how to step my mast?

[downshift93]

hello,


This is my first sailboat so I'm totally new to it all so please excuse my newbie question.

I have been trying to step my mast and its just been very difficult. I have a Laguna Yacht 24 and I know the mast can be stepped by a single person but I can't even get it with two people.

can anyone help me out and point me in the direction of some step by step instructions to mast stepping? I don't have any money to spend so buying a stepping system is out.

thanks for all your help and hopefully ill get this mast up and be on the water soon :-)

[dlymn]

does it have an attachment point/fulcrum at rear of mast.If so attach it to the base on the deck. both of you lift is and walk towards the mast.(make sure the wires at the back and sides(stays) are connected to the boat. one of you go forward and pull one of the ropes (halyards) that goes to the top or near the top of the mast. Keep on pulling until all of the stays are tight. One of you check that no shackle are caught in an odd position and that all of the stays are free from other stays. The other person comes forward or tie off the halyard somewhere. Connect the forestay or furler to the bow. The most common problem are twist in stays or poorly set shackles. As you're lifting, the mast probably won't fall over as the stays tend to hold it in place at leasr when you're approaching vertical. I bet there's some old codger nearby who's done this a thousand times. One tot of rum and he'll step it himself.

[chris mac]

Your best bet would be to ask for help from any sailors wherever you are launching it. If you do it once with help, you won't have any problems doing it later.
I'm not familiar with Laguna. But a google search showed deck stepped with 2 shrouds on each side.
Based on my limited experience with only 4 different boats.....
You should have a pivot pin and locking pin on the base plate. Slide the mast back until you can mount the bottom of the mast in the pivot pin. Attach the back stay and shrouds loose and make sure they aren't tangled on anything. Also make sure they run clear of the lifelines. A bracket in the cockpit to support the mast helps at this point.
I like having one guy pulling the fore stay and one guy lifting the mast from behind(at least) be very careful to not allow side to side movement. Once it's vertical, attach the fore stay and lock pin on the base,and start tensioning all standing rigging.
As it's going up pay attention to all lines so you don't tangle.
If it's quite heavy you can use the trailer winch attached to the fore stay or jib halyard.
I've seen others use gin poles, and they looked easy, but I don't have any experience with them.
Getting help from someone knowledgeable on site will make it smoother, and let you know if anything is missing. Plus they can help you establish the proper tension in your shrouds.
Once you do it, it's not as intimidating anymore. On a 24 foot boat the mast should not be to bad.
Good luck
Oh by the way, the most important part:-) make sure all halyards are down at both ends. Getting the mast up and realizing you main halyard is at the top really sucks. But you will get extra practise standing and dropping your mast!