Mast ballance point

waughoo · January 14, 2021, 07:00:53 PM

I'm stepping my mast for the first time since it was shipped overland when I bought it. I'm looking to find out where the mast ballance point is. It appears that the spreaders or slightly above should be just fine, but as the person who own's the problem if I get it wrong, I'd love some confirmation or direction of what you all have done when stepping your mast.

Dave Spencer · January 14, 2021, 08:32:21 PM

If it's keel stepped, a prudent lifting point is just below the spreaders. That gives nice balance but still a bit heavy at the base so it's easy to control once you lift it free of the partners. Much better too heavy at the base than even a little bit heavy at the head.

waughoo · January 14, 2021, 09:23:53 PM

It is indeed keel stepped. I definitely want the balance point below the pick point. I am not interested in having it flip on me once it gets airborne.

Noah · January 14, 2021, 09:58:38 PM

The crane picked mine up with a strap placed halfway between spreaders and the masthead with guys walking/guiding it from on deck.

Jim Hardesty · January 15, 2021, 05:37:05 AM

QuoteIt appears that the spreaders or slightly above should be just fine

The lifting point will be below the spreaders. If the sling is above the spreaders, someone will need to ascend the mast to remove the sling. It's easy to find when the crane picks up at the lifting point, if base heavy move down, if top heavy move up. FWIW I like the base a little heavy ie one person easily holds one handed.
On Shamrock the lifting strap goes just under the spreaders under the tangs, with a downhaul on the lift strap to keep the pressure off the tangs for the lower spreaders and to be able to pull the strap and crane hook down after stepping.
My yacht club has a mast crane for member use and other members are happy to help stepping and storing masts, they do many a season. You didn't say what help you had. Should be some experience, if not may be prudent to hire a rigger to do it the first time, insist that you be there.
Most of the casualties I've seen stepping are of course dropped fittings and crushed mast head instruments. Scares me when people reach a hand under the mast for the wires.
Hope this helps,
Jim

Dave Spencer · January 15, 2021, 08:33:33 AM

Jim's comments exactly line up with my experience. I had to take my mast down every year for about 10 years and I got quite efficient at it. We all helped each other during launch and haulout and some of us would end up working on 20 - 30 other boaters' masts in the fall and spring. Jim's point about cringing when someone puts their hand under the mast to fiddle with wiring is an excellent point. I always made sure we had a 4x4 block of wood under the mast so that base would hit it before removing someone's fingers. Something as simple as a small wake could lift the boat enough to badly injure a hand.

waughoo · January 15, 2021, 09:23:34 AM

Excellent information. I'm presently on the hard but hadn't considered the idea of the relative position of the boat changing rather than the mast when in the water!! I plan to rig a retrieval line on the strap and a down haul to hold the weight as I believe I will pick it above the spreaders.

I found this article below to be quite helpful if anyone else is interested. This is from an experienced rigger.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theriggingco.com/2017/02/12/how-to-step-a-mast/amp/

Noah · January 15, 2021, 10:38:01 AM

Higher strap placement worked in my case. After stepping they sent a guy aloft on crane to Remove hoist strap and install windex arm and wind speed cups.

Jim Hardesty · January 15, 2021, 12:48:25 PM

Alex,
Good link. My only problem with it is using a "single basket hitch". Places I've worked and crane class taken, granted for industry not boats, that is a no-no for lifting.
When stepping a mast need to adapt the process to the equipment used. Traveling to various yacht clubs and boat yards I like to look at the mast cranes, a lot of ingenuity and variety.
Jim

waughoo · January 16, 2021, 08:09:59 AM

Quote from: Jim Hardesty on January 15, 2021, 12:48:25 PM
Alex,
Good link. My only problem with it is using a "single basket hitch". Places I've worked and crane class taken, granted for industry not boats, that is a no-no for lifting.
When stepping a mast need to adapt the process to the equipment used. Traveling to various yacht clubs and boat yards I like to look at the mast cranes, a lot of ingenuity and variety.
Jim

Was there any specific reason the single basket hitch was called out as a no-no in the crane class? It ia true that it does not provide any cinching friction on the mast but I suspect this is to allow it to come undone freely from the deck without going aloft. The actual lifting support comes from the line to the base of the mast with the boline loop over the basket hitch.

Ron Hill · January 16, 2021, 01:08:47 PM

Alex : Look in the Mainsheet tech notes and you'll see my article on "removing a keel stepped mast".

Just make sure that you remember to slide the deck tie down into the sail slot when you reinstall the mast.

The balance is just below the spreaders. So when you pull it - someone has to catch the bottom and walk it to "wherever".

There also is an article on the things (items to check/replace) you might do when your mast is out on saw horses!! add - LED Anchor light fixture? & bulb!!

A few thoughts

waughoo · January 16, 2021, 07:22:31 PM

Quote from: Ron Hill on January 16, 2021, 01:08:47 PM
Alex : Look in the Mainsheet tech notes and you'll see my article on "removing a keel stepped mast".

Just make sure that you remember to slide the deck tie down into the sail slot when you reinstall the mast.

The balance is just below the spreaders. So when you pull it - someone has to catch the bottom and walk it to "wherever".

There also is an article on the things (items to check/replace) you might do when your mast is out on saw horses!! add - LED Anchor light fixture? & bulb!!

A few thoughts

Thanks for the suggestion. Ill look it up. I have already serviced the shive box, installed all new wiring and vhf wire, added a mast head tricolor/led anchor light, windex, new raymarine wind ducer, new vhf antenna, radar, combo steaming/foredeck led fixture, added a spinnaker halyard & block, and prob a few other things im forgetting at the moment. I did just about everything but paint the mast (wish i could have). Im pretty excited to get it aloft!

Also, what year was the article posted in? I started to search through the tech notes to see if i could find it.

Stu Jackson · January 16, 2021, 08:29:55 PM

Quote from: waughoo on January 16, 2021, 07:22:31 PM
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Also, what year was the article posted in? I started to search through the tech notes to see if i could find it.

This is a good example of a chance to use The Knowledgebase.

waughoo · January 16, 2021, 11:10:17 PM

Quote from: Stu Jackson on January 16, 2021, 08:29:55 PM
This is a good example of a chance to use The Knowledgebase.

Yes... I did find it. Took a bit of banging around, but I found it. It is in the May 2001 Vol 19 #2. Also, it is called "Pulling a Keel Stepped Mast". Now to look up my password and the key to open the PDF.