Lowering and raising a mast 37ft prout snow goose catamaran

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

Also try a Tree Service
With a cherry picker
Cheers
Neil

+2

[Dave22q]

Originally Posted by meirriba

Excuse my ignorance - how do you make a cat heel?

Good question. You have another boat along side pulling down on a halyard extension. the force on the masthead will either bend the mast (very unlikely) or force the boat to heel. The sister boat probably needs to be rafted to your boat with bracing that accommodates the downward movement of your inboard hull so your boat will not slide to the sister boat. The question for any boat is how much heel can she tolerate before going over? 22 degrees is not much. I suspect the limiting factor on your cat is not flooding the inboard hull but the builder documents should help you with that. You could increase your safety margin by adding weight to the outboard hull to act as a counterweight just as a keel does.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

Good question. You have another boat along side pulling down on a halyard extension. the force on the masthead will either bend the mast (very unlikely) or force the boat to heel. The sister boat probably needs to be rafted to your boat with bracing that accommodates the downward movement of your inboard hull so your boat will not slide to the sister boat. The question for any boat is how much heel can she tolerate before going over? 22 degrees is not much. I suspect the limiting factor on your cat is not flooding the inboard hull but the builder documents should help you with that. You could increase your safety margin by adding weight to the outboard hull to act as a counterweight just as a keel does.

just did an experiment with a triangle of paper representing a 20 ft beam catamaran with a 50 ft mast,leaning over at about 22 degrees heel, the top of the mast would now be aprox 3-4 ft higher from the water surface than when the vessel is level.

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

Also try a Tree Service
With a cherry picker
Cheers
Neil

Now there you go!!

[Mike Banks]

If there is a bridge handy with a strong rail thereon--motor to the bridge and fasten the mast to the rail with a block and tackle. loosen the rigging bolts and take up tension with the block and tackle. Undo the rigging screws and tie a rope to the base of the mast which you then take to your anchor windlass. Pull the mast base towards the bow--lowering it with the block and tackle from the bridge, until it lies on the deck of your cat. Lower block and tackle to your deck.

Masts are not particularly heavy--just awkward and unwieldy

Lotsa luck.

Method 2.

Lash a block of timber longitudinally to the mast after putting rubber from car tube between timber and mast. Put it about a foot or so up the mast. This will allow a car jack to be used to lift the mast base should it be jammed.


Obtain TWO aluminium or steel struts (scaffolding) which can be lashed at their bases to the base of deck stanchions approximately level with the mast, and reach at least half way up the mast. Lash the tops together and fit a block and tackle (such as from your boom vang) to them, ans secure it to the mast using a sling tied in a Prusik knot.

Tighten the fore and aft ropes to the braces, and secure them to cleats. Undo the rigging screws after taking up the block and tackle, then using the rope/s attached to the base of the mat, pull them towards the bow. The mast should pivot at the apex.

Lower the mast using the block and tackle until it rests amidships on the coach roof, and secure it.

Again--lotsa luck.

[flyingfin]

Sharkyj
Apparently you are stuck in the Banana River not the Indian River. Is that correct??? If yes, then call Beyel Crane service and have them find a location where they can lift your mast with a land based rig and drop to the deck temporarily. There are several marinas in Melbourne or Eau Gallie that can re-step if for you.

[flyingfin]

Or motor up to the bridge at low tide with no wind and see if you fit. Remember the chart clearance is at MHW

[captnknopf]

I live a few miles south of Melbourne and put up the mast on my 39 foot tri using a 26 foot scaffolding rented from Brevard rentals. Put a snatch block on the top of the scaffolding, tied a line jut above the middle of the mast and hauled away. would be easy to lower it this way and after passing Pineda causway, raise it again, take it back to the rental place using the dingy and a truck. Less than $200

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

Good question. You have another boat along side pulling down on a halyard extension. the force on the masthead will either bend the mast (very unlikely) or force the boat to heel. The sister boat probably needs to be rafted to your boat with bracing that accommodates the downward movement of your inboard hull so your boat will not slide to the sister boat. The question for any boat is how much heel can she tolerate before going over? 22 degrees is not much. I suspect the limiting factor on your cat is not flooding the inboard hull but the builder documents should help you with that. You could increase your safety margin by adding weight to the outboard hull to act as a counterweight just as a keel does.

22d is a huge amount of heel, and thus load, on a cat...dont do this.

Originally Posted by atoll

just did an experiment with a triangle of paper representing a 20 ft beam catamaran with a 50 ft mast,leaning over at about 22 degrees heel, the top of the mast would now be aprox 3-4 ft higher from the water surface than when the vessel is level.

[svtrio]

Fwiw,

I tried lowering the mast (about 41 feet) of my Snowgoose 34 at a long pier head using the various mechanical leverages suggested here. Very scary as that mast moved out of vertical and into a point of "no return" up or crashing down!!Yikes!!

We had arranged an emergency backup on a halyard from the mast of a Morgan OI 41 (at the opposite end of the pier bow to bow) to the masthead of my Snowgoose mast.

That saved the day and I did that procedure about three times through the years.

The previous owner gave me drawings and a fabricated box for the base of the mast, but I never came close to accomplishing what he said he did regularly in lowering the mast solely by shipboard mechanical advantages.

Roger

[Cavalier MK2]

The method I described is so secure you could do it with the boat in waves as the mast is always tethered from all angles. I was about to say it's fool proof but I remembered saying a helper could speed things up. Make sure those communication wires don't get crossed!

I'm surprised at the price, the one time I had a yard unstep a mast with me doing the deck work and unhooking the hardware with the yard guy in the crane it was less than $200.

[Sandyt4343]

It's always first and foremost important to realize the forces that you were dealing with with a tabernacled mast , in addition are the pivot points which are equally as important. Add to that the placement of your shrouds in relation to the mast step. The mast step needs to be able to withstand the backward force of the mast when lowered, your shrouds have to be located exactly abeam of your tabernacle and the also have to be either attached at the same horizontal plane or have an additional pivot point added at that level. Your topping lift must be able to withstand the strain of the load when attached to the boom end and your main sheet lines must be long enough to allow you to lower the mast enough to do the job. Also most vital is a bridle needs to be added that attaches to your shrouds (at that pivot plane) and your boom at the point of topping lift connection. Never use carabiners for this bridle. I've seen a friend nearly lose her life as a result of a mast collapsing on her when the carabiners failed One last thought is never allow crew personnel to go forward when lowering the mast as this can result in loss of life if there is an equipment failure. We use the System I have described on half of the boats in our harbor in Santa Cruz that are birthed on the inland side of our bridge, but it is not something that should be attempted by beginners and no shortcuts should be taken. Best of luck to you. Ps rent a boom truck or light crane and save the stress.

[Sharkyj]

This is a picture of the boat and the situation

[Sharkyj]

I am trying to upload a few pics of the boat that we need to lower the mast on.
I am on a I pad. New to site and up loading pics
Wanted you guys to see what we are looking at.
This proud has a cabin just aft of the mast.
The mast would have to pivot forward.

[Sharkyj]

Another pic
Sorry a little new at this grr
Maybe someone can draw me a pic
I am not sure if I can get a bucket truck or a crane we have been trying so far with little success.
I see the pic sent of the other boat just wanted to show you guys this boat and see what we are dealing with