What's the best way to speed up mast raising / rigging

[jasonsjwou]

MacGregor video says "Rigging and Launching takes 10 minutes"

Yeah right. No way this can happen in 10 minutes.

For rigging and mast raising, it took me about 1 hour for the first time.
2nd and 3rd time around, I got better at it and I can do it in about 30 mins but that's still too long.
It's just too much.... to fiddle around, tie/untie, getting up and down, into the cabin and out etc etc.

I have the OEM mast raising post, and CDI roller furling.

What should I do, to make this rigging/unrigging a 15 mins or less??

To me, the Rolled Genoa is the most cumbersome thing. It's such a long and cumbersome to move around. Jib on halyard would be much easier (you can just take it out and bag it).
Also the spreader - Do you guys take this off for trailering?
Will the mast go down with the boom and gooseneck attached?
Should I leave the mast raising system attached and not take it out?

who's got the fastest setup and what did you do to achieve the speed??

Any help appreciated...

[Chinook]

I've been launching our 26X for 14 years, and it still takes me close to 2 hours to rig and launch the boat. Granted, I'm usually setting up for an extended outing, with set up including things like bimini, dodger, solar panels, burghee halyard, radar reflector, Mac Stack jack lines, and the like. I take my time and always try for the perfect rigging job, however I've yet to achieve it. Something always hangs up or needs to be redone. I'm thinking that, if 30 or 40 minutes is too much time for your tastes, you probably should be looking to slip your boat or, at the least, find a marina where you can park the boat on the trailer with the rig set up. Trying to hurry or come up with shortcuts seems to me to be an invitation for trouble.

[Highlander]

mast up storage

J

Me too 2hrs min. but then got full enclose set -up , 4 furlers , load up fuel tanks generally tow with them in my trk box , 4 sets of sheet lines , back-stay , load gear , food , me disable liquids "alcohol" , no rush , no worry

[March]

Yeah, one hour and a half, easily. I could cut some corners, but I prefer not to.
- Have a roller furler, too, and I find the convenience on the water outweighs the inconveniences when rigging the boat. One person cranks the mast up, I pull the jib from the front of the boat and attach it in place
- The spreaders stay in place. Pelican hooks on life lines keep them slack and the spreaders rest easily on top.
- I never leave the boom attached to the mast. Once the mast is up, I attach it using the crutch to prop it at the right height. The gooseneck is too tender to fool around with
- The mast raising system goes below deck. The baby stays stay.
- I use an aluminum ladder to attach the antenna and the tack tick vane at the top of the mast. That takes some time, too. Plus the bimini, like Catigale said.
Several things that can be done on the water: attaching the boom vang, the back stay, the cockpit cushions, the second forestay, the grills, etc. I tried raising the mast on the water a couple of times--it can be done, but don't like to.
For shorter trips to the local marina, the solar panels are in place. For longer ones, they are not.
But since when we launch, we spend much time on the water, I feel it's really worth it to do a proper job. we never launch for only one day

[kadet]

MacGregor video says "Rigging and Launching takes 10 minutes"

They also do 20mph with a 50hp engine

Again this is MacGregor license and truth stretching I would wager this is a basic hank on rig with no sails hanked on which will have to be done later out on the water. So raising the naked mast attaching the forestay attaching the naked boom and then off would be 10min. Hanking on the sails running the sheets attaching the vang etc.. will be another 20min before you can actually sail out on the water

Best I have ever done is 30min. Normally takes 40min. I have tried leaving the boom and main sail on the mast once, as others have suggested, but the mast would not reach the mast crunch when fully down as the boom with the sail rested on the cabin top, I have a heavier weight cloth than the factory sail, I could not undo the mast bolt due to the pressure on the rotation cup. With everything still on it the mast weighed a ton and was a b1tch to move, ended up taking longer to rig trying to move it around and untangle stuff.

Only suggestions I can make is leave as much attached as possible, put tubing over sidestay adjusters to prevent buckling. I now remove and replace spreaders, even though I have pelican hooks on both ends of the life lines as I got too many tangles with spreaders attached and I found it quicker in the long run to just remove and attach them. A second person to free guide stuff helps but normally takes me longer than doing it on my own .

With roller furling, full rigged with sheets ready to go I don't think you will ever see 15min.

[Lee Ward]

I can only add that a roofers nail pouch or something similar on a belt while you're raising and lowering the mast to keep all of the bits and bungees is very helpful.

[Erik Hardtle]

.
.
I can do it in 10 Minutes.

I have proof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5i0nLon1aA


How can I do it:
1. Rigged as a "Ship in a Bottle"
..... The furler, boom, sails and all lines are always attached.
2. Dual Axle Trailer.
..... I have the boat fully loaded at the house before I get to the ramp, with the dual axle I don't have to worry about weight distribution.

Erik
"KnotShore"

[dlandersson]

I'm slipped, and I take 30-40 minutes. I don't rush, I take my time, and try not to miss anything.

[Catigale]

.
.
I can do it in 10 Minutes.

I have proof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5i0nLon1aA


How can I do it:
1. Rigged as a "Ship in a Bottle"
..... The furler, boom, sails and all lines are always attached.
2. Dual Axle Trailer.
..... I have the boat fully loaded at the house before I get to the ramp, with the dual axle I don't have to worry about weight distribution.

Erik
"KnotShore"

Marketing only required one guy to make it ' typical'

Well done, Erik

[DHK79]

I can only add that a roofers nail pouch or something similar on a belt while you're raising and lowering the mast to keep all of the bits and bungees is very helpful.

I replaced all rigging nuts & bolts with quick release pins and keep a small carabiner clipped to a belt loop to hold the pins as I move about. I also remove the spreaders and use pins to hold them in thier sockets, rather than dipping lifelines.

This helps a lot, but so far I'm only able to get my solo rigging time down to about 45 minutes. A bit faster if I have a galley slave or two around...

BTW the MacGregor propaganda if you look carefully probably only refers to raising the mast. And yes, this can be done in less than ten minutes - but full rigging, I don't see it unless you have a full crew with everyone doing a single task all at once.

Doug (DHK79)

[kadet]

.
.
I can do it in 10 Minutes.

I have proof: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5i0nLon1aA

Not to belittle your achievement but you are not finished by 10min mark. Sheets aren't fully run, no main sheet, no vang, gin pole is still attached etc ?.. Another 10min maybe before you can launch and sail away?

[Rumdirty]

Only because I had to do it multiple weekends in a row due to damage and other issues, but 40 mins for me and a helper. Assuming sail already installed on furler, stays connected. I can raise the mast, attach the bottom, and install the mainsail. Then I have a cold one and celebrate my victory.

[Retcoastie]

Get a BIG strong helper or two. Teach them how to rig. Sit and enjoy.

[81venture]

I just got our 26x two months ago

It takes me about 15 min to setup the mast and launch. Then the admiral motors while I add boom and etc while underway

The Furler is a big PITA and I am thinking about removing it, but haven't made up my mind yet

The mast raising system I have on mine is different, as you winch the mast up using one of the winches on top of the cabin.

[Obelix]

I am with Chinook and others here.
Going from packed up and all tied down trailering status

to being fully rigged and all lines connected and routed launch status takes me 1.5 to 2 hours, somewhat depending on the Florida temperature at the time.
That's why we keep our boat in mast-up storage and trailer it only to multiday events.
I have seen claims of 10 - 15 minutes, but have never seen it done. Do they really trailer with everything loose, ready to be raised?

Obelix