Mast Crutch Removable or Permanent?

[Mcadieux]

I noticed in the manual that the rear mast crutch on the steering column states its removable. Mine is bolted inside the steering pedestal. I remember reading somewhere about some being permanent, but of course can't find the posts. Is their any pros or cons to removable vs non removable? I think it looks kind of stupid leaving it in place.

[Chinook]

The crutch is removable in every 26X I've ever seen, including ours. When our mast is up, I remove the crutch and stow it below. In it's place I install a short length of aluminum rod I found at a boat junk place. It's about 2 1/2 feet in length. On the top I've threaded a trailer hitch towing ball. I get lots of comments about the purpose and function of a trailer hitch ball installed at that location. It's primary function is to provide a convenient hand hold for moving around in the cockpit. Without the ball in place, the temptation would be to grab the Garmin GPS, which is mounted on top of our pedestal. The Garmin can do a lot of cool things, but it's not very good at serving as a hand hold in rough seas. Since the ideal situation for gear installed in a small boat is that it serve more than one purpose, I point out that it also makes for a great fish whacker after I've landed the big one (I've actually used it as such, and it works great). I further point out that it would come in real handy for rappelling unwanted boarders (Argghh). Thankfully, haven't had to try that one yet, but I'm sure it would be convincing. As for your "permanently" installed crutch, anything that is installed should be capable of being uninstalled. I'd recommend removing the offending bolt or bolts, no doubt put there by a well meaning but ill advised previous owner, and enjoy the benefits of stowing it when not needed. You can always put your handy dandy fish whacking trailer hitch ball there.

[DownSouth]

I thought mine was permanent because of the way it is welded.

Try a twisting motion with a bit of up force.

Mine eventually came free.

If this doesn't work unbolt it and remove it from the boat have a look at the way it is made and maybe have a go in a vice.

DownSouth

[Tomfoolery]

There's a cross bolt in the tube in the helm that the crutch sits on, to prevent it from going all the way to the cockpit sole. It's possible the PO drilled a hole and put the bolt through it, instead of just letting the crutch sit on it. Or as DownSouth suggested, it could just be stuck from sitting there for a long time with crud accumulating between the tubes.

FWIW, mine sits exactly 1 ft down inside the tube, which I know because I made a 1 ft extension that puts the bottom of the crutch tube flush with the top of the helm (for raising the mast over everyone's head when boating with the mast down, or working on it in the driveway). But there are two different style of pedestal, one higher than the other, and I don't know if there's a difference in how deep the other style goes. What's more relevant is how far off the cockpit sole that cross bolt is, since that's what defines the roller height, and I don't actually know that dimension, but I did once upon a time and it's in a thread from some years back about mast crutches on the X, if you feel like searching.

Oh, and I remove the crutch when the mast is up. There's no reason for it to be there, and it's just in the way. I don't store it on the boat, either, unless I'm going someplace where I might have to lay the mast down while on the water, like to get under a low bridge. Otherwise, it lives in the garage, or in the tow vehicle when on a road trip. Along with the trailer stern strap, trailer bridle, even the MRS - there's no reason for that stuff to be banging around below decks, or even to be on the boat at all, other than what I mentioned above.

[Mcadieux]

It seems it was removable after all lol

[dlandersson]

It seems it was removable after all lol

[Tomfoolery]

[Mcadieux]

Next question, do you guys remove the roller for transport or do you keep the roller in?

[K9Kampers]

The roller stays on the mast crutch to support the mast. There is no need to remove it.

[Mcadieux]

Ok thanks, when I picked the boat up it wasn't on the crutch. Thought maybe it was meant to seat the mast deeper in the crutch. After I put it on, it didn't look like it needed to be removed to safely secure the mast.

[Tomfoolery]

There should be a pair of stainless straps mounted to the axle which also bolt to the mast. Use a dock or other line to tie the mast to the boat so it doesn't wobble side to side, along with a support at the mast step. My mast has a slight forward bend, probably from someone sitting on it while in the crutch without support near the middle.



I use the genoa stand-up blocks to turn the dockline that braces the mast so it wraps the mast near the crutch, and terminates on one winch (loop end) and around the other winch and through the cam cleat at the other winch. A little preload keeps it nice and stable so it's not loading the helm side to side while driving. You can see the wooden center support, which is just a pair of two-by-fours with a 45 deg. miter, sandwiched together to make a vee, with an eye bolt on each side and a bungie cord around the mast. It never moves. Maybe you can see the two straps from the roller axle to the mast, but I don't have any closeups.