MAST STEPPING

INSTRUCTIONS

1.) The mast must be fully assembled including the halyards before stepping the mast.

2.) Place the T-tang in front of the boat and make sure that the forestays and shrouds are clear of each other.

3.) Lash the forestay to the chain plate. The forestays are the two that are in the centre of the T-tang. The lashing should be approximately 180mm long to ensure that the mast can pass the vertical axle and rest safely on the forestays and main halyard. The measurement is taken between the top of the stainless chainplate and the lowest inner diameter of the friction ring

4.) Lash the shrouds to the rack arm fitting or beam bolt on the main beam. It is normal with quite a bit of slack in the shrouds when the mast is in the down position.

5.) Place the mast foot beside the mast step. Let the upper part of the mast rest on a support that prevents the mast from rotating. The mast top must be horizontal or higher than the mast step, higher is better. Secure the mast foot with a rope so it does not fall of the beam.

6.) Hook the T-tang(forestay/shroud fitting) to the mast.

7.) Attach the boom to the mast.

8.) Let the boom rest in front of the main beam when attached to the mast.

9.) Strap the hoisting block with the hoisting line around the aft beam. The strap shall be on the starboard side of the traveler adjustment fitting if the port winch is used to hoist the mast and port side if starboard winch is used. Attach the hoisting line securely to the boom.

 

TIP!

Put the furling line around the mast step straight away.

 

10.) Secure the hoisting line around the deck winch.

11.) Take the main halyard from the mast.

12.) Attach the main halyard securely to the boom.

13.) Tighten the main halyard and secure it by two half-hitches, to the mast foot or gooseneck. Do not trust the self tailing on the winch or the blocks on the mast foot.

14.) Attach the two boom support lines aft of the boom slider. It is important that the lines cannot slide inwards or off the boom.

15.) Put the furling line for the gennaker around the mast step if this haven’t been done already.

16.) Raise the boom and attach the support lines to the rack arm fitting on the main beam, take away the slack in the lines and centre the boom.

17.) Remove slack in the main halyard and hoisting line, the boom must be leaning forward to ensure that it is clear from the aft beam when the mast is upright. The main halyard and hoisting line are functioning as the aft support of the mast so this must be kept tight until the shrouds are attached to the chainplates.

 

VERY IMPORTANT!

Lock the mast rotation arm. The mast will fall down during the hoisting if the rotation arm is not locked in the central position.

 

18.) Apply the supplied grease on the mast ball.

19.) Place the mast on the mast ball.

20.) Start hoisting the mast by winching the hoist line while lifting the mast top. Lock the hoisting line when the mast is resting on the forestays.

21.) Move one shroud at the time back to the chain plates and lash them lightly. If a forestay is twisted then remove the lashing and untwist the stay. Do not remove more than one stay or shroud at one time.

22.) When the shrouds are fastened and the mast is secure the hoisting line can be removed and the main sheet can be connected.

23.) To easily measure the rake of the mast, determine the distance from the mast top to the aft beam by using the main halyard. Secure the main halyard with the knot parallel to the bottom of the lower mast tube. While keeping tension in the halyard use a folding rule to take a measurement.

24.) Measure from the aft radius of the aft beam to the knot on the halyard. A reference point can be added to the aft beam.

25.) 480mm is used as a base setting for the rake.

Important!
After the rake is set and shrouds and forestays are tightened a tight shock cord shall be put between the forestays to remove the slack and ensure that the forestay does not get caught behind the spreader while manoeuvring.

 

WHEN HOISTING THE MAST / KEEP AN EYE ON!

• Check that the mastfoot is positioned correctly on the mast step.

• Be careful not to get an override on the hoisting winch. An override preventer can be used on the trampoline.

• The mast rotation arm, the control line can tighten during the hoisting. Loosen the control line a little bit if this happen.

• The boom support line and shrouds can also tighten during the hoisting. Loosen them a little bit if this happen.

• Do not stand directly underneath the mast while hoisting or lowering the mast.

• Check that nothing gets stuck.

• Make sure to steer the mast on the way up with the forestays. When the mast is almost upright, let it gently fall back into a position where it rests on the forestays and the main halyard until the shrouds have been fastened.

• It is very important that the shrouds and forestays are placed in such way that they cannot get stuck or damage during the mast stepping.

• Consult your local M32 representative before hoisting the mast if there are any further questions or if you are unsecure about the procedure.