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Michael Grew
Oct 26, 2009 - 11:14AM
Dismounting the masts
Help!
I intend taking "Seascape" down through the French canals to the Med. next summer and I am wondering whether any other member has done this that could offer advice as to the best method of taking down and putting back up the masts. Is it better to transport them on the boat or arrange to have them dismounted and put on a lorry to be transported to the coast.
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Owner of "Seascape"
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John Lansdell
Nov 3, 2009 - 12:29PM
Re: Dismounting the masts
I have not been through the French canals, but Audrey and I crewed for Olive and Peter French when they took Dogmatic up the Seine to Paris. In addition I have researched the possibility of doing a similar trip as you propose with Twotails.
We took the masts down at Rouen, where there was (is?) a place specialising in doing this. They will also store masts, as they did on our trip, or arrange their transport to to the Med, which seemed expensive to me. If you take them with you, you need crutches, but these must allow for bridge clearance, for convenient access to the cockpit, and be mechanically strong enought to cope with their weight and the side loads put on them by the wash from other craft, particularly barges. The main problem with having the masts so mounted is that they are longer than the boat and overhang. This can be a problem in locks, especially when sharing with other craft. A useful tip is to replace the pins and rings at the bottom of the shroud turnbuckles with ironmongers nails before you get to the dismasting quay. It makes the job there quicker, and you are much less likely to lose the rings overboard during the rush to get the job done at the quay. They are difficult to replace! The mechanical loads on the shrouds as you motor are minimal. When re-installing the mast use the nails again, and replace them at your leisure.
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