Monday, May 26, 2014

Islands 17 Mast step

On my list of things to clean up is the mast step. Looks like a simple matter of replacing the screws, and possibly rebedding it after I clean off the rust stains.

Raising the mast isn't so bad for me single handed. I keep the shrouds rigged  and only the fore stay is loose. I simply slide it back at the ramp until I can drop the base down to the mast step. Then I pin through the aft holes. Before I lift up the mast I rig the jib halyard to the bow where the tack of the jib will be fastened. When that is done, I check to make sure my halyard, stay and shrouds are clear and no one is messing around too close behind me.

After the check I lift, usually standing further back in the cockpit for leverage (I put a small stepstool under the stern just incase the trailer comes off the ball with my tubby butt way back there). From there it hinges up easily, though I typically pause when I get it up high enough to rest on my shoulder and take up the slack on the jib halyard. At this point I can either walk it up to vertical, or press it with my right arm and haul on the halyard. Either way, once it is up I secure the halyard and can take my time getting down and moving to the bow to secure the fore stay. I haven't timed it, but I'd guess I'm about 10-12 minutes from pulling up to being rigged. The next thing I do is to make sure the plug is in (this is probably the 2nd or 3rd time I've checked the plug :)

Depending on how busy the ramp is, and what the conditions are of the launch site I may bend the sails on at this point or wait until I've launched.


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