Stepping the Mast
Masts are best stepped by crane as this will avoid any anxious moments, but as this facility may not be available at your launching site you may have to put up the mast by hand. A certain amount of preplanning will be necessary to ensure that this operation goes smoothly. All of our masts will pivot at the heel so the mast should first be laid horizontally along the deck with the mast heel forward. The mast heel pivot bolt should be connected first and it will be necessary to have either a crutch at the aft end of the cockpit or a strong person standing on the cockpit seats to take the weight of the mast.
The aft lower shrouds should be connected with the rigging screw adjustment opened to their outer limits. A tackle (the mainsheet system is ideal) should be connected between the forestay and the tack plate and the mast raised by the help in the cockpit until the tackle reaches a favorable angle to take the mast to the vertical position. Great care must be taken to avoid the mast tipping athwartships as there is nothing to prevent the mast moving from side to side until it is upright. The other point to watch is that as the mast nears the vertical, the rigging screws connected to the aft lower chainplates should be moved to the top of the chainplate to avoid getting locked in horizontal position and subsequently getting bent. Having raised the mast to the vertical, the helper in the cockpit should move behind the mast and push it forward while the tackle is disconnected from the forestay so that the forestay can be attached to the stemhead fitting. The remaining shrouds can then be attached but before moving to the next step, ensure that the split pins or split rings are in place in the clevis pins at the bottom of the rigging screws. You will find on masthead rigs having lower shrouds, that the aft lower are slightly longer. The lower shrouds are connected onto a common pin through the mast and may appear to be crossed over at the point of exit from the mast.
To overcome this, the outer shroud should be disconnected and taken round the other shroud to make them exit correctly. There is never any need to take the mast down, as it is not possible for the lower shrouds to be incorrectly attached.
© Rydgeway Marine Ltd
