Ericson 25 Mast Stepping

[SeaScoutsFWB]

We are a newly formed Sea Scout Ship that has been given an Ericson 25 as a donation. The boat will need to be trailered 45 miles as it has a bent mast. I have downloaded the manual that shows the mast stepping procedure, but it doesn't show the mast to deck connection clearly. I see no external pin to hinge the mast on so I assume it is internal. Is this the case? Also, does anyone know the proper dimensions for the trailer rails height for the E25 hull?

Thanks,

Sea Scout Ship 5151

 

[davisr]

There are two different types of mast steps for the Ericson 25. One is a hinged tabernacle. The other is a male fitting over which the bottom of the mast fits. The first is made for stepping by hand (by using the boom as a gen pole and the main sheet and blocks for mechanical advantage). The second is not made for stepping by hand. Normally, you have to pay a boat yard to step and unstep this one, although some ambitious souls use A-frames to do it themselves. There are YouTube videos out there on this. You have the second type, so a boat yard or an A-frame will be necessary. I had one of the second types of steps. I searched in vain for a long time for an original E25 hinged tabernacle or something nearly identical to it. Eventually, I gave up the search and installed a mast hinge from Dywer Masts in New England. It works well, but it took a lot of work to install, because I had to build up a 1.5 inch base out of G10 industrial grade fiberglass. By the time you and the Sea Scouts get your E25 up to speed I'll have an article on the blog below about how I did it.

As far as the bunks or the screw pads on the trailer are concerned, that's specific to individual trailers, and it's dependent upon whether you have the fixed keel version of the E25 or the swing keel version.

Roscoe
Ericson 25, Oystercatcher
Charleston, SC

http://ericson25.blogspot.com/p/introduction.html

 

[davisr]

P.S.

As far as fixing the mast is concerned, you might find this article helpful:

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?7661-E-25-Sleeved-Mast-Success-Story

 

[davisr]

Here are a couple of pictures of what I'm talking about. From the bottom, up: G-10 mast step, stainless halyard organizer, stainless steel bottom of hinge, G-10 anti-compression block, stainless steel top of hinge, original aluminum mast step.

Roscoe

http://ericson25.blogspot.com/p/introduction.html

 

[SeaScoutsFWB]

Davisr,

Thanks for the information. you saved me a trip with a trailer when the nearby marina was closed. I have been studying your website as well. Excellent help. I appreciate it.

Ian

 

[SeaScoutsFWB]

So on the original mast step there appears to be brackets where a pin attaches? Am I seeing that correctly? The original step is now mounted on the hinging step?

Ian

 

[davisr]

Ian,

Thanks for the compliment on the website. There are two halves to this Dwyer heavy duty hinge. One is bolted to the G-10 mast step; the other is bolted to the original aluminum mast step (which is now mounted with screws into the bottom of the mast). Before stepping the mast, you must join the two halves of the hinge together with a pin. After you step the mast, you install the second pin. The pictures I have attached are unique in that there are no other pictures out there that I know of that show someone stepping a mast with this Dwyer hinge. These pictures are also unique in that they are the only ones I know of that show someone stepping the mast of an Ericson 25. The Admiral snapped these while my buddy and I did the work. I should note that the method I am using in these pictures (whereby I am using the boom as a gen pole, and where I using the main sheet blocks and the mast winch to gain mechanical advantage) is the official factory method. Some on this forum in past have said this official method is wrong-headed, but I find it to be quite simple and efficient.

Note the mast crutch on the forward end of the trailer. I had a pal weld that onto the winch stand for me. Without some sort of crutch, it would be impossible to step this mast with the hinge, since the mast must be cantilevered far out over the bow of the boat. Also note the bridle that joins the boom to the bottom of the upper shrouds. The bridle keeps the mast from swaying to and fro while stepping it. I had to pay a rigger to make the bridle. I also had to pay the same rigger to install tangs in the upper shrouds at 21 inches above the deck. My buddy and I fabricated the tangs ourselves out of 316 stainless. There were many steps involved in this retrofit, and I will, at some point, describe them in full at http://www.ericson25.com/p/introduction.html

https://www.dwyermast.com/items.asp?cat1ID=40&cat1Name=Hardware&familyID=18&familyName=Hinges

Regards,
Roscoe

 

[SeaScoutsFWB]

Roscoe,

Thanks, that is a great retrofit. We might want to get that system as well.

Are you familiar with the process for removing the mast without a tabernacle/hinge? We will be attempting to pull ours out of the water tomorrow at a boatyard and at $90/hour I'd like to not have any surprises. Is it simply compression from the rigging that keeps it on the mast step with the male/female plates or is there some internal pin that we need to deal with?

Thanks,

Ian

 

[davisr]

Ian,

You're right. It's simply the weight of the mast and the rigging that keep the mast on the mast step. There is no pin. Just for the record, I'm attaching five different pictures. The first three show the E25 tabernacle set-up. The last two show the E25 mast step set-up. The first mast step has a centerboard line block which is oriented fore to aft. The second mast step (which is my own) as a centerboard line block which is oriented to starboard. I do no know why there were two different designs. When the boatyard pulls the mast, the workers might have to cut your VHF cable and your mast wires (unless there are plugs). I wouldn't consider the cutting of the cable and the wires to be a bad thing. If they are anything like mine were, they are corroded and in need of replacement.

Roscoe

 

[Vagabond39]

Mast step bracket

So on the original mast step there appears to be brackets where a pin attaches? Am I seeing that correctly? The original step is now mounted on the hinging step?

Ian

On the swing keel Ericsons, their was a sheave pined between these brackets to raise and lower the sheig keel. So all the mast steps could be the same casting.
Bob

 

[Aaron Lifschutz]

Ian,

You're right. It's simply the weight of the mast and the rigging that keep the mast on the mast step. There is no pin. Just for the record, I'm attaching five different pictures. The first three show the E25 tabernacle set-up. The last two show the E25 mast step set-up. The first mast step has a centerboard line block which is oriented fore to aft. The second mast step (which is my own) as a centerboard line block which is oriented to starboard. I do no know why there were two different designs. When the boatyard pulls the mast, the workers might have to cut your VHF cable and your mast wires (unless there are plugs). I wouldn't consider the cutting of the cable and the wires to be a bad thing. If they are anything like mine were, they are corroded and in need of replacement.

Roscoe

View attachment 15037

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Aaron in Wisconsin here, undertaking refit of 1975 e25. I am planning on installing a mast hinge to raise and lower mast myself. My concern at the present time is that I am missing the centerboard sheave and pin that mount on the mast step. Have thought about ordering one but don't have dimensions to work from. I would also like to pick your brain about shortening the mast to correspond with increased step height, and working around existing holes in the mast to prevent weak spots. I would appreciate any input, thanks. By the way, congrats on successful launch after your incredible refit.