| This
crutch was intended to be a prototype back in 1977, but I am still using it.
The crutch is 5"wide at top,
narrowing to 3" for most of its 68" length. It's made of
3/4" thick poplar, with 1"x1.5" braces on the fore and aft
faces. The braces are made from the bits left over when I
narrowed the crutch below the "Y."
The crutch is held into the
centermost hatchway slot by a single 1/4" bolt about 1/3 down
from top of hatchway. The bolt runs diagonally from inside the hatchway
slot and through the crutch and is held in place by a wing-nut. The
bolt does not carry much of a load - it simply holds the
crutch in place; but using two bolts might make some folks more
comfortable. |
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Close-up of crutch. The
braces on both sides are off-centre a bit, fitting close to the edges of the
hatchway slot. The brace on the aft side goes all the way up to the bottom of
the vee. |
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The forward side of the
crutch is shaped to fit the backside of the mast and the brace is shorter. The
crutch is not padded, but has not marked the mast in over 24 years of use. |
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Process for single-handed mast raising using the crutch.
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(1) Prepare for raising:
move mast aft, with masthead extended out over pushpit, foot of mast on
cabintop. Make sure shrouds are clear.
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(2) Place crutch in hatchway slot and fasten bolt. |
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(3) Standing on
locker near transom, raise mast to shoulder and guide mast heel
into cabintop mast step. Raise mast above shoulders and
"walk" it forward to about a 45 degree angle and rest mast in
crutch. |
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4) At the bow,
attach a short line from stemhead fitting to the jib halyard
shackle. This serves as a temporary forestay.
(5) Raise the mast to vertical, haul in and cleat the jib
halyard.
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(6) Back at the bow, attach
permanent forestay to stemhead fitting. (I "sit" on temporary
forestay, using body weight to bring mast as far forward and make
the forestay as tight as possible.)
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(7)
Disconnect temporary forestay and remove crutch. Boat is ready for the
water. (A second crutch made with a hardwood
dowel epoxied inside of two aluminum tubes was very pretty, but far too
flexible. I'm still using my "prototype." )
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Lowering
the mast is pretty much a reverse of this procedure.
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When lowered, the rear of the mast is supported by another
fixture I made from two sheets of aluminium with a mahogany spacer, all held
together by brass nuts & bolts.
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