Hi, Just wondering if anyone has any ideas for the following. The block of wood at the mast step (under the mast) of my 25 footer has collapsed due to age and needs replacing. I'm wondering if there is any easy way to loosen the rig and replace the block of wood. It's only about 20mm thick. Otherwise any idea what a rigger would charge to do it?
That size mast it might be easier to lower the mast. Not hard with the aid of a tripod and it's not hard to do by yourself if needed.
Not sure how heavy your mast is, but was thinking about undoing rigging and slowly lowering mast buy hand or a few hands, I used to do it all the time to a 26 foot trailer sailer, but the mast seemed a light duty one, could use haylard around pullpit and back to winch to assist lowering
I have to do mine aswell but bit nervous about dropping it
I had to do the same thing once myself.
I slackened the rigging screws evenly and used a friends high lift jack placed under the goose neck to lift the mast. My mast was keel stepped so I wedged a timber post between the keel and cabin top under where I was going to place the jack base.
The base of the mast was raised high enough to remove the corroded alloy plate and I replaced it with some pieces of plastic bearing a bit like cutting board material.
The high lift jack is popular among 4WD enthusiasts.
Hope that helps.
cheers
Wayne
The mast will be fairly light but awkward. All you need as per the photo above is two supports, 40 x 70 mm pine will do. Have them long enough so they meet about 1 metre above the spreaders. Brace them fore and aft. Attach a block where the uprights join so that a rope with a loop can be hauled up under the spreaders. In your case your only lifting the lot so just ease off the standing rigging till you get clearance. If your lowering the mast just walk the base forward as you ease out the hauling part. easy to do by yourself at the mooring.
I did that once by putting boat under a bridge and throwing a line down. RMS wouldnt like that these days.
You only need to lift the mast a few mm to slide the old block out. You could slacken the rigging, and lift the base of the mast with something while you slide the old block out and the new one in.
Important to restrain the mast base so that it only moves upwards. Lifting devices only limited by your ingenuity. Jack under the boom, lever under fitting at base, small tripod with mainsheet attached to boom vang attachment, plenty of ways.
Yeah I'm liking that idea. Loosen off the rigging and use a hi-lift jack with a nice tight non slip strop.