Advice on buying 26M/X

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lingvo
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by lingvo »

Hi Kurz,

The one 26X I'm looking for now, doesn't seem to have original trailer anymore. So I guess it's newer, than the boat itself.
So 26X doesn't need a MRS?
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Jimmyt
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by Jimmyt »

lingvo wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:33 am Hi Kurz,

The one 26X I'm looking for now, doesn't seem to have original trailer anymore. So I guess it's newer, than the boat itself.
So 26X doesn't need a MRS?
Unless you are a body builder, you'll probably want some assistance in mast raising. The M model MRS (or similar homemade version) can be used. Also a gin pole arrangement like Tomfoolery uses would be fine. You need to see what comes with the boat. Unless it was kept in the water, there could be a mast raising rig with the boat.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=27255&p=337939&hil ... ng#p337939
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by Starscream »

One of the very few times I will post an opinion contrary to JimmyT. The mast on the X is really no problem for an averagely-fit person to raise. Been doing it for 10 years, by myself with no MRS. It's a bit of a hoist at first, but if you don't have any nagging injuries it's no problem. I have a second forestay that I use to help when rigging single handed. I use the turnbuckle at the bottom of the forestay to add a dock line. I run the dock line around the mast bolt on the bow pulpit and back to the base of the mast. Raise the mast, hold it up with one hand, pick up the dockline and pull the forestay tight, make fast the dockline on a stanchion, walk forward, attach the turnbuckle, tighten it so that the furler is easy to pin, then loosen the turnbuckle so the furler is taught.

If I didn't have the backup forestay, I would need a second set of hands to hold the mast up with the furler, while I walk forward to help pin it.

This summer I raised the mast on the water by myself, rocking in waves and wind. By far the hardest part was walking the mast base back from the pulpit to the mast base, especially because it was on the longer mast support pole that we use to be able to have the bimini up and the mast down at the same time. It was hard because the frickin stays get caught on everything, then I was stuck trying to figure out how to unstick them while controlling the base.
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by BOAT »

the mast itself is not too bad for a normal person - it's the the mast AND furler AND genoa all together that is really hard to lift because the furler with sail is nearly as heavy as the mast but even worse it flops around trying to pull the mast sideways while your tryin the lift the mast making the whole thing very unstable.
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by Jimmyt »

Starscream wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 4:57 pm One of the very few times I will post an opinion contrary to JimmyT. The mast on the X is really no problem for an averagely-fit person to raise. Been doing it for 10 years, by myself with no MRS.
I still love you, man. Gonna have to start calling you Mr. Starscream though, if you're throwing masts up without a MRS. :D
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by NiceAft »

BOAT wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 5:20 pm the mast itself is not too bad for a normal person - it's the the mast AND furler AND genoa all together that is really hard to lift because the furler with sail is nearly as heavy as the mast but even worse it flops around trying to pull the mast sideways while your tryin the lift the mast making the whole thing very unstable.
BOAT,

Which mast are you referring to, the X or the M?
Ray ~~_/)~~
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by svscott »

My 2 cents on raising the X mast is that it's not too difficult solo while using a gin pole but it's way harder than my 26D with standard forestay.
I've only put the X mast up twice so far... the first time up and down was by myself in my driveway (with my 8 year old son supervising), using the gin pole that came with the boat. I used the main halyard attached to the top of the gin pole and the mainsheet block between the bottom of the gin pole and the eye strap deck fitting. The baby stays worked great to keep the mast in line. The furler with genoa and the fixed spreaders make the process WAY more difficult than my 26D mast with no raising system, moving spreaders, and standard forestay. I won't hesitate to do it alone on either boat... by hand on the D and with the gin pole on the X.
The 2nd time putting the mast up was in the water, at my marina slip. We did it just like we normally would on the D with him standing in the cockpit and he lifted the mast up to me on the cabin top where I walked it right up and had him come forward to hold the mast up while I used the main halyard wrapped around the bow cleats to flex the mast forward enough to pin the furler to the chainplate. I'll be lowering the mast and bringing both boats home by Thursday this week. Sad days ahead!
I'm confident I can lift the X mast with furler and genoa by myself without a mast raising system if i had to but to be fair, I'm not quite 40 years old and I'm fairly strong.

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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by BOAT »

NiceAft wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 7:17 pm
BOAT wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 5:20 pm the mast itself is not too bad for a normal person - it's the the mast AND furler AND genoa all together that is really hard to lift because the furler with sail is nearly as heavy as the mast but even worse it flops around trying to pull the mast sideways while your tryin the lift the mast making the whole thing very unstable.
BOAT,

Which mast are you referring to, the X or the M?
M boat
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by Jimmyt »

NiceAft wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 7:17 pm
BOAT,

Which mast are you referring to, the X or the M?
Is there a significant difference, by the time you add rigging and Genoa on Furler? :o

Although the X baby stays (shrouds) might make it more stable...
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by BOAT »

Jimmyt wrote: Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:18 am
NiceAft wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 7:17 pm
BOAT,

Which mast are you referring to, the X or the M?
Is there a significant difference, by the time you add rigging and Genoa on Furler? :o

Although the X baby stays (shrouds) might make it more stable...
not sure but I think the M is harder to rig than the X without a gin pole.
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by NiceAft »

Jimmyt wrote: Mon Oct 26, 2020 7:18 am
NiceAft wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 7:17 pm
BOAT,

Which mast are you referring to, the X or the M?
Is there a significant difference, by the time you add rigging and Genoa on Furler? :o

Although the X baby stays (shrouds) might make it more stable...
I have lifted both. The :macx: is considerably easier.
Ray ~~_/)~~
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by opie »

Here are my measurements on lifting the 26x mast by hand. I used a bathroom type scale. It gets lighter and lighter as it rises.
The previous members' posts nail the manual lifting procedure perfectly. I've had my boat for over 10 year's, use it often, and only used the MRS and baby stays once and then stored them in garage. I am 72.
One hint, I raise the mast in the water. I anchor, then rotate boat by running anchor rode on aft cleat so as to let wind come from directly aft. That makes a world of difference. Any breeze at all on the bow end will add extra pounds to lift and a side breeze could be bad. Once lifting begins it only takes 10 seconds to get vertical and tie it off as described above.
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by opie »

As also said above, if anything catches on anything, prepare to cuss like crazy, lower the mast and start over after clearing the snag.
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by Inquisitor »

Firemanbill is long gone. I think we convinced him buying an M or X is too expensive. The Pizza bill alone...
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Re: Advice on buying 26M/X

Post by Starscream »

Fun to read the recent comments.

Opie, very interesting sketches and measurements. I wouldn't have guessed 125 lbs but I won't dispute that number. It helps, of course, to have the hatch slid as far back as possible and to hoist the mast standing as far back as possible. And yes, wind makes a HUGE difference. Good advice on orienting the boat to use the wind. And also yes, its mind boggling how effective boat parts are at snagging everywhere and everything. I'm getting pretty good at prepping the stays to not snag, but the snag-free lift is rare. I found that disconnecting the backstay helps lower the snag factor, and making sure the stay connections aren't kinked before lifting. I lay the sidestays down on the cabin top, inside the stanchions, before the lift, and that helps too.

I have the MRS somewhere, and eventually I'll assemble and use it. I think I have a few more easy mast-raising years before that though....48 yrs old today. Weird, and very lucky, but I feel in better condition now than when I was in my 30s. Probably has something to do with reduced carer stress levels and zero time in an office any more.

Jimmy, lol, no Mr. necessary, I'm Canadian.
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