Mast Up or Down when stored on the hard?

[Geoffreykwright]

Hi - for those of us in cold climates who need to haul out for the winter...I've been wondering about storing the boat mast up or down.  I've heard arguments both ways.

Some say mast up is hard on the standing rigging...when the wind blows, the windage normally would cause the boat to rock (in the water).  on the cradle it stresses the standing rigging (although not sure how much different then strong gusts would be when heading up wind).

Mast down takes time - and can damage things if mistakes are made - but no windage on the mast.   But it allows you to inspect the rigging (up close) and replace things if needed (without having to climb the mast).

Thoughts?

[mregan]

When I used to store my boat on the hard, I always left the mast up.  Never had any problems in the 4-5 years I did it.

Marina I'm in now lets us keep the boats in year round.  I'm in New England.  Never any issues keeping it in the water during the winter either.

[Colonel Butler]

I am across the lake from you in Niagara-on-the-Lake. About 80% of the boats here store mast up and I have never heard of any problems. My previous boat (a CS30) which I owned for 30 years was stored mast up most years and I never had problems with standing rigging or chain plates. I would remove the mast every 4 years to inspect the running rigging and do a dye penetrant inspection on all of the swages for the standing rigging. Also disassembled the mast head sheaves for inspection and lubrication. Did find one crack in a shroud swage one year.

Leaving the mast up undoubtedly puts some extra load on the points of the hull where the cradle pads provide support during high wind events but I never saw any signs of stress cracking in the gel coat there.

[Jim Hardesty]

I leave my mast up most winters.  Have a winter cover that fits well with the mast up or down.  Something I do is take an old dock line attach the two jib halyards and spin halyard take to the mast head and wrap, candy cane style, around the fore stay foil.  This is to reduce the pumping in a strong wind.  Also take some tension off the back stay, about 6 turns also to reduce pumping. 
If I didn't have the winter cover that fit with the mast up would take the mast down every year.  It's less work to unstep/step the mast than to shrink wrap with the mast up.  But that's winter conditions in Erie, freeze-thaw cycles and lots of snow.
Jim

[Ron Hill]

Geo : I've stored the boat with the mast up for almost 30 years with no problems.

FYI, when the boat is on jack-stands or in its cradle; there should be 75% of its weight on the keel and only 25% of its weight on the jack-stands.
The jack-stands should be positioned at bulkheads to maximize support!!

I can't believe there is any strain on the standing rigging with no sails up???  The only advantage that I know of with the mast down is the lack of wear on the wind instrument (can be locked to not turn) - otherwise it is always turning with the mast UP!!

A few thoughts

[Geoffreykwright]

Geo : I've stored the boat with the mast up for almost 30 years with no problems.

FYI, when the boat is on jack-stands or in its cradle; there should be 75% of its weight on the keel and only 25% of its weight on the jack-stands.
The jack-stands should be positioned at bulkheads to maximize support!!

I can't believe there is any strain on the standing rigging with no sails up???  The only advantage that I know of with the mast down is the lack of wear on the wind instrument (can be locked to not turn) - otherwise it is always turning with the mast UP!!

A few thoughts

Ron - I've got a good cradle - and yes - the weight is on the keel and the cradle pads.  My point was when the wind blows, there is windage on the mast.  When in the water the boat can heel.  On the hard it can't...which caused me concern about stress on the chain-plates and deck....thats all.  Not sure if it was something I should be concerned about.

[Jim Hardesty]

which caused me concern about stress on the chain-plates and deck....

My concern is mast pumping (shock loading) and halyard chaffing.  Wrapping the jib foil helps with the pumping also called, the Von Kármán Effect.  Halyard chaff is stopped by sending them to the mast head, with down hauls attached.  If you can, get the boat set facing into the prevailing wind not beam to. 
Jim

[Ron Hill]

Geo : That mast is so stuff I never had a problem.  I did forget to say that I do wrap my "Lazy Jacks" around the mast and it deters mast pumping.  I keep the halyards taunt.
 
There surely is no more stress on the chain plates, mast and deck than there is with full sail in 15/20kts of wind!!

My thoughts