Why not lay the mast forward over the pulpit M23 style and use the boom as a gin pole and the backstay as the brace with two steady wires attached to ss plates on the lower shrouds? Dick Doug King wrote:

Thanks for your help, Sandy and Joe. It is as I feared. Sandy, your idea sounds good, but I don't think it will work on a 17, because the forward hatch starts just an inch forward of the mast base, and is about two inches high. I don't think there is clearance for a gin pole to swing down more than about twenty degrees if fastened at the base of the mast, which would be the best place. I wanted to fashion a gin pole set-up similar to the MacGregor 26, which is the same rig as you've mentioned below and the same size boat, all of which have longer foredecks and enough swing-down space for a mast base fastening point. Thought it might work with the gin pole fastened about 2 or 3 feet up the mast. A boom used as a gin pole system works, so this should too. I have a spinnaker pole with a missing end piece, so I may try that (I'll never fly a spinnaker anyway, I'm too lazy).

Bob Eeg pointed me to pictures of a set-up on the montgomeryboats.com site (M-17, Photos page 4), which doesn't use a gin pole at all, just a high mast cradle and a straight pull up using a high, extended trailer winch support. Obviously not for use on the water.

I'm also intrigued with the idea of a spring-loaded line, as discussed on the Trailer-Sailer site.

Thanks again,

Doug

At 01:09 AM 6/16/02 -0400, you wrote:

I'd like to rig a mast-raising system that can be used not only to initially raise and lower the mast, but on restless water also

I've used raising systems on Capri 26's and Catalina 25's that use the baby side stay for the mast. At a point on a level plane with the mast base pivot point, install a SS ring at the bottom of the stay. From the ring make 2 more wire leads that go to your toe rail, fore and aft of the pivot point. As the mast is raised/lowered, the foreward or aftward stay controls the mast tention. The tension doesn't need to be tight all the way up/down. A little side sway is acceptable. To locate the "Ring" location point, lower the mast and place a 1/4" tubing through the mast pivot bolt hole. At either end is the ring placement point. If you don't want to raise the mast with your back, use a gin pole at the base of the mast. When the mast is up, the gin pole is horizontal on the foredeck. The jib halyard is attached at the end and your mainsheet is attached from the gin pole to the deck.

Sandy

------------------------------------------ Doug King M-17 #404 "Vixen"

Montgomery Sailboats Owners Group Web site: http://msog.org Email: mailto:msog@msog.org