Unstepping the mast for low bridges; rod rigging, inmast furling

[Jammer]

My cruising plans for my next boat include a circular route on the Rideau and Erie canals, beginning and ending on the Hudson River. There are a number of yards on the Hudson that offer mast services including unstepping, storage, and stepping, for sailboats that wish to make similar journeys.


This portion of the trip doesn't include meaningful opportunities for sailing, so it would make sense to store the mast, simplifying the process somewhat since there would be no need to construct crutches for carrying it.



At some future point, my plans may also include a similar trip on the French canals. This would involve crossing from the Med to the North Sea, and so I would want to bring the mast along with me.


I do not anticipate making either of these trips more than once.


My question is the extent to which rigging choices affect the reasonableness of these plans. I am looking at boats that fit into three categories:

• Some have ordinary deck-stepped rigs with stranded stainless steel cable and without any in-mast or in-boom furling.
• Some have in-mast furling systems.
• Some have rod rigging, and keel-stepped masts.

To what extent do the in-mast furling system, the rod rigging, and the deck stepped masts complicate these inland journeys?


I would prefer to choose a boat for the 90% of the time that she'll be where she can be sailed, rather than the 10% of the time spent inland. I cannot afford both a sailboat and a Grand Banks trawler.

[psk125]

Deck-stepped masts would tend to make stepping and unstepping the mast easier, though you might still need a crane, or a yard equipped to handle a large spar, depending upon the size of boat you envisage. The setup you have: r/f, in-mast furling, rod, wire or synthetic rigging, deck or keel-stepped mast- is not going to make much difference. You're only going to need to unstep the mast once, and step it once, and those variables don't make much difference. When you put the mast on supports for the trip through the canals, you're going to have the same concerns about having the mast and rigging supported without sags or kinks, regardless of what you have. The yard will take care of the situation that presents itself when you get there. That's what they do. Other people have done this, many times. Don't overthink it.

[Paul L]

If you are going to transport the mast on cradles on the boat, then a deck stepped mast will have much less overhang, making maneuvering far easier. Parking a 42ft boat that has a 62ft mast on it is a challenge.

[Pete7]

Depending on your route through the French canals, there are firms that will transport you mast for you which saves having to make a long canal trip with it secured above the deck. There are also well established lift and replace yards at each end to assist with this.

Pete

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I would prefer to choose a boat for the 90% of the time that she'll be where she can be sailed, rather than the 10% of the time spent inland. I cannot afford both a sailboat and a Grand Banks trawler.

Your question is already answered here. Obey your own words or be condemned to analysis paralysis.

[Emouchet]

On the Hudson river, we usually step and unstep mast at Catskill. There are 2 marinas there that can do it well and both can store your mast. Hop O Nose can even build for you the mast stand. They usually charge by the mast length, about 6$ per feet.

We have done that 4 times now, over the last 4 years. We are very use to do this. Good planning, and now this is a half a day routine work.
Our mast is 48 feet long, step on the desk.

Get every thing ready before you go under the crane. The procedure can be resumed this way:
- remove all sails
- remove boom, boom vang and all ropes
- disconnect electric wiring, mast head light, VHF antenna...
- Remove all cuter pins,
- Loose a bit all turn buckles to make it easier while under the crane,

We do not feel the need to remove mast head antenna nor wind indicator and wind speed, but this is just us.

To re-step use vice versa. Add grease to each turn buckle.

- Install mast stand on deck to support the mast: the stand from year to year are stored at those marina, they can keep it for you.
Our mast stand are fairly tall, as we like to be able to move easily from one side of the boat to the other side by going under the mast without bending too much. When passing locks being able to move around the boat can be helpful as we are only 2 in the boat.
Mast stand are made in 2x4 and 2x6 and should be strong. Stands and mast should be strongly attached to the boat: there are large barge on the Husdon with big wake: the boat will roll significantly, and I do not want to imagine the mast or stands falling in the water. We use 4 ratchet tie-down per stand, and 8 for the mast. You need to make sure nothing move, forward or backward and from side to side.