My mast raising solutions (2024)

I’ve read every thread about mast raising and watched every video I could find and picked through the stuff I liked and am adding my own twist. This is for my Hunter 18.5 but I’m sure most of it will be adaptable to almost any trailer sailor.

Being this is just in the works bear with me while I get parts finished off. I’m wide open to suggestions and criticism. Being able to step the mast solo is the end game with drilling as few holes in the boat as I can.

My first area of concern is attaching the baby stays to the mast, this device I invented should take care of that..... it basically slides up the mast track and secured in place with 2 - 1/4””x 20 bolts. At this point I have smaller machine screws holding it but understand they will end up with 1/4” bolts that index on the mast so it stays at the same height every time. Here’s all the pieces.

And here’s what both sides will look like

On the mast without the wires, it looks to have promise. Meanwhile I have my version of a mast stick almost finished and will take some pics when it comes back from the welders

So far, it all looks very intriguing.

It's like you're trying this out for the first time, live, right here on SBO. No script, no rehearsals, anything could happen.
The suspense is killing us.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Will Gilmore said:

So far, it all looks very intriguing.

It's like you're trying this out for the first time, live, right here on SBO. No script, no rehearsals, anything could happen.
The suspense is killing us.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Click to expand

Also add I'm on a tight budget with a looming deadline and we've got a recipe for a reality tv show

At the mast, I reshaped a chunk of 1/8” aluminum pipe to form the masts shape and hung a pair of hose clamps on it to hold it tight to the mast.....(I will add in a 1” webbing on a ratchet for the first few times)

Next was a piece machined to adapt to a 80” X 1/8” aluminum pipe welded on, I wanted it to break into 2 pieces so the mast piece can stay on while trailering so it’s ready for the next raising. It’s just down to the baby stays and I hope to get their deck mounts done tomorrow.

And on the mast.

Revv up, you're an artist .

-Will (Dragonfly)

She is a thing of beauty!
Well done. I’m envisioning the pole to work as my Hunter 25 as shown below?

Sailavie1 said:

She is a thing of beauty!
Well done. I’m envisioning the pole to work as my Hunter 25 as shown below?

Click to expand

Yes, so far that’s the plan.

I got the mast raised using the new setup minus the baby stays.... there next. I put the device to hold the baby stays to the mast at 6’6” (that’s the top of my reach) now I’m wondering if that will be high enough?

Revv up said:

I got the mast raised using the new setup minus the baby stays.... there next. I put the device to hold the baby stays to the mast at 6’6” (that’s the top of my reach) now I’m wondering if that will be high enough?View attachment 169350View attachment 169351View attachment 169352

Click to expand

That’s plenty high enough. I have built three systems in the past 15 years or so, and I put the attachment point as high as I can reach on the mast. I’m only 5’3” tall, so that’s not very high up, LOL

I suggest you also put stays on the end of the gin pole, to control rolling on the axis of the mast when the mast sways laterally off centerline. When that happens, there is a sideways force that try’s to buckle the gin pole and it might break.

I

DrJudyB said:

I suggest you also put stays on the end of the gin pole, to control rolling on the axis of the mast if the mast pivots laterally off centerline. When that happens, there is a sideways force that try’s to buckle the gin pole and it might break.

I

Click to expand

Help me sort out some confusion... are you saying add stays from the gin back to the lower baby stay mounts or somewhere near them?

Revv up said:

Help me sort out some confusion... are you saying add stays from the gin back to the lower baby stay mounts or somewhere near them?

Click to expand

Add wires from the Outboard end of the gin pole to the same anchor point as the lower baby stays.

Take a look at these three videos I made for my last mast raising system. The mast is about 34’ tall, and a very heavy section.

the third video explains out some of the important geometry The anchor point for the side stays should be co-linear (all on the same line) as the mast base hinge or pivot bolt.

Part 1 Mast raising:

Part 2: Mast lowering

Part 3: Close up of details:

The socket clamped on the mast for the gin pole might be a problem due to snagging jib sheets..... You might want to make it removable. A through bolt from side to side might work. Ccut a vertical slot in the cuff, open on the bottom edges and going halfway on port and starboard. You can slide the cuff down on the bolt and then tighten it to keep the socket in position.

Also, have you considered how you could simplify how you attach the baby stays to the mast?. You could attach a strong eyestrap to the front of the mast. Then use carabiners to clip the wires to the mast . Much faster.

Have you considered moving the gin pole up to the same point as the baby shrouds.... you could weld up a fitting that mounts with one pin or bolt, and to Which the gin pole and the side baby stays attach....

Judy B

Judy thanks for the detailed posts

1) The mast bracket on my gin pole is easily removable with 2 hose clamps, my intent was to remove before sailing. I will probably change those hose clamps out for 1 ratchet strap to make it easier to attach/ detach.

2) After all that work making my little slider doohickey yours sounds like a way easier solution

3) I took advice from someone who told me to attach my gin pole as low as possible but I never understood his theory, it would be just as easy to move it up to the upper baby stay mount which would make attaching the forestay much easier.

I got to say I’m more than a tad jealous of your Farrier trimaran, I was fortunate enough to get an evening sailing one and have wanted one since, my banker strongly advised me to forget that night

When the gin pole is farther up the forces exerted are very awkward. The mast will bend a bit before it starts raising. It's kind of counter intuitive. Regardless it does work and I have done it. I learned first hand why stays should be attached to the gin pole.

When prepping my boat for winter I took the mast down. The PO was nice enough to give me a hand. Since we used the boom as the gin pole we stepped it forward. I stood on the fore deck while he worked the lines to lower it (two main sheets in series). All went well until the last few feet. Knowing the extreme forces on the mast step screws I thought it'd be best to support it. As soon as I started holding the mast the boom went off to the side, lines flew everywhere and I nearly fell onto the pavement below. Thankfully there were no injuries or damage.

@Project_Mayhem

I’m glad you weren’t injured!

Your story illustrates why Rule #1 for mast raising is :

NEVER stand underneath a mast as its being raised or lowered., you could be seriously injured or killed if something goes wrong. If your system required you to stand under the mast, it’s time for a new system.

I chastise Anton when he occasionally does it without thinking.

Judy B