Remove the mast, check the rigging - at home!
by Simon Grain, J24 Australia/Sail-World on 4 Dec 2013
J24 getting ready SW
Taking your mast out and checking your rigging on a 'standard' size cruising boat - say 35-50ft - is something that the rigger does when you ask him to. However, with a smaller boat, such as a J24, it can easily and conveniently be done at home - if you know how. We have found this new excellent series of instructions, so read on as Luke Matthews writes the detail of just how it's done:
Some of us do it several times a year and think nothing of it, others dread the process and avoid it, wonder what might be going on in unchecked rigging and masts !
Recently we have been asked by a number of people what is the best way to take a mast out and put it back in. On the linked page we show you how to use ‘the sticks’ or bipod method as we do at Sandy. We have carefully selected a couple of reprobates and picked a bright green boat so it stands out. Our stars are Ron, Fitzy and Janet.
In the picture above, the boat is set up on the trolley so it is pretty steady, with the mast lying on the pushpit and pulpit with the butt end facing forward, this is important, it doesn’t work well the other way around. The sticks are now on deck over the top of the mast and with the top facing forward.
Now, if you want to see the entire process in detail, follow http://j24australia.com.au/?page_id=4221!this_link
Happy mast removal!
If you want to link to this article then please use this URL: www.sailworldcruising.com/117279
