Mast roller

[Greybeard]

My apologies to those who have already thought of this, but when I was the sailing master of the Humber Keel, Comrade, we often had to lower the 67ft mast and ship it on deck. To help in getting this huge lump of timber for'ard we had a wooden roller that sat in the mast tabernacle (it's called a lutchet on a Humber Keel ). As I unship the mast on Falcon and support it just clear of the cabin top, when I leave her at the club I thought a similar arrangement would be useful - and preserve her varnish a little. I found this handy little rubber roller. Just 90mm long and with an 11mm bore it'll fit perfectly on the mast bolt.

http://www.pstrailers.co.uk/epages/BT4713.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BT4713/Products/BR2101

Delivery was very quick indeed and reasonable I thought at just 3 quid.

Steve (wot's full of miscellaneous facts - like the mast hounds are called oynings on a keel )

[Dennis]

Great minds think alike.

Do you mean like this:

[Greybeard]

That's the very thing

Steve

[Dennis]

I bought mine from the Indespension shop in Carlisle, cost about £1.50.

This is it's second season of use.

Only comment I would make is it leaves a black mark on the mast. At least it does not damage the varnish.

Very happy.

[Greybeard]

I bought mine from the Indespension shop in Carlisle, cost about £1.50.

By 'eck, tha knows 'ow to wind up a Yorkshireman

We have only one local agent for Indespension and he charges their usual price plus what would be the postage on top so I tend to avoid him.

Steve

[Nick Martin]

I've used this arrangement since I had the boat .. not least as I'm normally rigging / derigging on my own .. but have a second hole lower in the tabanacle so the mast is more secure as I move it along - and for towing .. then it's just a quick couple of bungies over the mast to the lower tabanacle pin .. and job done to secure the mast at that end .. sorry, no pic as boat in Largs just now