# Lightning 19' mast stepping, help need..



## muse1 (Jul 15, 2011)

Help

I bought a Lightning Class 19' sailboat. The seller, a friend and myself nearly killed ourselves stepping the mast. 

The mast is 26 ft long and must be dropped vertically into a small hole in fore deck. We nearly dropped it on the seller's car.

I was told to use a gin pole, is that the best and safest way. 

I am now sorry I bought the great boat, and have not even sailed yet. I hate doing dangerous things for fun.


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## spearfishlaketales (Jul 12, 2011)

I've owned two Lightnings, and thought I learned my lesson with the first one until I got given the second on a "get it out of my yard" deal. Between them, they taught me that "wood boat" and "maintenance" are two terms that never get very far from each other.

Getting the mast up and down is the biggest pain in the neck. I think the boat was designed to be kept at a dock or a mooring, and the mast only cycled up and down once a season, if that.

I rigged a temporary stop for the base of the mast which clamped to the deck, and a temporary baby stay arrangement to help keep the mast under control going up and down. A gin pole wouldn't help without those two items. I could lift the mast up by myself without any real problems, but keeping it under control was always an iffy proposition.

Realistically, you need to have two, three, or more people to keep things under control, mostly just holding onto the stays and shrouds. Once I figured out how to do it, I got it down to the point where my wife and I could get the mast up and down fairly easily.

That much said, they are fun when they are finally on the water, but they were not designed to be a trailer sailer.


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## muse1 (Jul 15, 2011)

Thanks, I will leave it up and when it comes down I'll take a crowd of friends.


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## spearfishlaketales (Jul 12, 2011)

Good luck. 

The last summer I owned a Lightning I was able to find a place where I could leave it parked on the trailer with the mast up. That simplified things a lot.

If you can get a crowd to help you get it down, it will help if you have someone up on the deck to keep the base of the mast under control while you lower it.

I would suggest trying to raise it with the base of the mast on the deck. We tried raising it from the ground and lifting it vertically to the deck one time, and found we REALLY needed a bunch of people to do that.


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## muse1 (Jul 15, 2011)

Thank you. I am leaving it up also, in a storage lot. I can pull it to the boat ramp with the mast up.


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## CalebD (Jan 11, 2008)

I stepped the mast on my Lightning with just 2 people but it was not fun or easy. Three or more makes it that much easier.
The method I resorted to using most often involved the use of a nearby tree limb. I'd use my fishing pole to get a sinker or lure over the tree limb. Then I'd tie the fishing line to a working line with a block tied to the end and pull the working line over the tree limb. Another line was put through the block before hoisting that was used as a lightweight crane for lifting or lowering the mast with a bowline that rides up to the spreaders. Kind of a pain to set all this up but it made the whole procedure easy enough for my wife and a to do it alone.
I had a village mooring permit ($25/year) and a 50# mushroom anchor I used to keep it on the water in season. Great little boat but a PITA to set up or break down.


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## dub420sailor (Mar 29, 2010)

I have a lightning and every time I take it out I have to step the mast and take it down. It really isn't bad, but there are a few tricks that help, assuming an aluminum (not wooden) mast.

1. Don't step the mast yourself unless you have a mast hoist. I did this and dropped it on my friend's roof. When I bought my mast I watched the elderly gentleman I bought it from do this like it was nothing. He had some tricks, but I prefer not to mess with it.

2. Prepare the mast before you put it up, get all the shrouds laying out beside it just as if it were already up. Make sure the forestay is in the front, backstay in the back, etc. Use rigging tape or electrical tape to tape around the plugs that go into the spreader so that if they don't come out and allow the mast to snap.

3. Prepare the inside of the boat so that the mast can just slip right in and you don't have anything to snag on.

4. Use the trailer tire or a friend's foot positioned at the butt of the mast while "walking" the mast up until it is vertical. Once the mast is vertical it is very easy to keep that way unless you let it start leaning.

5. Have a friend balance the mast while you hop up on the boat. Make sure you place a life jacket on the deck so you can rest the mast down later if necessary.

6. Have your friend hold the bottom of the mast with both hands close together. You stand on the boat and keep your hands far apart on the mast. This allows you to control the mast while your friend simply lifts STRAIGHT up. As the mast goes up, make sure that it stays vertical. As you get it over the boat, slowly move it over the opening, making sure to keep it vertical. This takes some coordination with your friend but after you've done it a few times it gets easier.

7. As you lower the mast in, again, insure you don't snag on anything and that it fits snugly into the step. Once it is in, connect the forestay and it will be able to stand on it's own.

There are several ways to connect the shrouds, but insure they are the proper tension (or close).

To take down the mast, do the same in reverse.

For more info check out:
Welcome to the International Lightning Class

The tuning guides will help alot. As to leaving the mast stepped, if you can do it, then do it! But, don't let it scare you. The Lightning is a great boat and a blast to sail.

Where are you sailing from? There are Lightning fleets all over and someone there will be happy to teach you to set up your rig.

Good to see other Lightning sailors on Sailnet!

Andy


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## muse1 (Jul 15, 2011)

CalebD said:


> I stepped the mast on my Lightning with just 2 people but it was not fun or easy. Three or more makes it that much easier.
> The method I resorted to using most often involved the use of a nearby tree limb. I'd use my fishing pole to get a sinker or lure over the tree limb. Then I'd tie the fishing line to a working line with a block tied to the end and pull the working line over the tree limb. Another line was put through the block before hoisting that was used as a lightweight crane for lifting or lowering the mast with a bowline that rides up to the spreaders. Kind of a pain to set all this up but it made the whole procedure easy enough for my wife and a to do it alone.
> I had a village mooring permit ($25/year) and a 50# mushroom anchor I used to keep it on the water in season. Great little boat but a PITA to set up or break down.[/QUOTE
> 
> I can find a tree. Thanks


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## Flybyknight (Nov 5, 2005)

I have a Cape Dory 25 and I raise and lower the mast single handed. It's easy.
Get a copy of _"The Sailor's Sketchbook"_ by Bruce Bingham, Seven Seas Press
for full details. I paid $4.00 for it on Alibris.
That's one way.
The other is building a large A frame, and raising the mast by pushing up on an extension ladder, till you can hoist from the frame.

How much do you want for your Lightning?

Dick


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## spearfishlaketales (Jul 12, 2011)

The problem isn't so much raising the mast -- that's relatively easy -- but keeping the mast under control while setting it down vertically about three feet through a hole in the deck to get the base of the mast into the mast step, which is located on the keel.


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## muse1 (Jul 15, 2011)

Flybyknight said:


> I have a Cape Dory 25 and I raise and lower the mast single handed. It's easy.
> Get a copy of _"The Sailor's Sketchbook"_ by Bruce Bingham, Seven Seas Press
> for full details. I paid $4.00 for it on Alibris.
> That's one way.
> ...


This is a great boat in spite of the mast ordeal, if needed I can hire someone to build a hoist or hire a crew to put the mast up in the Spring . It has 3 mains 2 are very good and one is like new. One is cut for a storm main. It has 3 jibs all good to great. It has 2 spins and a canvas boom tent. It has a good trailer. I sailed it today in light air and it performed well. It is a 66 glass boat but has lived inside. It had new epoxy paint by a pro 5 years ago. It look more like a 1996 that 1966. 
I was just shocked that it was such a PITA to put up a mast. I have been sailing over 35 years and had no idea a 19 ft, boat's mast was such task. Having said all that I think it is a keeper after all. Few people would want a boat this old at the price I was willing to pay but the former owner took care of it. I would sell it for 5 thousand.


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