removing and carring mast on boat

[Bobg]

Has anyone had their mast removed and lashed on top of the boat?  We are tentatively planning to traverse the intracoastal and must remove the mast and carry it on board, it is keel stepped, thank you   

[waterdog]

Yes we have for trucking.  It was fully wrapped and padded at the rails with fenders shrink wrapped in bundles of three for support on the coach roof. 

In our case all rigging was removed and the decks stripped clean.  You will probably want to avoid a cabin full of bimini bits and booms as we had. 

For a trip like that you may want to think about building a custom mast cradle so you can still move around your cockpit and decks without killing yourself.  It doesn't need to be expensive, just sturdy. Some aframes of lumber, perhaps.  Don't do the trip without a bimini.  My local WM sales guy has been having painful skin treatments after prolonged UV exposure on the waterway.

[Jim Hardesty]

I assume that you are talking about transiting the Erie Canal.  Our boats should do the the intracoastal mast up no problems.  I have no personal experience, but I have talked to some sailors that unstep then truck the mast to Albany for stepping.  Makes for much easer boat handling.  Some buddied up and shared trucking.
Just a thought.
Jim

[Ken Juul]

Here is the link to "Weal Sea's" (Dan Harrington) trip from Chicago to the Bahama's and back.  He discusses the Erie Canal portion of the trip and removing the mast starting on Aug 10.

http://home.comcast.net/~saildan/BahamaTrip/BahamaTrip-Web-JULY-2005/new_page_2.htm

[Bobg]

thank you all, yes, I am thinking of the Erie canal, I like the thought of shipping the mast ahead,

has anyone ever made the trip in a catalina 34, was also wondering how a mast carryied on top would affect the other boats in the locks with the overhang and all, and the ability to manuver

[ken003]

Here is a pic of our setup.  We have done well over 100 locks like this.  Most people put a cross member above their bimini.  I ran the mast beneath the bimini, thinking lower would be less rolling.  I don't know if it helped, but maneuvering is no problem.  There is no problem in the locks with other boats. You just have to take it slow and be careful.  My mast is angled slightly to port so we do have to keep it off the wall at the bottom of the lock.  You will probably step your mast at Riverside Marina, Hop-O-Nose, or Castleton, they will store your cradle for you to pick up on your way back.  My X support on the bow is not fastened down very well so the mast must be tied down very well.  The only place you will have possible trouble with waves is on Lake Oneida.  Just don't go if the weather is bad.  We have been in 4-5' waves on Lake Ontario and large freighter wakes going down the St Lawrence River and hated every second of it, but there was no real danger (at least that is what I say now).  I have heard of people shipping the masts but have never met anyone who did.  To me it would be more of a hassle getting it ready for a truck and that much more expense.

Ken