Stepping mast video

When the shrouds are set for sailing they are under tension. I find it very difficult to pin the forestay to the bridle unless something is eased off.

[url]http://static.hobiecat.com/digital_assets/getawaymanual.pdf[url] Check page 9-10 in the assembly manual.

Since you are going to add Spinnaker gear to the boat I suggest replacing the shroud pins (and those darn split rings) with bow shackles. The pins are a standard size and you can use the blocks for a Spinnaker sheet lead. Instant hardware with no drilling ...

Another option is to get quick pins to fit the shroud plates. Good ones tend to be $$$ however.

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Sail More. Tinker Less. Enjoy a Hobie Day.
-2013 H16 #1`13780
-2014 Getaway w/wings,spinnaker,& trapeze

Thanks for the reply. I would worry about quick pins on the shrouds due to the tensioning and detensioning with every tack/gybe (they might work their way out--been dismasted too often already). Bow shackles, though, I could live with (actually, I used bow shackles on the chain plates on my F24 when I switched to fiber shrouds). But that's why I asked about a carabiner. My friend just has to pull the mast a little (about an inch) to trap the carabiner, then he's set to go. Now, perhaps his rig is too loose, but I don't think it is far off even though the leeward shroud is sloppy on a beat (for most multihulls, this is the case). I'm probably going to try a similar thing on the Getaway; it is certainly a quick way to secure the mast (and I hate those split rings). It's just a matter of getting the right length.

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

I used to lift my H-17 mast by hand (20 years ago...) and I can lift my Getaway mast by hand if the bob isn't on it. But with the bob, it's a bit too heavy. I worry more about bringing it down by hand so I don't drop it.
I have a mast stepper III for my Getaway, works great. I built a stepper for my H-17 for those times I just didn't feel that strong. I used the trap wires with cord to hold the mast centered.

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Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks

Thanks for the input Dorienc. What do you think of the mainsheet system I am trying out for lifting and lowering the Getaway mast? I can't use the system you used on the 17 because (as you know) the Getaway mast has to be raised/lowered with the mast pointed athwartship so the trapezes can't be used to stabilize up/down (or at least, not straightforwardly). The idea of using the top trapeze as the pull point was suggested by a local dealer so that the mast would stay oriented correctly, but he wanted me to have a helper to stabilize the mast on the way up/down. By using the mainsheet and a block, I eliminate the need for a helper. The boat is new to me and I worry that there is something I haven't thought of that will bite me in the butt!

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

tpdavis473 - any chance of getting a picture of the "bow shackle and carabiner" setup for the forestay? I hate ring-dings too and would love to see an alternative.

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Dave

Next time I'm on my friends' boat I'll try to get a photo and post it. Recall that it is a windrider 17. Their mast is shorter and the mainsheet has less purchase, so a carabiner seems to be OK in the forestay (so, why does a Windrider 17 have a lower Portsmouth number?). Our boats probably have too much load unless we oversize the carabiner to about a half inch diameter. I'm thinking a quick link might be better on our boats and nearly as easy. I'm not sure I understand why a carabiner has a much smaller safe working load than a bow shackle of the same diameter made with the same stainless, but it seems to be the case--any materials engineers out there?

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

Never mind, I think I figured it out, it has to do with the orientation and type of closure device. A carabiner is held closed by cutouts in the metal, so you weakened the link.

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

I used a winch on my 17, and I use a winch on my Getaway. Cheap, reliable, locks in place. Using a block system will certainly work, but a winch is so easy.

Actually, the 17 mast is raised sideways too. I used the trap wires, with a bit longer cord on the one side. I designed it at at the time based on a blurry photo I saw of a gin pole system. I find now that my Mast Stepper III is almost the identical system. For my 17, I used a 8 foot long 2 x 4 for the gin pole, with a hook to fasten the forestay to, and an eyebolt for the winch hook. I cut the mast end of the 2 x 4 in a curve to match the mast curve, glued inner tube rubber to the 2 x 4 curve, and drilled a hole in the base of the 2 x 4 and ran a cord through it. I tied it to the mast.
I had a long rope that I girth hitched to the eyebolt on the gin pole, and tied the other ends to the trap wires. I don't remember anymore how I fastened the stabilizing cord to the boat. But it was quick (actually faster than the factory thing I have now) and very stable.

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Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks

Thanks for the idea. I hadn't thought of using a shaped 2X4 for a gyn pole. How long did you make 2X4?

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

Sorry, I see you said 8 ft.

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

I just remembered how I fastened the stabilizing lines on my old H-17.
I had an eyebolt at the top of the gin pole (2 x 4). The winch hooked to the eyebolt. Also at the top of the gin pole was a hook for the 2 bridles wires from the front of the mast.
Also to the eyebolt at the top of the gin pole, I had tied 2 cords. They went down to the crossbar, and I had tied in snap hooks that clipped to the (about 1/2" diameter) crossbar for the dolphin striker. (The Getaway doesn't have this. I'll explain the Getaways setup at the end of the post). So the gin pole had 2 ropes to triangulate it from the crossbar, keeping it from falling to the side.
The ends of the ropes from the dolphin striker tied (or maybe I had snap hooks) to the trapeze wires to keep the mast from falling to the side as I winched the mast up or down.

The difference for the Mast Stepper III is it doesn't use the trap wires (in fact, I haven't yet installed my trapeze...I'm too old and my grandkids too young), but has a slug that runs up the sail track, hauled up with the halyard. The slug is tied to two ropes that run down to each side of the boat. The Mast Stepper III comes with 2 eyelets that bolt to the ends of the front crossbar where it comes through the hulls that the stabilizing lines from the mast and the gin pole clip to.

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Yet another Bob!
"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
Too many canoes and kayaks

The description sounds complicated, but I expect it is easier than it sounds. Thanks for the description. My F24 trimaran had a similar system that used the winch to raise and lower the mast single handed. The Hobie system III (and long gyn pole) is needed when the mast is level with the ball and you don't have a rear or front mast rest to give leverage. I have a pretty tall rear and front mast rest so I may be able to get away without a gyn pole. We'll see. If it works well I'll post a video (if not, I'll try something else).

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

This is what I use on my H17. I use 6 ft Y-pole as a back support. It plugs-in into a piece of welded pipe on the back of the trailer. I use no gyn pole and stabilize with trap wires.





You also will need a block on the top of your front mast rest.

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H17

That's essentially what I'm doing except I don't use stabilizing wires and use the mainsheet instead of the trailer winch. Don't need the stabilizers because I'm there to hold the mast steady. What do you attach the winch to?

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R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

Because the H17 SE forstay is short I use a dedicated stay wire to attach to the winch. If I have a crew, I have him/her to crank the winch while I handle the mast. Then I don't use the trap wires to stabilize and the entire operation is very quick.

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H17