E 27 mast raising project

[ky ed]

Well here is my big project now. Being able to raise and lower mast single handed. First did a good bit of research, and with prior experience i got a pretty good idea of how to do it. I saved up and ordered a large Dwyer mast hinge cost about 160 delivered, then ordered 5/16 cable clamps, cable saddles, and bimetal hacksaw blades. Firstly i had to get the cast aluminum mast shoe glued with 5200. It came free fairly easy once i heated it up enough to stink, then i drove a cheap thin 5 way putty knife between deck organizer and shoe after removing a pair of #10 phillips head screws. Screw heads about stripped the. but with my trusty mini vise grips they came out. Pulled out a 3" long piece of tube that was a conduit for wires. Was going to fill holes with epoxy but figured I didn't need to cause the Dwyer bottom hinge plate would cover all holes. Dwyer did a fine job with pre drilled holes, perfectly lined up with 4 holes in mast organizer plate. Thankfull for that cause stainless is tough to drill. I cleaned deck and bottom of hinge with brake cleaner to remove any oil. Then i put a strip of butyl around edge of hinge bottom and a piece over holes in deck organizer for good measure. Drilled 4 holes 1.25 deep through 4 holes to accept 4- 1.25" 5/16 stainless lag screws. I quicly noticed when i drilled holes into my 50 year old boat cabin top nice dry plywood shavings came out. Joy for quality boat build. Was expecting mouldy wet core but it was dry as pop corn fart, counter sunk new holes to allow more butyl around holes and lag screws to prevent leaks by having more butyl you get more stretch equalling less leaks. Plan on sailing this ole tub to the very end so want at least 15 years before we both go to the other side. To be continued.

 

[ky ed]

 

[ky ed]

 

[ky ed]

Beautiful day here in iowa so off to the ($44/month) storage lot where i keep my boat. More to come!

 

[Loren Beach]

Plan on sailing this ole tub to the very end so want at least 15 years before we both go to the other side. To be continued.

Nice work and nice writeup, and I kinda ponder what is waiting on........ the "other" side!

 

[ky ed]

Nice work and nice writeup, and I kinda ponder what is waiting on the "other" side!

Im hoping its a beautiful place with endless days of sailing with long lost friends.

 

[ky ed]

Well here is my big project now. Being able to raise and lower mast single handed. First did a good bit of research, and with prior experience i got a pretty good idea of how to do it. I saved up and ordered a large Dwyer mast hinge cost about 160 delivered, then ordered 5/16 cable clamps, cable saddles, and bimetal hacksaw blades. Firstly i had to get the cast aluminum mast shoe glued with 5200. It came free fairly easy once i heated it up enough to stink, then i drove a cheap thin 5 way putty knife between deck organizer and shoe after removing a pair of #10 phillips head screws. Screw heads about stripped the. but with my trusty mini vise grips they came out. Pulled out a 3" long piece of tube that was a conduit for wires. Was going to fill holes with epoxy but figured I didn't need to cause the Dwyer bottom hinge plate would cover all holes. Dwyer did a fine job with pre drilled holes, perfectly lined up with 4 holes in mast organizer plate. Thankfull for that cause stainless is tough to drill. I cleaned deck and bottom of hinge with brake cleaner to remove any oil. Then i put a strip of butyl around edge of hinge bottom and a piece over holes in deck organizer for good measure. Drilled 4 holes 1.25 deep through 4 holes to accept 4- 1.25" 5/16 stainless lag screws. I quicly noticed when i drilled holes into my 50 year old boat cabin top nice dry plywood shavings came out. Joy for quality boat build. Was expecting mouldy wet core but it was dry as pop corn fart, counter sunk new holes to allow more butyl around holes and lag screws to prevent leaks by having more butyl you get more stretch equalling less leaks. Plan on sailing this ole tub to the very end so want at least 15 years before we both go to the other side. To be continued.

 

[ky ed]

I just got a 2" id x2.75 od welded ring in mail. Seems beefy enough. Friday i will be off work at noon and straight to boat to start working on bridles to stabilizer mast. Ill keep you all posted.
Should be pretty easy to make up bridles. Once i set up string line at the heighth of Dwyer hinge pin to get welded ring at propper heighth from deck.
Biggest problem wil be cutting stainless steel wire rope. If hacksaw wont do it ill fire up generator and use right angle grinder. I know that will cut cables.

 

[Mark F]

How often are you planning to raise/lower the mast? Once you get the tabernacle system setup the hardest part will probably be disconnecting the hinge step and physically moving the mast horizontally (alone). In the diagram above they show lines (wires) going from both lowers chainplates to the "hinge" point. You shouldn't need the line going to the forward lowers chainplate, unless I'm missing something. Also you won't need to disconnect the forward lowers, they will go slack as you ease the mast forward.

 

[ky ed]

How often are you planning to raise/lower the mast? Once you get the tabernacle system setup the hardest part will probably be disconnecting the hinge step and physically moving the mast horizontally (alone). In the diagram above they show lines (wires) going from both lowers chainplates to the "hinge" point. You shouldn't need the line going to the forward lowers chainplate, unless I'm missing something. Also you won't need to disconnect the forward lowers, they will go slack as you ease the mast forward.
View attachment 54578

Good points you have made. Will definitely consider all input. Thanks Mark!

 

[ky ed]

How often are you planning to raise/lower the mast? Once you get the tabernacle system setup the hardest part will probably be disconnecting the hinge step and physically moving the mast horizontally (alone). In the diagram above they show lines (wires) going from both lowers chainplates to the "hinge" point. You shouldn't need the line going to the forward lowers chainplate, unless I'm missing something. Also you won't need to disconnect the forward lowers, they will go slack as you ease the mast forward.
View attachment 54578

So what did you use to get an attachment point for bridles snap hook on toggle? Real job is messing up my time working on boat but im heading there now, weather is nice so should get some stuff done on my project. Lakes ats still froze solid but ice is looking pretty blue so 70s next week and a bit of breeze should equal ice out here on west coast of Iowa. As far as times stepping mast, a lot. I hope to get out sailing at least 4 dozen times or more. locally. with a few road trips to lake Michigan, Grand Lake of Cherokees, Branched Oak, Sailorville, Red rock, Lewis and Clark Lake and a Missouri River trip from the very upper reach of navigable channel to KC or perhaps farther im an adventure trailer sailor.

 

[ky ed]

Hinged Mast Bases | Ballenger Spar Systems

Hinged mast bases are designed for deck stepped masts to be used to help in the stepping process using a gin pole or on smaller masts, by hand. They are not designed to be used as tabernacle bases for temporarily lowering a mast to pass under a bridge or obstruction. For that use, we can custom...

www.ballengerspars.com

 

[ky ed]

Hinged Mast Bases | Ballenger Spar Systems

Hinged mast bases are designed for deck stepped masts to be used to help in the stepping process using a gin pole or on smaller masts, by hand. They are not designed to be used as tabernacle bases for temporarily lowering a mast to pass under a bridge or obstruction. For that use, we can custom...

www.ballengerspars.com

Excellent article from Mr. Ballanger of Ballanger spars. Awesome company highly recommended. Replied to an email i sent him. We discussed a few things and he did mention that this spar is at the upper size and weight to be doing it single handed. He also told me the biggest problem was getting the pin in the mast hinge while holding it down by myself with the center of mast hanging off of boat by about 7 foot. I agreed but my plan is to make a socket right behind trailer coupling to receive a long 2x4 with a roller on top very near center point of mast about 6 feet infront ofb ow and about 6 foot above fore deck. Then raising and lowering it will be doable for an old gimped up sailor that's been put away wet a few to many times!

 

[ky ed]

https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/attachments/mast-raising-sheeve-system-jpg.40681/

 

[ky ed]

https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/attachments/mast-raising-sheeve-system-jpg.40681/

I found this technique using a sheave interesting.

 

[klb67pgh]

I found this technique using a sheave interesting.

That sheave system works very well to make sure the mast is raising and lowering in column and not leaning to one side. I can tighten or loosen either side to get the mast back where it needs to be. The boom is used as a gin pole and with the mainsheet does all of the lifting and lowering of the mast. It works well because I can cleat off the mainsheet to stop the progress if I need to adjust or check something, and the raising and lowering are very controlled.

More pics and discussion are here:

Boom as gin pole

If I'm on flat ground and there is no wind, I often don't need to adjust the lines with the sheeves.

It's also nice to see my boat from a few years ago and what I've improved since then, including the new companionway hatch.

 

[ky ed]

That sheave system works very well to make sure the mast is raising and lowering in column and not leaning to one side. I can tighten or loosen either side to get the mast back where it needs to be. The boom is used as a gin pole and with the mainsheet does all of the lifting and lowering of the mast. It works well because I can cleat off the mainsheet to stop the progress if I need to adjust or check something, and the raising and lowering are very controlled.

More pics and discussion are here:

Boom as gin pole

If I'm on flat ground and there is no wind, I often don't need to adjust the lines with the sheeves.

It's also nice to see my boat from a few years ago and what I've improved since then, including the new companionway hatch.

Its always nice to look back on before & after pictures unless its my face!