Mast up or down durng storage

chris_z · Post by **chris_z** » Sat Sep 17, 2005 6:48 am

I would be interested in hearing from other owners up here in the northeast as to whether you store the boat during the winter with the mast still stepped, or if you have it unstepped and stored during the winter. I had them take it down last winter and it seem to cause a lot of issues when it went back up (messed up anchor light and steaming light, yard took a chuck out of the table below when they put it back in, boot
around base not properly sealed so water during first big rain, roller furling jammed due to improper foil setup, retuning of rig for weeks to get it back to sweet spot, yard misplaced some key parts, delayed boat getting into water) and a few others.

What are the pros and cons of leaving it up? WHat do most of you do?

Please, lots of posts on this subject, especially you cruisers out there...

Thanks!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 8:49 am

We have ours unstepped for the winter and have the boat stored inside. Your points are well taken, however storing the boat with the mast unstepped presents some other issues with water coming down the track while stored. Also, we like to have the entire rig inspected at then end of the year - I am sure there will be lots of opinions on this one though!

[Posted by: Maya
]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 19, 2005 12:56 pm

Most J's leak at the mast eventually anyway (at least those I've had), and yards do make mistakes from time to time. That said, bottom line: the rig presents significant windage in the winter months in the northeast, and wear and tear from being exposed to the elements is not the best case. I've unstepped each year and professionally covered both the mast and the boat completly. I feel it's been absolutly worth the chance of spring yard errors and the added expense.

[Posted by: Barry
]

chris_z · Post by **chris_z** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 7:07 am

I have always wondered about the "significant windage" that the bare mast presents when it is left up. I understand that there is more pressure that is generated to the deck because the boat is immobilized and cannot heel over on stands like it does in the water. Or at least it SHOULDN'T heel over. That being said, does the bare mast generate more force on land that if I am sailing in 15 knots of breeze on a close reach under main and 155% genoa? In those conditions I assume there are thousand of pounds of force on the windward shrouds being directed down into the boat. Is 20 knots of breeze on a bare mast in the winter more forceful than that?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 20, 2005 1:01 pm

I would look into a different yard if I'd had your experiences. I will unstep most years, but probably not all. I have had a winter cover made for Mischief, but it will work with the mast up or down.

[Posted by: Mike Brown
]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 05, 2005 12:59 pm

I'm no physicist, but my definition of "significant windage" is what Watermark sees coming off of Lake Erie for 6 month of the year here in Buffalo while sitting on the cradle (not to mention all the driving snow & ice). Granted, it's probably not as bad (in terms of load on the shrouds) as what we see sailing in 20 knots of breeze racing upwind, but then again we don't do that 24/7. Bottom line: taking the mast down in the offseason is well worth it around here.

[Posted by: Barry
]