[Rhodes22-list] Raising the Mast with The Bow Crane

[P&M Beals]

STEVE ALM & BILL EFROS ET AL...

I hope all have weathered Ivan ok...it is bringing a lot of rain to the
Hudson Valley NY now but nothing like what people endured in the south...

I hope you don't mind my 2 cents being shared here, but my husband and I
successfully raised the mast, connected stays and motor-sailed (time was a
factor) on Thursday from NJ to the slip at Staten Island marina from which
we hope to still get two months of good sailing time in....if you recall
last Sunday we did a run through of the procedures in our backyard, and did
not complete all steps successfully in one run...so this process is fresh in
memory as a real newcomer to the process...thanks to Jay Friedland who by
phone gave us some advice last Sunday night while we were still at home
backyard hoisting...

Believe it or not on our dry run trial we forgot to install the mast crutch
over the stern until we were trying to get the base of the  mast into the
slot in the mast step....so for real dummies like us I would insert #1a.
secure the mast crutch over the stern - of course assuming one is using the
mast crutch as part of the system-

also what became a key point for us succeeding on our second try to get the
forestay jib stay to reach the bow was that the jib extender at the top of
the mast has to be pointing to the bow...when we first attempted it was
pointing to the side, and the distance of several inches off was what must
have been preventing us from getting the jib to connect to the bow chain
plate.

 also, we didn't know what a bail is- for our Rhodes we certainly attached
the two aft lower shrouds to the two shackles on the crane...

then jumping down to #9...there are definitely two theories out there about
disconnecting and in which order one does things....Stan's mast hoist
directions dated '01 state very clearly:

"with the mast up disconnect the chain extensions from the forward lower
shroud turnbuckles and connect these turnbuckles directly to their chain
plates. once these connections are made the mast cannot fall aft and the
crane line can be slipped off the bow deck cleat and the crane's base screws
removed...crane put away....of course you do not need to be told not to undo
the mast crane line from the bow deck cleat until after the forward lower
shrouds are made secure to their respective chain  plates.  Right?"

on the other hand as I researched the FAQ on the geocitiesblew site and
whatever other info. I could find, and I did find a few spots with responses
in the FAQ...  there are certainly owners who connect the jib stay before
connecting the forward lower shrouds...

all other steps matched our sequence...

I just checked the source location for one version of the launch steps and
it is from www.geocities.com/blew_skies/red.gif

It would be helpful for novices like us if the directions from different
sites were consistent, but it is tough with differences in years of boats
and options that some may have and some may not.

Anyway with all the info. and instructional material so far we are extremely
grateful and this email contact list, while taking a lot of time to read  is
WONDERFUL AND WE THANK YOU ALL WHO RESPOND AND OFFER SUGGESTIONS.

Tomorrow if winds are not too strong  we hope to sail and I hope to adjust
the tension on the stays....I have to find the best reference on that.

THANKS AGAIN!  PHYLLIS FROM NJ WITH WHISPER IN PORT ATLANTIC MARINA, S.I.





> From: Steve Alm <salm at mn.rr.com>
> Reply-To: The Rhodes 22 mail list <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2004 15:32:43 -0500
> To: Rhodes <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Raising the Mast with The Bow Crane
> 
> RAISING THE MAST WITH THE BOW CRANE:
> 
> 1.  Inspect masthead, attach radio antennae and check shroud and stay
> connections to mast
> 2.  Walk the mast, boom and jib aft and connect the mast to the tabernacle
> 3.  Connect hoist crane to cabin top block
> 4.  Tie the crane winch line to the bow cleat
> 5.  Connect aft lower shrouds to top of crane
> 5a. Alternate:  Attach line from crane to mast bail and connect aft lowers
> to their chain plates
> 6.  Connect back stays and upper shrouds to their chain plates
> 7.  Put the 8² extensions on the forward lower shrouds and connect to their
> chain plates
> 8.  Begin raising the mast, continually checking for any shrouds or stays
> getting snagged, making sure the turnbuckles aren¹t fowled and tending the
> jib as it comes forward
> 9.  Raise the mast all the way up, keeping tension on the winch until you
> connect the bow stay to its chain plate
> 10. Disconnect the hoist crane
> 11. Remove forward lower shroud extensions and connect shrouds to their
> chain plates
> 12. Adjust shroud turnbuckles as needed
> 13. Connect traveler bar between back stays
> 14. Lower the boom and connect it to the traveler
> 15. Tighten the back stay tensioning line
> 16. Remove mast crutch
> 17. Connect rudder assembly to the transom
> 18. Connect pop top to mast slider
> 19. Connect radio and steaming light
> 
> CAUTION: Never let anyone stand under the mast during the hoisting
> 
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