[Rhodes22-list] More newbie mast raising follies/transponder question

[David Huckabee]

     My name is David Huckabee.  My wife, Peggy and I are  new Rhodies.  I sent a slightly different version of this email directly to Stan seeking info on buying a mast raising system.  I'm sharing by short-handed failed dry run at raising the mast with a not very strong, husband- and-wife team for the amusement of the list, plus a question about the best location in the hull for an epoxied "shoot-through" depth finder transponder.
 
    We are now the proud owners of Marc Beroz's well-kept 1984 Orion.  The boat is sitting in my driveway in Maine waiting to be launched (late, but considering the wet, cold spring, about the right time).
 
     Marc had the benefit of lots of willing helpers at his marina who were ready, willing, and able to help him step the mast.  He would use four guys plus himself.  Two on the dock, two on bow of the boat, and Marc in the cockpit with the pulleys and cam-cleat system from traveler attached to a rope bridle from the rear eye bolts.   The cam-cleat pulley that attaches to the boom was attached to the bridle, and pulley attached to traveler bar was tied to the topping lift.  He would use the genoa furling line on the outhaul assembly to provide a temporary back stay which he would tighten as his four dock hands actually raised the mast.
 
    I thought that maybe I could lift the mast enough for my wife (Peggy) to pull on the cam-cleat pulley arrangement.  One small guy and a very small woman were not up to the task.  This morning we substituted a borrowed rope come-along for the traveler assembly.  I would lift the mast at to bow, and Peggy would ratchet the come along.  We rapidly decided that that wasn't a good idea when the mast decided to head to the starboard side and I had visions of the those little screws in the mast step doing their designed tasks of breaking off instead of ripping the cabin roof apart.
 
      Given the fact that there are no recreational marinas in the vicinity of Friendship, Maine, and we are loathe to ask help from the Lobstermen who would rather have the waters of the Muscongus bay to themselves, we want to be self-sufficient.
 
     All this leads to the subject of this email--do you have any mast raising systems that could be shipped here to Maine this 4th of July week?  We'd like to get the boat in water before we head back to Wash, DC the 13th of July.  As for which system, I know that you have changed the design over the years.  I'm willing to crank rather than press a button, but I'm interested in acquiring a device that won't convince Peggy that I will be heading for an early grave while using it.
 
     Given the fact that Orion will be on the hard until I can step the mast, I'll be tinkering until launching.  One task is to install a fishfinder/depth sounder.  The granite bottom here in Maine does not lend itself for the centerboard as depth gage.  Rather than a transom mount transponder, I'm toying with epoxying the transponder inside, toward the front of the boat.  I saved an email response from someone which (of course) I can't find that I believe suggested mounting a transponder to the right of the stringer next to the bilge in front of the sink.  Do you think this is a good idea?
 
 
     Thanks,
 
     David Huckabee



		
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