Raising & lowering the mast

[Justin Greig]

thanks Paul - Malcolm took a video of my A frame in use at the end of the Muster at Largs
You can see it here https://youtu.be/CVinCjm_iy4

It shows my first iteration of the A frame using 2m aluminium pols mounted on wooden pads sitting on the handrails.

My current iteration has replaced the end fittings with with bimini fittings which pivot fore and aft and from side to side so that the pad can sit flat on the deck and tuck under the hand rail. I have cut a section out of the pad so that it is a snug fit around the moulding to which the handrail is bolted.

I chose 2m for the pole length so that when in the vertical position it would be at about head-height, and if left in situ while sailing would rest just behind the fore stay plate. If I was to redo the frame I would make the poles a bit longer so as to give me a bit more leverage when raising the mast and fit into the next mounting point for the handrails. With a 7:1 purchase on the tackle it is not possible to just pull the mast up. I run the line through one of the halyard clutches and lift the mast using the purchase to hold the mast steady while I step from cockpit floor to side thwarts and then to the companionway top as I lift the mast by hand. Once it gets to about 45 degrees it becomes easier to pull up on the line.

The purchase is formed out of one triple block and one triple block with a becket. A carabiner on the bottom block clips through the forestay plate and the top block is attached to a loop of line which goes over the forestay where it fits into a slot in the plate at the apex of the A frame.

I'll add a couple of photos to the Gallery here https://www.capecutter19association.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=58.