need set up help, and mods.

[kevinnem]

okay, so , the forum just ate the post I spend like 45 mins typing, so now I get to give an abridged version.

I need to reduce the time, and effort needed to set up my mac. It is simply too exhausting and frustrating to do. It leads to other issues down the line, with hurrying at the docks, and stress, ect.

3 issues I want to solve. I am open to other suggestions though.

1) My Crutch is bend, and rotates in such a way as to not really allow you to slide the mast back, you have to lift it up and slide it back a few inches at a time. the roller is not working well, and the crutch is bend at a odd angle. I was think of replacing it with a tower, kinda like a bridge. my 26x (1996 has it behind captains seat.

2) The spreaders go below the life lines when the mast is down, this causes me to do a "swing" of the mast back and forth to get them under, or above the life lines. My lifelines are not detachable, and neither are the spreaders. I was thinking I could use a bow sprit mod of some sort to give a high pole to attach to in the front, so the spreaders are always above the lifelines, or use extendable speakers, or use detachable lifelines. ideas? 1 spreader is already bent, and 1 o the 3 screws is stripped out.

3) the mast raising system. Although I need it, it is he safest way to raise the mast it is a lot of work attaching it , detaching it , and winching and even trying to store it. surely there is a better solution.

ideas?

Kev.

[Kittiwake]

2) The spreaders go below the life lines when the mast is down, .... I was thinking I could use a bow sprit mod of some sort to give a high pole to attach to in the front, so the spreaders are always above the lifelines

I believe an easier and far safer approach would be your suggestion of detachable lifeline on one or both sides. I seem to recall that the 26X already has detachable lifelines in the cockpit (at least some do, and the M does). I have taken to removing one spreader on our 26M for mast trailering: at first they were both really stuck in their fittings at the mast; but by persevering I got one of them loosened and lubricated. Now they are both removable and lubricated: much easier storage and handling. I leave the spreaders firmly attached to the stays even when removed from their sockets at the mast end - just make sure they are well bungied to the mast when trailering!!
(as for sliding back the mast on the crutch - this tends to take a bit of juggling even with an unbent crutch).
Kittiwake

[Octaman]

Hi there,

Re: Eaten post - Same thing happened to me years ago. Since then, I always type my post as a word document and when I am ready, copy-paste to the forum. It saves frustration and quality of posts.

Re: Roller not working well - My M has a rubber roller on which the mast has to slide on when in the down position. I suspect the X is similar. A stainless steel bolt goes through the rubber roller; this is the axis around which the roller revolves. To facilitate revolution, insert a stainless steel pipe into the roller – the external diameter of the pipe must be the size of the hole in the roller, or just a touch larger so that it goes in with difficulty. This solves the problem and will allow the roller to revolve freely – steel sitting on steel and retaining a perfectly circular shape will allow the roller to move freely.

Re: Spreader – Mine are detachable on the end of the mast. Makes life much easier, also when moving on deck while the boat sits on her trailer.

Re: Mast raising/lowering – I have had similar thoughts and observations. Eventually, I did away with the winch on the pole. Now the pole can be easily stored in the fore peak. Instead of the pole winch, I now use the mainsheet block and tackle, one end on the mast the other end on the end of the pole. I also use the vang block and tackle on the end of the jib halyard to slacken the forestay and detach from the bow. There is a technique involved that I am sure you will figure out once you start using the system.

Works for me.
Hope this helps
Octaman

[Boblee]

Well the first two problems can be fixed as one, use a frame at the rear to raise your crutch but also make it adjustable so that you can raise it at least another 8-10" when stepping, then if you raise the front attaching point 8" this will mean the spreaders will be above the lifelines, you will be able to raise headroom in the cockpit with mast down and when stationary you can raise it more to allow bimini to be erected with good head room easily.
As for the third I leave the baby stays on which is one less job and made (wife did) a bag for all the raising gear and tools to stay in and that can easily be stored on the vee bunk or in most cases stay in one place in the tow vehicle, the only time I carry it is when a bridge may be encountered.
Note I also made a PVC support for the middle of the mast when in the travel position as with the raised position I can leave the boom and mainsail etc attached.

[Tomfoolery]

I've messed around a bit with mast rollers, and came to the conclusion that rubber on a SS bolt is about the worst arrangement. I made new rollers from Starboard, and they roll with little effort. What a difference. But I believe Blue Water Yachts has a nylon insert for that roller that should make a big difference. Or drive in a sleeve, preferably SS is it's metal. Anything but what's there.

Gotta go eat. Maybe more later, if I don't have to run out. Seeing The Hobbit at midnight with my boys, who just got home from college.

[Hamin' X]

As far as the eaten post goes; go to your user control panel, then click on manage drafts. It might have ended up there if you inadvertently clicked "Save", instead of "submit". Been there, done that.

~Rich

[cruiser]

....................Re: Eaten post - Same thing happened to me years ago. Since then, I always type my post as a word document and when I am ready, copy-paste to the forum. It saves frustration and quality of posts.

Another quick and easy way to save what you have written is: after every few sentences highlight the text you have written, up to that point in time, and then right click with the mouse and go save. Not a bad idea to alway do that before hitting the preview or submit buttons as it is often at that point, on many forums, that things get lost.

[Hamin' X]

Easier way is to hit Ctrl a (Highlights/selects all items), then Ctrl c (Copies selected items). Ctrl v will paste.

~Rich

[cruiser]

Easier way is to hit Ctrl a (Highlights/selects all items), then Ctrl c (Copies selected items). Ctrl v will paste.

~Rich

Too easy

[Hamin' X]

Dates back to BC (Before miCe).

~Rich

[cruiser]

Dates back to BC (Before miCe).

~Rich

Perhaps I can relate better to the BC stuff. Would you believe I started using PCs, in an intense way, back at the beggining of 1988 but I don't think I have progressed much in the last 24 years. There seems to be some disconnect between me and computers, despite the fact that I spend a major part of my day sitting in front of them - bit of a love/hate relationship thing. I tell the kids I am looking forward to the day I can throw every bit of technology over the back verandah, enjoy a bit more sailing and gardening, and go back to the Spirax notebook and pencil.

My son just raises his eyebrows. He still has another year to go at High School but is currently down south for 2 weeks at a computer science summer school he was invited to at one of the Universities

[Octaman]

I tell the kids I am looking forward to the day I can throw every bit of technology over the back verandah, enjoy a bit more sailing and gardening, and go back to the Spirax notebook and pencil.

I am with you all the way my friend! Ha! Ha!

[kevinnem]

Thank you all for the help so far, and suggestions.

1) someone mentioned that the spreaders can "come out" .... I had no idea, . does the pole part just slide out of the "cup" ??? -- who was it that was using the "broom handles" (Erik)? how does that work?

2) yea, I am pretty resigned to building a "bridge" at the back now, I think it will work well, but I am not sure how it will relate to the bimini. only other option would be m still pole in pedestal.

3) you think a bow sprit/ front mast lifter could be made of PVC? or you need something steel?

4) I like the ideas of a mid-mast support for transport, always seemed to bounce alot to me. Any photos or link to mods?

[dlandersson]

I don't think mine "come out" - I move them from side to side to get them under the safety rigging.

Thank you all for the help so far, and suggestions.

1) someone mentioned that the spreaders can "come out" .... I had no idea, . does the pole part just slide out of the "cup" ??? -- who was it that was using the "broom handles" (Erik)? how does that work?

2) yea, I am pretty resigned to building a "bridge" at the back now, I think it will work well, but I am not sure how it will relate to the bimini. only other option would be m still pole in pedestal.

3) you think a bow sprit/ front mast lifter could be made of PVC? or you need something steel?

4) I like the ideas of a mid-mast support for transport, always seemed to bounce alot to me. Any photos or link to mods?

[Tomfoolery]

1) someone mentioned that the spreaders can "come out" .... I had no idea, . does the pole part just slide out of the "cup" ??? -- who was it that was using the "broom handles" (Erik)? how does that work?

I use PTO pins to hold them in. Plated carbon steel seems to be holding up rust-wise for the second year so far, but SS ones are available (online for sure; in a store, not so sure). The spreaders just pull out without the pins or bolts to hold them in. I also take the spreader caps off, leaving them attached to the upper shroud, and put the spreaders below for trailering.

2) yea, I am pretty resigned to building a "bridge" at the back now, I think it will work well, but I am not sure how it will relate to the bimini. only other option would be m still pole in pedestal.

What exactly is wrong with your crutch, or rather, how is it bent so it's not usable? The roller issue can be readily fixed. I made a removable extension for mine to raise it a foot, so the mast sits above the bimini when motoring with the mast down, which I do a lot, but store is lower for trailering (tied to both sides so it doesn't wiggle around and stress the helm pedestal when trailering).

3) you think a bow sprit/ front mast lifter could be made of PVC? or you need something steel?

Several hundred pounds of compression force on the gin pole, and a brittle material failure mode (sudden and catastrophic) make PVC unsuitable for this type of service. It's one of the reasons they don't use cast iron for crane hooks. A length of aluminium tube is relatively cheap, even with shipping (try http://www.onlinemetals.com), unless you have a local source. You could also use EMT (thinwall metal conduit) from the BORG or hardware store, but it weighs more. As I get older, I appreciate things being lighter. The fittings to interface the mast tabernacle are available at http://www.bwyachts.com for $16.50. Their p/n 3423-1V0. They also have baby stays and deck hardware, which is a must if using an unstayed gin pole to raise the mast, but you can make your own, too. 4-parts of line using the main sheet and blocks, or boom vang system (same blocks, I think), though I went to 5 parts of line and some big ball bearing blocks I had, and I can raise the mast without a winch and hold it with one hand now at any point including almost horizontal.

4) I like the ideas of a mid-mast support for transport, always seemed to bounce alot to me. Any photos or link to mods?

I don't have any pics, but I just use a couple of 2x4'x, the ends mitered at 45 degrees, and sandwiched to make a vee under the mast. Cheap and cheerful, and handy if/when I lose my balance tiptoeing around up there and have to put much of my 225 lb onto the mast. Also good for snow load when I bridge the deck with ribs riding on the mast for the winter tarp.