Mast Storage Horizontal on Boat

[Southern Gales]

I've seen a few photos with a vertical pole coming up from the transom and attaching to the mast while it is stored horizontal. I will need this when I trailer my newly purchased s2, hopefully next week. Can someone link me to details or a design of this "mast cradle"?

[SailingUphill]

Ok well I guess it depends on whether you have pintles or gudgeons on your transom... I have the pintles... so a (pair) of threaded eye bolts through a 2x4 is what I did...

To make it interesting, I have a 2x4 parallel to the stern, and 2 perpendicular, this is to facilitate it being wider at the top, so I can put a couple threaded pipes through it, with PVC pipe in the top one.. this provides a slippery place for the mast to sit on (to make it easier to roll the mast back)... I used (3) 2x4s because I wanted something heavier to hold up to abuse. I also put 3 different eye bolts on it, to allow for 2 height settings. One for trailering one for proper angle to raise the mast.

In trailering height...

In mast raising position.

Close up of pintles.. Do you see the bottom ring... You just must be the same distance from middle to bottom as middle to top, and that should match the distance between pintles.


My way is only way, just 1 way... I am sure there are others that have a better rig.
You'll note I haven't created a proper pulpit support yet... I had one that came with the boat but it was falling apart and I didn't like it, so it gets a life jacket for now.

[Southern Gales]

Thanks Uphill. Here's what I have. It looks like your design will work on this hull as well. It also looks like you had a different support mounted to your boat in the photo you shared during my post about trailer weight. Is it the same support, just a different angle?

[USA007]

I built two sawhorses to set the mast on for storage and trailering. I really did not want the weight of my mast (>100LBS) bouncing up and down on my gudgeons everywhere I trailer the boat. I am hoping to keep my gudgeons staying tight and sealed with no core issues in the transom. I figured they did not need this additional abuse. I felt the same about the bow/stern pulpit and potential core issues in the deck. Obviously it is your call, but if you are interested I can take pictures and get dimensions of the saw horses I built.

Drew

[Southern Gales]

Thanks Drew. I would appreciate the photos and dimensions! I'll PM you my email.

[Tim Bosma]

We have a 'Jack Pole' for Hot Tamale (#477). It is 2 pieces of galvanized pipe, one slides inside the other. On the top of the inner pole is a U-bracket with a bow-roller in it. There are holes in the inner pipe at various points so we can lengthen (raise) the pole for mast set-up/take-down. The are 2 sleeves welded on the outer pipe that fit on the pintles. When we transport HT, the mast is snugged down on to the deck cleats, so no bouncing occurs. It is too dark in the barn for pictures right now, sorry.

[SailingUphill]

Thanks Uphill. Here's what I have. It looks like your design will work on this hull as well. It also looks like you had a different support mounted to your boat in the photo you shared during my post about trailer weight. Is it the same support, just a different angle?

Yes both mounts that came with the boat (which were also bow pulpit, and pintle mounts) deteriorated enough to need replaced immediately. Mine is a structural improvement on their design, as it was merely (1) 2x4 with pad eyes that was extendable. The yoke at the top wasn't sufficiently strong enough to support the mast and crumbled upon use.. it also didn't facilitate sliding the mast back in place without 2 people. My mast crutch is heavy enough that you can lift the bow end, and just push back on the mast and slide it over the PVC pipe with no real resistance... a bow roller would work nicely too, but I don't have a spare, and getting one wide enough isn't cheap... 9 inches isn't really wide enough... Plus I really HATE when shrouds get caught in them. So in my instance it was KISS.

My take on the stress is that it's 50lbs fore and aft each, and since I tie everything down it becomes kind of one movement. The rudder alone is significant weight as well...

Prior owner mounted a 3rd stand over the hatch cover slide, and supported the middle of the mast. I think a middle support is certainly in order, and was going to attempt something at the mast step though. The hatch is NOT a secure area to be twisting on. I DO like the idea of saw horses fore and aft, and I think it's probably the safest way to go, but I tend towards as few "extras" as possible to toss around in the truck during launch (I already carry too much crap in the bed of the truck during launch).. examples...
6 foot step ladder, rudder, gas can, extra lines, A-frame, and outboard.