Mast Wiring, et al

Listees, All your mast wiring and rigging problems could be solved easily. Move to the Midwest. We take our masts down every Fall and put them back up in Spring. Gives you time to fix any problems, make improvements, etc. Course the weather is limiting, but we have all this white, fluffy stuff in Winter, you could get to like it. Well, I do have to admit it does get a trifle cold, but hey, down jackets. Bring your skis. My apple trees have begun blooming, and I think I'll mow tomorrow. Thursday I'll be at the boatyard. Regards, David Dobbs, Cal29 411

On Tuesday 28 April 2009 18:59:55 david dobbs wrote: > Listees, > All your mast wiring and rigging problems could be solved easily. Move to > the Midwest. We take our masts down every Fall and put them back up in > Spring. Gives you time to fix any problems, make improvements, etc. > Course the weather is limiting, but we have all this white, fluffy stuff in > Winter, you could get to like it. Well, I do have to admit it does get a > trifle cold, but hey, down jackets. Bring your skis. My apple trees have > begun blooming, and I think I'll mow tomorrow. Thursday I'll be at the > boatyard. > Regards, > David Dobbs, Cal29 411 > Iv often wondered about that. Here in the North (North shore of Lake Ontario) we always remove the masts. Yet strangely enough, on the South Shore the masts always stay up when the boats are pulled. While it is a cost savings to some degree I guess it really deters the owner from fully inspecting and working on the mast and associated accoutrement's each spring. Whats more interesting is when i see hurricane damaged boats from further south and ofter wonder if the boats on the hard would not be better off with the stick down and boats secured with additional straps anchored into the the ground. Certainly would not hurt if liive in a hurricane prone area. -- /ch

chris h wrote: > > > > > Iv often wondered about that. Here in the North (North shore of Lake > Ontario) > we always remove the masts. Yet strangely enough, on the South Shore the > masts always stay up when the boats are pulled. > Here in Michigan, both styles are seen. My Cal gets trailered away in the fall and my Seafarer lives indoors all winter, so their masts are unstepped. For boats stored outdoors, you see both choices where I am. Leaving the stick up is cheaper, but you get weathering on your halyards and mast paint (if any) all winter, and as you note, there's no opportunity to have a look at things aloft (unless you have a skinny dimwit who's willing to go up in the bosun's chair). There was some discussion about physical problems with leaving the mast up. Some people recommended slacking the standing rigging on the theory that it would contract in the cold, but if you have an aluminum mast, it probably shortens more than the stainless wire anyway. Of more concern is the fact that a boat in a cradle or on poppets cannot move so as to cushion wind forces on the mast and standing rigging. In the water, the boat can move and heel a little when a gust hits the mast. On shore, it cannot, and it's much less well supported, too. Chris Campbell

It seems that most people in Buffalo leave their masts up every year, several years ago one of my competitors and I were talking about the merits of taking your mast down and he said he was taking his down for the first time in five years to check the rigging. I don't think it was part of his plan but it came down on the first weather leg the next day. I take my mast down every year using four of my friends and our club gin pole, local marinas charge about $150 each way for a 27' Cal. _____ From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of chris h Sent: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 6:30 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Mast Wiring, et al On Tuesday 28 April 2009 18:59:55 david dobbs wrote: > Listees, > All your mast wiring and rigging problems could be solved easily. Move to > the Midwest. We take our masts down every Fall and put them back up in > Spring. Gives you time to fix any problems, make improvements, etc. > Course the weather is limiting, but we have all this white, fluffy stuff in > Winter, you could get to like it. Well, I do have to admit it does get a > trifle cold, but hey, down jackets. Bring your skis. My apple trees have > begun blooming, and I think I'll mow tomorrow. Thursday I'll be at the > boatyard. > Regards, > David Dobbs, Cal29 411 > Iv often wondered about that. Here in the North (North shore of Lake Ontario) we always remove the masts. Yet strangely enough, on the South Shore the masts always stay up when the boats are pulled. While it is a cost savings to some degree I guess it really deters the owner from fully inspecting and working on the mast and associated accoutrement's each spring. Whats more interesting is when i see hurricane damaged boats from further south and ofter wonder if the boats on the hard would not be better off with the stick down and boats secured with additional straps anchored into the the ground. Certainly would not hurt if liive in a hurricane prone area. -- /ch