Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

I couldnt find the answer to this question in the forum and know there must be a simple answer I'm just not seeing.  What holds the mast in?

Any other rigging suggestions welcomed.

Thanks!

Curt 830/9987-8120 [email protected]


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RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

Gravity.

Laszlo

 

 

RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

   Lazio is right as well as some friction with the mast step. I may add a block to the mast thwart which the downhaul will run through, returning to the cleat on the mast. This will add easier tension and secure the mast. The drawback is it will increase load on the mast step. 

RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

   The sloop rig has a downhaul. Not sure about the lug rig. 

George K

RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

I guess we're talking about the lug-rigged Dory here, as the sloop rig's mast is obviously held in place by the shrouds. If there's any wind in the sail at all, the axial loads at mast step and partner make it impossible to pull the mast out. (Seriously--try it when the boat is rigged on the trailer.)  The mainsheet has a considerable downward vector, too.

Rigging the downhaul to do double duty as a "keeper" is a good trick.  But it's not going to come up except in an especially catastrophic capsize.

RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

John, et al,   Yeah, going over was the only time I was even thinking that a mast keeper would be useful...unlikely, but a little cheap insurance.  I guess a simple 1/8" line around one of the cleats on the mast and thru the mast hole in the mast thwart would be plenty.   Like a downhaul for the mast.

 bearnkar, Let me see if I understand your thought...tie downhaul to boom normally, then thru a turning block mounted on the mast thwart, and back up to the horn cleat mounted on the mast to tie off with an upward pull motion.

Somewhere (cant remember where)  I think I also saw a builder that drilled a hole in the top of the mast step, fed the downhaul thru from underneath the mast step with a stopper knot, up thru a small  turning block lashed to the boom and down to the horned cleat on the mast to tie off with a downward pull motion.  To combine your idea of using the mast thwart, I guess a person could drill a small hole in the mast thwart instead, then up to the block lashed to the boom and down to the cleat.  Either way you get one purchase and can tie off the line easily and quickly.

   

RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

   FWIW, if you end up needing a mast keeper, you'll probably have a whole bunch more problems to be worrying about. When your boat is on its side with the mast in the water, you have the same axial forces that John was talking about (just provided by the mast's buoyancy instead of the wind). That's why he said "especially catastrophic". In that event, recovering the mast will be the least of your worries. I've got 3 unstayed masts, none with a keeper. Save the effort and finish faster. Laszlo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

Sounds good, thanks Laszlo.   

RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

Moonchaser, I think your question is a good one. I've seen a few Lasers where the mast has badly torn up the deck when the mast heel came out of the step while the boat was being righted after a capsize. I think the Laser racing rules now require a line rigged between the mast and deck to prevent that from happening.

A sailor recently told me of an experience where his unstayed mast was bounced up out of its step while sailing in choppy water. It went over the side, and took the mast thwart along with it.

My next build will be a sailboat, and I plan to make the mast step an inch or two deeper than the plans, and will also rig some way of holding the mast securely down in the step.

Some my think that's overkill, but it will give me an added sense of security. There are enough other things that can happen on the water that always keep it exciting.

Best,
Old Yeller 

RE: Dory Rigging Question-What Holds The Mast In?

   Old Yeller...thanks for the comment, I agree with you and have dumped enough sailboats to know it can happen in spite of being told about downward pressure.   For future Dory lug builders, here's my thought:  Discard the U-shaped mast step design and just build up 3 thicknesses of 1" wood about 6" square with pre-cut square holes the right size for the bottom of the mast plus a little for easy fit.  The bottom one would have grooves out each side toward the back for water drainage.  That solves the problem of ensuring epoxy inside of a forever blind underside in the mast step.  Plus then you can just add a couple eye straps on top, drill a hole in the mast and push in a thru pin with a ring on the end..  actually there's any number of ways to hold the mast in eh?  For mine, for now at least, I think I'll just tie a piece of 1/8" line thru the mast hole in the mast thwart and tie the other end to the horned cleat on the mast, and do something more elegant later.  Oh, and I wouldnt want to use the downhaul as a mast keeper because if you douse the main and leave the mast in, there wouldnt be anything holding the mast in.

Curt, 830/997-8120 [email protected]

   

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