Single handed mast stepper (lots of pics :))

[hills]

I copied this idea from someone on the internet who has done the same thing with a wooden boom he has made. I wanted to do it with nothing or very little other than what I carry on the cat or trailer anyway. I don't claim it to be my idea, but thought I'd post it anyway.

These are the only extra pieces I had to make/buy although the tie downs are used to secure the mast when transporting anyway:

First step is to take the mast off the front support and remove the support and using the stand I made set it up behind the cat.

Then after moving the mast back onto the stand, tie the trapese to the cross beams using the tie downs. You can see the left one in the top of the next picture.

Place the bracket on the front of the mast. There is a screw in the mast that it sits over, but it is not secured to the mast at all, then sit the boom on the bracket.

Attach the boom "side stays" to the trapese hook points, connect the cat's forestay to the cable and connect the trailer winch to the boom. Hopefully this picture will explain it better than I can although these picture were taken with the mast up:

[hills]

Heres a shot with the mast down:

Then just winch the mast up:

Attach the forestay to the bridle, reattach your trapese to the shock chord and your done.

Then reverse the process to drop the mast.

One safety precaution I take is attaching a small piece of rope to the bottom of the diamond stay under the cross beam then onto the bottom of the diamond stay on the other side so that if the mast comes dislodged for any reason, it won't move far. You can see it in picture 3 above.

[madboutcats]

Great job hills, have you used the mast stand on sand yet? I would be a bit worried about one side sinking and it dropping the mast, I might copy that stand idea to keep my mast out of the sand but with a wider foot

[hills]

I have several times. On hard sand its fine, but on softer sand I allocate one son to support it until the winch takes the weight. Then I tell him to drop it and run! ;-)

When the mast is seated in the footing, the existing rear stand on the trailer prevents it from moving sideways.

[Peterson]

Great work but i want to say some thing about your structure no doubt it's amazing design but if you provide support with cross beams to main structure it's better and more reliable. Crossbeams are easily available in  these days or you can mode your own as your need.