Re-erecting a heavy section from a broken mast without shore assistance

[Andrew Troup]

I just watched the video "180º South - Conquerors of the Useless" which traces a trip to Patagonia, a sort of homage to the guys who did a seventies surfer/mountaineer road trip which culminated in their climing of Cerro Chaltén, or Mount Fitroy. I recommend it to anyone who loves the sea, the mountains, or Patagonia.

In the early stages the protagonist hitches a ride on a 52' cutter called "Seabear", from Mexico to Chile via the Galapagos.

Despite being clearly a very well built, well specced and well maintained vessel, a rigging failure means they break their mast en route. To the surprise of the protagonist, the skipper goes over the side and rigs lines to enable them hoist a section of the broken mast (500 lbs in weight) on board, rather than cutting it free as most people would do.

Having sailed to Rapanui/Easter Island (which was the only land within range) and had a bit of a look around, I can understand why they were not able to dock the boat there - the only dock, apart from not having enough depth alongside (meant only for lighters), is about the least sheltered dock I've personally come across.

So they begged a couple of bits of timber (in short supply on Easter Island at times) - not even enough to rig the usual sheerlegs, but they managed to hoist the mast from a single pole, fairly shorthanded, while anchored in an open roadstead. They used a method the skipper gleaned from a manual of sailing-ship practice from days long gone.

It's shown in sufficient detail on the DVD to be quite instructive, and certainly thought provoking.

[Snowpetrel]

Interesting, might have to look out for the DVD. My brother managed to get a boom rigged as a mast on Hugo boss (open 60) on the way to South america after a chainplate pulled out. They did well speed wise, getting up to 20 odd knots at one point. See his Youtube vids BooBooNZ is his tag.

I raised Snow Petrels heavy mast single handed but I was in a marina.




It all went up much easier than I had thought. I think it would work at sea, ideally using spectra rather than dacron as guys. I had a three part tackle off the forestay to a anderson 40 ST winch, and a spinny pole to improve the angle.

My new boat has twin poles on deck, ideal as shear poles... I have a few other cunning ideas as well

[Andrew Troup]

Yay for deck stepped masts!

"Cunning ideas...."

... don't leave us hanging, Snowpetrel!