Ducking under bridges

[innervations]

We are planning a trip which will involve passing under a couple of bridges which are 7.0, 7.4 and 8.0 meters clearance from maximum high water. The mast height is 10.67 meters above waterline so I will have to lower the mast by at least 3.67 meters (12 feet). I have raised and lowered the mast completely many times and have the factory winch and pole to assist with this and always on dry land.

I would be interested in advice on how best to lower and raise the mast only partially while on the water. Would you bother with the mast raising system?

[paj637]

Did it once near Marathon FL to save about a six mile transit to they main channel on the seven mile bridge. It can be done in calmer waters singlehanded but I waited till I was moored to put the mast back up. May have put the mast back up after crossing under the bridge if I wasn't alone. I have the quick disconnect and made sure I had a spare pin and ring ding in my pocket just incase.

[Chinook]

Our boat is an X, with a different mast raising system, but it works on the same principle. We've lowered the mast while underway on several occasions, in order to clear low bridges. We used our mast raising rig on each occasion, and I would definitely recommend it. Much more control. With the X, the mast is raised and lowered with a line led to the jib winch, which allows raising and lowering to be done from the cockpit.

[parttimesailor]

I used the factory system on a different MacGregor and thought it would work well for what you are describing and you could do it while underway - esp. if you have baby stays installed. It's a good point about having a way tension the forestay and quick-disconnect if you're going to do a lot of this. Do you have a furler on your forestay?

Regards,

Chris Blubaugh

[Boblee]

When we know a bridge is on the trip will leave the baby stays attached and keep the raising rig on board and where multiple bridges even leave it attached, when using if rough will tie up and drop mast and same for raising but have done it without anchoring etc on calm water, only drop it enough to go under the bridge.
Oh an we keep a spare quick locking pin in the spare hole all the time in case one drops.

[mastreb]

We have some low bridges in Mission Bay in San Diego. I would definitely recommend keeping the baby stays attached and using the mast raising system.

You can leave the mast raising system on all the time. Just let out the line all the way and leave pole laying on deck. The jib will sheet around the loose raising line no problem. However, the winch will scrape up the raccoon stripes if you let it--I wrap it with a towel to keep it from doing so.

Re-pinning is a total pain in the butt underway. I'd recommend a Johnson lever if you plan on making a habit of it.

[Catigale]

Would you bother with the mast raising system?

I don't own the MRS but would strongly recommend using it for repeated mast raising/lowering s on the water.

It's on my birthday list to either buy or fab this year

[Oskar 26M]

The MRS works well for ducking under bridges, PROVIDED the water is calm and your boat is not hit by serious wash from other boats.

On a previous boat, I had mast lowering baby stays that originated in line with the mast hinge but their uppers were fixed to the mast like miniature shrouds. They contained lateral mast movement so that I could safely lower the mast under quite choppy conditions.

The rotating mast on the Mac makes this difficult if not impossible to achieve. The stability of the Mac's MRS depends on the mast putting a downward load on the winch rope to keep the baby-stay connection and the winch rope taut. If something happens to release that load (like the wash from an insensitively driven large powerboat or choppy wave conditions that cause your Mac to bob up and down), the mast will flap around as if it is not stayed at all. This can be quite dangerous.

The only solution I've found is to keep significant tension on the MRS winch rope at all time by using the mainsail halyard, the topping lift or a crew-member hanging from the partially lowered mast, but it is not a very satisfactory solution and I am still very nervous about lowering the mast in a busy wash-filled harbour.

[bartmac]

The baby stays make all the difference....our boat had obviously not been used as a sail boat since new.No rigging was assembled correctly and the baby stays were rolled up in the bilge.First attempts raising the mast had me scratching my head.....when in doubt read the instructions!!!! so looked in the manual and realised bits were missing.With all bits in place raising the mast whether on land or water is easy....hardest part is really sliding forward the mast (for trailering).We have just done a river trip which required mast lowering and was uneventful except when richard craniums go past creating very large wakes.In our case a rear arch has a built in mast rest well above head height so makes for an easier job and just leaving the mast connected to the mast step

[innervations]

Thanks everyone for the really useful replies. I will definitely use the mast raising system. Installing a Johnson lever sounds like a good idea but reading this forum it is not a simple job. Seems to require moving the mast hound higher???

[seahouse]

Just as a matter of reference, if you have a dodger installed, the bridge clearance height for a lowered mast is 13- ½ feet (call it 14’, or 4.25 metres, with a safety margin, plus VHF antenna, windex) when the mast touches the dodger frame, and using the mast raiser. If you want to lower the dodger frame, and any parts of an enclosure, if up, this will give you more clearance.

I measured it on the trailer and subtracted the ground height.

I measured this because in our area it is possible to circumvent the Erie canal (“Black Rock Lock”) and enter the Niagara River from Lake Erie if you can lower your mast at the International Train Bridge, and have the speed to buck the strong currents under the Peace Bridge on return.

It’s a short-cut route that is not available to most non-Mac sailboats, so it allows scenery to guests on our boat that’s different to the views when we are guests on theirs. (Depending on how comfortable they are above the Falls) .

- Brian.

[JoeG]

except when richard craniums go past creating very large wakes.

Great line, I have to remember that one.

[bartmac]

Richard Cranium doesnt get picked up by the much too correct spell check like dickhead....bummer it doesnt correct it like sh~t

[DaveC426913]

Re-pinning is a total pain in the butt underway. I'd recommend a Johnson lever if you plan on making a habit of it.

I find re-pinning a PITA at the best of times. I'd love to use a Johnson lever (my previous boat had one on the main halyard).

But it seems to add a fair bit of length to the forestay.
Here's someone who did it:
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... ng-24.html
Seems to be more involved than I'd hoped.