...so where we left off last week we were in the current position....
...picked up Rod the Mod at the slipway on a quite astonishingly good morning - flat as a flat thing, sunny, warm.. perfect mast dropping conditions...
Checklist:
After that it was just a matter of easing the mast forward (after having taken out top bolt of the tabernacle, 'natch) and resting the foot on a block of wood tied to the pulpit.... secured everything to the mast with a mooring line and all done bar coffee and a natter, then repairing to club bar for reviving snifters and more chat.... cheers, Rod!
PS. Looks like just in time...
Postcript: weather has been bad this week with wind and rain so I took the opportunity to pop out last night to check all well - it was but I also took the opportunity and whacked on a few more ropes to hold everything firm....
...picked up Rod the Mod at the slipway on a quite astonishingly good morning - flat as a flat thing, sunny, warm.. perfect mast dropping conditions...
Checklist:
- Forward lowers disconnected, put a couple of small shackles on the freed up chain plates to make it easier to attach the A frame legs...
- Attached A frame legs to shackles, double checked jib halyard was firmly attached at apex
- Let off some slack in the backstay
- Main sheet attached to stem fitting and then underneath of the A frame apex - put some download on (at this point mainsheet/frame/jib halyard become the new "fore-stay")
- Loosened off cap shrouds and rear lowers
- Checked around to make sure all good and then detached fore-stay from stem fitting
- Eased off top bolt and undid/removed bottom bolt on mast/tabernacle
- Rod put some load on the back stay and I cracked a few inches on the mainsheet and the mast started to go..
- Eased off slowly while Rod guided mast from the cockpit, checking spreaders didn't foul the crutch
After that it was just a matter of easing the mast forward (after having taken out top bolt of the tabernacle, 'natch) and resting the foot on a block of wood tied to the pulpit.... secured everything to the mast with a mooring line and all done bar coffee and a natter, then repairing to club bar for reviving snifters and more chat.... cheers, Rod!
PS. Looks like just in time...
Postcript: weather has been bad this week with wind and rain so I took the opportunity to pop out last night to check all well - it was but I also took the opportunity and whacked on a few more ropes to hold everything firm....
Always a sad day to me when the mast comes down for winter....
ReplyDeleteHi Miles - yeah, I know... on the other hand I have an interesting job list for the winter, and she's direly in need of some TLC on the varnish/paint front..... sure as eggs, next season will be upon me before I'm ready.....! Enjoy the boat show, and be (very) interested in a post on it....
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