Getting the Mast Down

The new Triad trailer was in the parking lot and the only thing remaining was lowering the mast. Dick Shepherd was the second owner of this Flicka and he created a mast lowering system using a couple of aluminum poles. The poles are set up as an A-Frame. The jib halyard is attached to the center of the A-frame to hold it just above the deck and is secured. The main sheet is rigged between the A-frame and the staysail fitting on the bow. Tension is put on the mainsheet to allow the forestay to be disconnected. Then, as the mainsheet is slowly let out, the mast is lowered to the deck. Since this was Tom’s first lowering aboard his new Flicka, we took the precaution of placing foam padding and a boat fender on the cabin top. Motoring BEN MAIN, Jr. over to the dock for loading onto the trailer took only a few minutes. The trailer was in the water far enough to load. When the trailer was pulled forward, the Flicka settled to starboard. The center pad was flat and mounted on a swivel. When the bow touched it, the pad would swivel and push the bow to one side. The hull could not be centered on the trailer.

The pads were said to be set to within an half inch of the hull. It was immediately apparent that the pads were much too low—six inches to one foot. Going into the cold water in fly fishing waders to adjust the pads might work. Adjusting the pads on a boat ramp isn’t the best way to proceed. Decision point! Adjust the pads little by little and pull the sailboat repeatedly to get the pads to fit, or….motor fifteen miles up the bay to the next marina and use their lift. Tom called the marina to make sure that the marina would be able to provide the services. They could and asked that the sailboat be there in morning.