Seafarer 30 Mast Step

[heygus]

I need to remove mine to install a halyard organizer plate under the mast step. Anyone know if fasteners can be removed from up above, (of course, after the mast is unstepped), or if I'll need to drill a few more holes in the overhead to gain access to fasteners from below.

[Northeaster]

What year is your Seafarer 30? I have a 1978.

I just removed my mast step a month ago, to do the same thing. There are only two long screws, and bedding material, of course, holding it down. After I removed them it was easy to pry the step off.

I had looked at buying a premade organizer / mast step plate (from Garhauer, for example), but they were all rectangular, and my mast step (and the raised fiberglass area under it) is oval.

I am having a local machine shop fabricate a hexagon one up, that will not overhang the corners as much as a rectangular one would. Will cost about a hundred bucks.

Let me know if / where you found a plate, as they haven't started making mine yet!!

[heygus]

Thank you Northeaster! Sorry I forgot to say that my boat was a 1979. Should be identical to yours.
I understand what you mean about the oval shape of the step. I was going to make one myself, but saw the rectangular one from Garhauer. It just showed up today.
There may be a little overhang, but I don't think it should be a problem.
The plate I have is the MS-4. It's flat surface area measures 6" x 9.5". $51.76 with shipping. I had the mast measurements written down, but it seems to have disappeared. I do know that the mast is smaller in both directions though.
Right now I have 4 bolt padeyes thru bolted to the deck for all block leading everything back to the cockpit including 2 double line reefs.
It may be a lot of strings to pull, but it makes my life a lot easier.
Next is towable cars for the genoa tracks.
Maybe I should have bought a race boat as well as the Seafarer?
Nope, I like my Seafarer too much.
Thanks again for the reply!

[Northeaster]

Please let me know how that plate fits, as mine has not been made yet by the machine shop. I may decide to order one like your's, if you are very happy with it, and the fit!

If you have any pics of your work on the boat, I would be interested to see them. I have a bunch in the gallery here, under yacht-building and maintenance.

I too have double line reefing set up, for both 1st and 2nd reef points, and like it alot. Not much drag compared to single line reefing!

I installed one triple (port) and one quad (starboard) deck organizer last year. As well I built new winch bases on the cabin top, where the old cleats were, and moved the winches back there. Then I installed new triple rope clutches ahead, where the winches once were.
I know it sailed for 28 years without those upgrades, but boy, do I like them!

I just got done installing an internal 8:1 outhaul, in the boom. It likely had an external one before, but wasn't even being used, as my very, very old mainsail had stretched, to the point that the clew was just tied / shacked to the end of the boom, with no adjustment. I sailed with it like that for the last 3 summers, since buying it.
As I am having a new, loose footed mainsail made now, I wanted / needed to have a proper outhaul.

Always something to work on, and spend cash on!!

[heygus]

Yipes! Nice Trailer! Nice Shop! Nice Boat of course! You really have done a lot of work to your boat!
I'll try to pick out some decent pics I have and post them to the gallery. That is if I can figure out how to do just that. All the pics I take are huge files, so reducing them seems the best way to go. 640 x 480 seems about the norm?
Every time I try to do something like this I end up losing my pictures somehow. I guess I'll have to grow up and ask one of my teens to help me out.
I'll be out at the boat this weekend, so maybe I'll be looking for volunteers to help unstep the mast. I'll keep in touch. heygus@empowering.com

[Northeaster]

Heygus - please let me know how your new mast bracket fits, and if you are happy with it!