DIY mast crane on East Coast

[unbusted67]

I remember that there is a crane on a dock somewhere on the Hudson or Lake Erie where you can step and unstep your own mast in anticipation of transiting the canal. Anyone know of any others on the icw or Chesapeake? The wedge that keeps my mast is place has worked it's way out and is making things a little damp down below. I would love to get my mast on a crane and re wedge!

FYI rubber mast wedges from rig right: $160. What a friggin rip off, and the lady in the parts department: super rude!


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[UNCIVILIZED]

unbusted67 If you're a yacht club member somewhere, often you can use such for reciprocal privileges at other clubs. And there are a large number of "dinghy" classes which are dry sailed via the YC's crane. Said boats range well into the 30' range, so you might be able to use these for a spar fix.

On rubber blocks, you might just be able to find out how hard the ones which you have are (on the shore scale), & then pick up some rubber blocks from an industrial supplier & make your own.
If you don't mind making a mess, freeze the rubber & then break out the belt sander, once's it's pre-carved close to shape.

Or, just pick up a Spartite kit. It lets you pour your own custom (rubber) mast collar. And I know a few guys who've used pour-foam kits in lieu of rubber.

[GordMay]

The Castleton Boat Club has a Do-It-Yourself Remote Controlled Mast Stepping Crane (Gin Pole).
Eastern Shore Hudson River, 42° 31' 44.41" x 73° 45' 28.23", about 1.5 miles north of the Castleton Bridge (vicinity green buoy "199")
➥ Castleton Boat Club - Home
➥ http://ocsdata.ncd.noaa.gov/BookletC...okletChart.pdf

[unbusted67]

Yup that's the one I was thinking of. Little bit out of the way for us. I will look for a yc along the way. I just took a spartite kit off the boat! Damn.


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[sageofsalem]

Spartite is the Bomb! Have used it on my ketch many times and , apart from the expense, there is no equal in keeping the boat dry. What is good about it is its quality of compressibility which takes the flexing of the stick and then the gel returns to its former state.

[CptLawrence]

Another option is to tie up alongside a vessel with a taller mast. How much gap do you need to replace the wedge?

[bmz]

Tidewater marina in Baltimore rents theirs for $75/hr; but I don't know if you may DIY.