Hard to put that bolt in if you don't have some clearance on that bump.   I have a similar 2 x 4 with an extension that sits on the bow pulpit.  The extension is to support the furling drum which actually sticks out past the bottom of the mast when it is set for travel.  It has to be supported from bouncing or the furling extrusion will be damaged.

My mast raising system can lift the mast from that position without getting any more angle.

If you are going to be raising the mast by yourself, using a winch remote from the mast, make sure you have something like baby stays to provide lateral stability while you raise the mast.  If it gets away from you laterally it will bend and potentially pull out the step.

[HeaveToo]

I agree about the baby stays.  I have done a lot of reading about putting baby stays into it and I have the materials to add them.  IT looks like a simple thing to rig.

[Cevin c Taylor]

I made this one a while back, and I'm very happy with how it turned out.  I needed to weld it, but there might be a way to do it by bolting things together.

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=6998.0

[HeaveToo]

That is a nice design.  It is definitely more fabrication that I have the tools for though.  I wonder if Compac would be interested in that part.

[Cevin c Taylor]

That is a nice design.  It is definitely more fabrication that I have the tools for though.  I wonder if Compac would be interested in that part.

Thanks.  I'm very happy with how it works.