M-15 mast unstepping quandry
Yesterday I unstepped the mast on my M-15 for the first time in preparation for winter storage, and ran into a situation for which I was a little unprepared. When I unclipped the forestay and began lowering the mast (without removing the mast step bolt holding the mast into the mast step, merely loosening it), the mast wouldn't lie all the way down into the rear mast carrier. Instead it made contact with the hatch first, and I was afraid that the weight of the mast might crack the hatch (which was in the forward/open position). So I pulled the mast back up into its raised position and removed the bolt before lowering it down again--with GREAT effort--since I had nothing to "foot" that mast against. After reading how easy it was to step and unstep the mast on this boat, I figure that either I was doing something wrong, or my boat has a non-standard set-up which I'm going to want to rectify this winter. My boat is a 1981 M-15, and I'm not sure how many "improvements" have been committed on it. The aft mast carrier is not original equipment, I believe, since it doesn't slide into the rudder gudgeons, but rather is held up by a small wooden contraption the previous owner built in the rear of the cockpit. But the mast is level in the stored/down position, resting on the rear mast carrier and the bow pulpit (my old Trail-Rite trailer doesn't have a forward mast carrier on its tongue). It's just a real bitch getting it into that position. And when I lowered the mast yesterday while it was still bolted it was about 12-15" higher than level (over the mast carrier) in the rear when it made contact with the hatch. I'm just glad I was really careful when I was lowering it and pulled it back up as soon as I saw that plan A wasn't going too well. So is this normal? Does your mast get hung up on the hatch when you lower it? My initial solution is to simply build a taller mast carrier with pintles so that the mast can be lowered into it while still bolted without contacting the hatch. But I wonder whether it might be a problem to trailer the boat with the mast at an angle and therefore more likely to slide forward in a sudden stop--assuming I'm stupid enough not to secure it well. Sorry to be so long-winded. But what's up with that? David =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= David W. Wood -=- dwood@woodatwork.com 1981 M15 -=- Hull #163
I have this problem with my M17 if the hatch isn't all the way shut . . . Open, the lip of the hatch will make contact with the lowered mast . . . It's a problem in that it doesn't release enough pressure on the mast-step to remove the pivot-bolt . . . Hatch closed, the mast rests nicely, the bolt can be removed, voila . . . Kinda sounds like what's happening on the M15 . . . ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Wood" <dwood@woodatwork.com> To: <montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 4:55 PM Subject: M-15 mast unstepping quandry
Yesterday I unstepped the mast on my M-15 for the first time in preparation for winter storage, and ran into a situation for which I was a little unprepared. When I unclipped the forestay and began lowering the mast (without removing the mast step bolt holding the mast into the mast step, merely loosening it), the mast wouldn't lie all the way down into the rear mast carrier. Instead it made contact with the hatch first, and I was afraid that the weight of the mast might crack the hatch (which was in the forward/open position). So I pulled the mast back up into its raised position and removed the bolt before lowering it down again--with GREAT effort--since I had nothing to "foot" that mast against. After reading how easy it was to step and unstep the mast on this boat, I figure that either I was doing something wrong, or my boat has a non-standard set-up which I'm going to want to rectify this winter.
My boat is a 1981 M-15, and I'm not sure how many "improvements" have been committed on it. The aft mast carrier is not original equipment, I believe, since it doesn't slide into the rudder gudgeons, but rather is held up by a small wooden contraption the previous owner built in the rear of the cockpit. But the mast is level in the stored/down position, resting on the rear mast carrier and the bow pulpit (my old Trail-Rite trailer doesn't have a forward mast carrier on its tongue). It's just a real bitch getting it into that position. And when I lowered the mast yesterday while it was still bolted it was about 12-15" higher than level (over the mast carrier) in the rear when it made contact with the hatch. I'm just glad I was really careful when I was lowering it and pulled it back up as soon as I saw that plan A wasn't going too well.
So is this normal? Does your mast get hung up on the hatch when you lower it? My initial solution is to simply build a taller mast carrier with pintles so that the mast can be lowered into it while still bolted without contacting the hatch. But I wonder whether it might be a problem to trailer the boat with the mast at an angle and therefore more likely to slide forward in a sudden stop--assuming I'm stupid enough not to secure it well.
Sorry to be so long-winded. But what's up with that?
David
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= David W. Wood -=- dwood@woodatwork.com 1981 M15 -=- Hull #163
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Doug Kelch came from Northern Virginia with Seas the Day (1984 M-15) and John Edwards brought Miss T (1983 M-17) from South Carolina to exhibit at the Mariners' Museum Classic and Antique Boat Show on the 16th & 17th in Newport News, VA. The boats were items of great interest at the show and I was surprised at the number of people who had heard of the Montgomery (but hadn't seen one). John displayed a map and photos of his recent jaunt around the US with Miss T and Doug talked the talk with many of the old seasoned skippers and sailors that came by. Two admiring fellows came back the second day of the show with their wives so they could see the boats and a Tracker Boat/Bass Pro rep. kept returning for another look commenting that these lovely ladies were ideal boats for this area. Perhaps we'll see a few more Montgomerys on the Chesapeake before much longer ?? Many thanks to Doug and John for taking the time and trouble to bring their boats and show off the pride of our Montgomery community ! They "did us proud" !! Stan Winarski M-15, #177, Carol II
participants (3)
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Craig F. Honshell -
David Wood -
Stanley Winarski