C26 Mast Lowering Gin Pole/Bridle Question

[DParker]

Need to drop my mast for the first time and the manual and diagrams have me confused.

When using the bridles on each side, it says to connect the midpoint of the genoa sheet to the end of the boom/gin pole, run it to the ring on each side bridle, then to the mast.

Is this line to 'run freely' through the bridle ring and then to the mast or should it be knotted off there at the ring and then again at the mast?

Hope this makes sense....

A friend at my dock with the same boat tried it for the first time and the mast had enough side-to-side movement to break his mast step hook. He knotted the lines at the bridle ring. Wondering if this line should have been allowed to run through the ring or not....or was his lines just not tight enough....

Just not wanting to screw anything up....

[lecker68]

They have to be tied and make sure the bridles are in good shape mine were 29 yrs old and raising mast they broke so I made chain bridles and I use ratchet straps instead of sheets.

[Guillaume C.]

me too I prefer to use ratchet strap (4 total)

the best way to imagine the setup is that you are making 2 temporary standing rigging, one for the mast and one for the boom, and these riggings are pivoting at the briddle.

[Guillaume C.]

another thing: I think the manual say to use the mainsheet to raise/lower the mast, right? It work but with a pulley at the bow you can also use one of the winch

[hp18carr]

I was not the one to ask the question, but this is all good information and if it's no trouble pics please. The part about using ratchet straps sounds good. The gems of information on this forum never seem to stop and for this I'm greatful.

Terrence
Wilmingotn N.C.
Chrysler 26 1980
Pandora (for now)

[hp18carr]

I just noticed... my last post was my 100th... red letter day!

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26 1980
Pandora (for now)

[CaptainScott]

If interested, on my 22 I have documented with very clear photos how to step the mast alone. I presume the 26 must be a similar method. If you click "stepping the mast alone" in my signature it will take you to my site with detailed description and very detailed photos. If you click each photo it will blow up to be 5mb in size for extreme detail. Your browser will likely resize the shots but they are there.

Again, these are of the C22 not the C26 but the concept is the same.


hp18carr, congrats on 100 posts! Without people like you posting, websites like this would go away so keep the posts coming!!!!!!

Scott

[Bhacurly]

There ya go Terrance!

Working on my video I noted Pam shot some of us raising the mast last year,,, I'll look at it again to see if maybe it would be useful.

I also have seperate motorcycle ratchets I use for the gin pole. IMHO the biggest thing with the bridles is that the center pivot point on the "legs" is directly across from the mast base pivot point. Then as the mast goes up, the bridles evenly take the pressure...

Another trick I use is to put another adjustable strap from each toe rail over the mast base to keep it from popping off the hook until I'm ready to raise the mast. Just be sure to take it off

[al the pal]

Where on the mast do you attach the sheet or rachet straps? I just purchased a new 5/8-inch diameter pin so that I can attach the boom to the bottom of the mast. I understand that one set of lines or straps will attach to the top of the gin pole (boom). However, my C26 mast has only a small piece of hardware (a strip of metal about 7 feet off the deck that is raised enough for a 3/8 inch line by the looks of it) that looks screwed onto the mast and does not look strong enough to support the upper attachment point.

69Shark has excellent photos that I have scrutinized many a time, and he has a line running through some assembly and then tied off at a cleat on the lower mast. Is this upper hardware something you have to install? Or does everyone use the metal eye-loop screwed onto the mast?

[lecker68]

Terrence & Al I will come up with some drawings on what I set up and where everything goes and I will measure my chains. when I can get in the boat.

[al the pal]

Thanks!

[Guillaume C.]

That eye 7 foot high seem to be the right place. I put up a carabiner on it and the straps on the carabiner. If you think it might not be solid enough, place a rope or strap around the mast and in the eye, this way the eye only need to sustain forces going down, the side-to-side force are sustained by the mast itself

[lecker68]

I use a shackle not a carabiner as the load might be too much for a carabiner and do not ratchet the straps tight just snug on all 4. and I use 1/4" chain repair links on the ends of 1/4" chain in the 28 th and 35th slot in the toe rail. I use 4 pcs of chain and 1/4" shackles to hook the ratchet straps to. Go to http://chryslersailing.lizards.net/ and select Manuals and go down to C-26 and 1979 owners manual and select 6 Mast erection using gin pole method. The length of the chain I used I would have to measure but shackles should be even with the bottom of the mast.

[DParker]

If interested, on my 22 I have documented with very clear photos how to step the mast alone. I presume the 26 must be a similar method. If you click "stepping the mast alone" in my signature it will take you to my site with detailed description and very detailed photos. If you click each photo it will blow up to be 5mb in size for extreme detail. Your browser will likely resize the shots but they are there.

Again, these are of the C22 not the C26 but the concept is the same.

Scott

Great pics...but it is your picture that is the reason I'm confused. In your pics it clearly shows the line running through the bridle ring, not tied off to it. Others have said to tie both lines off at the bridle ring. Does it not matter?

I like the idea of using ratchet straps...I have several and that sounds easier to rig. Of course that would have the same effect as tying off each line at the bridle ring too....

[Bhacurly]

C-22 Mast Raising Video


It's a bit shaky,, Pam was walking around giving us a hard time, but hope it helps,, I'll do a more informative one with the raising this season...

As the mast comes up you can see how the transition from gin pole to mast is supported by the pivoting bridle set up to each...

http://www.youtube.com/user/bhacurly#p/u/0/TNCxEyek_-8

I posted this in the video links also...