mast

I spent a whole day working on the mast, re-installing all the standing and running rigging lines. It was like a big jigsaw puzzle.

The trailer painting was completed yesterday, with undercoat and top coat bought from Bunnings.

The painting job took me a week because I have to lay down on my back, under the trailer to do the under side. I suspect that I may have missed painting a few awkward spots inaccessible to the brush.

The Moustique now looks much better than before. I have also identified lots of small repair jobs needed inside the cabin. Usually it is the trailer which requires plenty of work and expenses because of contact with sea water.

I removed the mast and carried it to the back yard where I installed all the standing and running lines, taking more than an hour and thoroughly enjoying myself.

I moved the boat to the front of the front lawn to give myself more room for raising the mast.

The mast is ready to be installed for the very first time.

It took me an hour to get to this position with the base pinned to the tabernacle on the coach roof.

The step ladder was very useful for climbing up and down to install all the mast rigging. I must remember to bring it with me to the lake side.

Due to my bad back, I am now using the main sheet blocks assembly (red lines) to help me raise the mast in stages.

First raising it to shoulder height; then pulling on the main sheet blocks to secure it in this position, using a clamp cleat at the cock pit.

Then I inserted the wooden seat (fulcrum) on top of the coach roof to hold the mast while I climbed down to take this photo.

From the front, it is clear that the mast is no longer horizontal.

The acute angle between the mast and the forestay creates  maximum tension in the lines, hence I used a wooden stool to rest the mast. Some sailors (on You Tube) use a home made extendable steel support (about 3 metre long) installed at the transom, using the rudder attachment.

Another view from the side.

Then I climbed on board, put my shoulder to the mast and pulled on the main sheet slowly; guiding it up with my other hand. On some boats it is necessary to rig up temporary stays to prevent too much side way movements of the mast as it is being raised. On this boat, the shorter baby side stays helped a lot to keep movements in a vertical plane.

The mast  can be raised slowly to the vertical position, due to the 5:1 mechanical advantage of the block assembly. The free end of the block line was secured at a clamp cleat while I moved the step ladder to the front of the boat to attach the fore stay and adjust its tension until all four side stays became taut.

That lower blue line was used for safety when I removed and attached the fore stay to the front of the boat and removed the blocks and placing it back on the boom for use as the main sheet.

Forestay in place. Blocks removed. From here onwards, it is the forestay which is supporting the mast against the side stays.

There are 4 side stays made of stainless steel, Two on each side.

Tuning all the five turn buckles of the fore and side stays, one by one until correct mast rack angle is obtained. It took me more than an hour fiddling around; but this way I learned a lot about this new boat even before I got it on the water.

Side stays detail: The spreaders hold the longer side stays away from the mast and slightly towards the rear (thus avoiding having a back stay and so keeping the cock pit clear.

Mast all rigged. Five steel stay wires holding it up firmly without using a back stay. Mast rake angle is adjusted using the turn buckle on the fore stay. Mast bend is adjusted using the turn buckles on the longer side stays. The sea trials will indicate to me the magnitude of the lee or weather helm, if any and these can be corrected by using the turn buckles later when the boat is back on land.

All the side stay turn buckles will need some small adjustments from time to time because of stretch due to age. Since I do most of my sailing on fresh water lakes on the North Island, I do not need to replace them until I venture out to sea where the forces and loads are much greater due to stronger winds, waves and currents.

The forestay is the most important standing rig. It holds up the mast which carries the sails, boom etc. The forces acting on it, are tremendous during close haul in high winds. The magnitude of this tensile force is always changing. Frequent and careful inspection is required; watching out especially for broken strains and fatigue failure. All the turn buckles looked serviceable.

After adjustments and obtaining the desired mast rake angle, the side stays turn buckles usually do not need any more adjustment unless you are racing your boat at a regatta. I am a single hander and use my boat mainly for cruising only.

I have added a rubber roller for resting one end of the mast near the transom for securing the mast in a horizontal position when towing the boat.

This view shows the reason for the roller. On arrival at the boat ramp, remove all the lines securing the mast at the top of the boat. The mast is then rolled backwards until the bottom end (the base) can be pinned at the tabernacle on the coach roof. On this boat the tabernacle (mast base connector) helped a lot to keep the mast steady as I raised it.