Raist the Mast Fast

[Catigale]

errr...stainless bolt and Nylok nut like what comes from the factory?

[robbarnes1965]

I've been using the assortment of bungee cords too. Necessary evil I guess. It beats the sail-tape I used to use.

[Crikey]

errr...stainless bolt and Nylok nut like what comes from the factory?

Not really, it'd still be missing the quick dissassembly feature, as well as the 3/4" of spare threads that they figured were important in the design phase!

[Catigale]

If you think about it though, we use bolts/nyloks on the rudders on the road, when we trailer. Seems like the spreaders wouldn't see the same level of vibration that those nuts must feel...

[parrothead]

Here is a stainless option. I'm not sure if their length 1 1/2" or 2". http://tinyurl.com/63juq6d

I used then all through our first season when we were trailer-sailing. I added a loop of lightweight bungee cord - cut, passed through the ring, and crimped together into a circle - so that after inserting the fastpin from the upper side of the spreader receptacle, I could stretch the cord around the spreader and snap it over the exposed length of Fastpin sticking out of the bottom of the spreader. Not going to go anywhere.

When trailering - I'd drop the mast, pull the spreader pins, and use a pair of bungees to lash the spreaders alongside the mast -- out of the way.

To get full value from my Fastpin purchase, I then inserted the pins through the holes in the rudders that keep them from dropping while you're on the road. The very practical advantage being that the next time you are preparing to launch, you will HAVE TO remove the pins from the rudders in order to install the spreaders --- avoiding the embarrassment of launching the boat and THEN discovering that the rudders can't be lowered {the voice of expereince}.
We now keep our in a slip, so I have reverted to using bolts to secure the spreaders for the season, and the Fastpins only see duty twice a year as rudder-keepers.

[Crikey]

Here is a stainless option. I'm not sure if their length 1 1/2" or 2". http://tinyurl.com/63juq6d

I used then all through our first season when we were trailer-sailing. I added a loop of lightweight bungee cord - cut, passed through the ring, and crimped together into a circle - so that after inserting the fastpin from the upper side of the spreader receptacle, I could stretch the cord around the spreader and snap it over the exposed length of Fastpin sticking out of the bottom of the spreader. Not going to go anywhere.

When trailering - I'd drop the mast, pull the spreader pins, and use a pair of bungees to lash the spreaders alongside the mast -- out of the way.

To get full value from my Fastpin purchase, I then inserted the pins through the holes in the rudders that keep them from dropping while you're on the road. The very practical advantage being that the next time you are preparing to launch, you will HAVE TO remove the pins from the rudders in order to install the spreaders --- avoiding the embarrassment of launching the boat and THEN discovering that the rudders can't be lowered {the voice of expereince}.
We now keep our in a slip, so I have reverted to using bolts to secure the spreaders for the season, and the Fastpins only see duty twice a year as rudder-keepers.

Would that be the lower, and deep voice of experience!

The pin that you've shown - albeit - in stainless, does not have the 'set and forget' utility of Mastreb's, which surely must come out from somewhere in SS soon. It almost looks like a tractor linkage pin similar to the mound of parts I have in my garage, from a dissassembled 56 Ford Jubilee. Not as rusted though....
I've trailered in the past after having performed the spreader dance, bungee nirvana and triple checking of all the kinky possibilities only to find some little spot somewhere where a line has thrashed only a tiny bit, where it wasn't s'posed to, and then looking at hours of cutting and polishing to make my penance for having been so careless. Last summer I had a radar reflector lose a cable tie on the stay and beat against the cabin window for an hour - what a mess!
It would be nice to find some hardware that could not only deal with the spreaders but the stay attachments to the chainplates as well, without compromising safety, and that would give fast setup and get everything tight against the mast for long hauls.
And I don't mean nyloc...

[mastreb]

I also use this pin at the point where the goose-neck attaches to the boom. I'm a little more worried about that location but it's never come out. I leave the goose-neck hardware attached to the mast while trailering because it's a delicate assembly and I've twice dropped bolts into drink when attaching it.

I'm not messing with quickpins on any of the stays at the chainplates though. If they come out underway, bad things can happen fast. I use quick D shackles on the vang and boomkicker.

All in all, I've got rigging on the trailer down to about ten to fifteen minutes depending on how casual I am about it. But I have to do it every time I use the boat, so practice definitely makes perfect.

[Phil M]

I use quick pins for attaching the boomkicker to the mast, attaching the boom to the mast, attaching the spreaders, attaching the frame for my dodger, and attaching the frame for the bimini. After about 2 years, quickpins start to rust and just get replaced with new ones. I have never had a quickpin come out on its own.

Phil M

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

Raising the mast really isn't that hard or complicated. I've tried some of the changes others have used but they just add more time, as they have to be undone and done when raising and lowering, and expense.
The only thing I did add is a Large Hinge Pin (DH2150P) from Dwyer Mast Co (Maybe someone that knows how can post a picture of it here) in place of the 3/8" bolt and lock-nut. I put a large ring-pin in the flat end and a large hair-pin in the tapered end. It can also easily be made with some 3/8" ss round stock or even just by drilling holes in your 3/8" bolt.
I sit on the bow pulpit, starboard side. Pull the pin, let the mast drop onto my thighs, put the hair-pin on a little finger and the ring-pin on another finger. I roll the mast aft only about a foot but I move aft to just in front of the windows where I have about 6 feet wide standing room. I push the mast-base to port. The port side spreader hits the port side lifeline causing the mast to swivel, raising the starboard spreader above the lifeline. I then lift the mast base which gets the port side spreader tube above the lifeline, and roll the mast aft. When the mast gets to the mast step I insert the 3/8" pin and then the hair pin.
On the mast raiser, I removed the side-support wires and use line, which makes it easier to stow.

[Mac26Mpaul]

You could just put wing nuts with lock washers on the existing 1/4 inch bolts. Easy to do up and undone by hand then although not quite as fast as the pins. You could even probably just do one side which would make it much easier, although you would still get hang ups when moving it back. Or as suggested, perhaps just use the existing bolts and lock nuts on there - after all they only need to be done up hand tight. Mine dont have 1/4 inch of spare bolt on them ?

The fix they have apparently done on new models, is to remove 4 inches from the spreaders. I remember seeing somewhere on the forum that it is easy to just cut it off older models, only needing to then ajust the last notch on the adjuster near the chainplates. Has anybody done this??

[mastreb]

You could just put wing nuts with lock washers on the existing 1/4 inch bolts. Easy to do up and undone by hand then although not quite as fast as the pins. You could even probably just do one side which would make it much easier, although you would still get hang ups when moving it back. Or as suggested, perhaps just use the existing bolts and lock nuts on there - after all they only need to be done up hand tight. Mine dont have 1/4 inch of spare bolt on them ?

The fix they have apparently done on new models, is to remove 4 inches from the spreaders. I remember seeing somewhere on the forum that it is easy to just cut it off older models, only needing to then ajust the last notch on the adjuster near the chainplates. Has anybody done this??

I have the new shorter spreaders, and while I'm not sure how much of a PIA it used to be, I'll tell you it's still a PIA IMHO. Taking of the spreaders is a piece of cake with the wire clasp quick pins. I gather all the stays, sheets, and halyards at the lower hound with a shackle and then toss the spreaders down into the cabin. This manages all the loose stays, sheets, and lines and ensures they won't go over the side of the trailer without taking any time.

Nylock wingnut=ordered!

[fouz]

I remember someone using a pin on the forestay and their mast fall cause the pin came out. Would this pin be any better? Or don't trust any pins on that?

[Mac26Mpaul]

Well my furler uses a pin (as do the shrouds). I cant see my mast coming down unless someone forgot to put a ring ding in it maybe... although even then, the pressure on the pin would probably keep it in unless it was knocked out.

However its different with the spreaders because as someone said, the pressure is trying to push them in further. I really cant see any problems in using the pin method, although I think I will just go with nyloc wingnuts(if I can find them here) for the existing bolts too.

[Mac26Mpaul]

Well I have just been out there playing, and to be honest, you could probably just put the normal bolts in with NO nut on! The pressure makes it impossible to move the bolts (Dont get me wrong, I am not recommending this). I have just set them up with the standard bolts and the nyloc nuts, as Catigale said and done up hand tight, which works just fine!! (will get some of those nylock wing nuts when I can find them). It is CONFIRMED that it makes it VERY much easier to move the mast around when its on the carrier!

I reckon it might take an extra 2 minutes to bungy and do up nuts hand tight, but saves 5 minutes of messing around, getting annoyed, embarrassed and almost falling off the boat in the carpark! I always set up single handed, and I'm not sure why I didnt do this earlier, its great! I was going to cut 4 inches off the spreaders, glad I didnt bother with that, because this is better

[seahouse]

Seems to me (at least in the image I have in my mind of the arrangement) that in the extreme case you might not need any pins at all once it's up; the shroud tension, even of the lee side shroud when properly tensioned, would keep them from turning or pulling out.

How 'bout two of those things they use to secure the quick-change pool implements to the end of the telescoping pole...

http://www.lesliespool.com/Home/Cleanin ... 20771.html

I've home-made these in the past and used them for various light-duty applications.

A "V" shaped thingy with two elongated, rounded end stubs that spring out when the holes are aligned, like this one in the link, only metal parts? Nothing to lose, and the shoulders of the stubs could be undercut a bit to add security. Can't get any quicker than those, and nothing to go bouncing off the deck into the drink.

Or not.