Storing Ashore with Mast Up

[Sabre27Admin]

DaveP
United Kingdom
2 Posts

Posted - 19/01/2012 : 21:07:04
For 21 years I've taken TIKI's mast down before having her lifted ashore, but it's a real pain. Going through the S27 Gallery, it seems that almost every shore picture of fin keeled Sabres shows the mast up. I've just had a new metal cradle built to replace my trailer. A photo of it appears in the latest Rattling Sabres. I've yet to find a cradle company who'll recommend leaving the mast up, so how safe is it? I've only ever seen one collapsed (wooden) cradle (on the Orwell), but that boat took out two others and made a very nasty diesel mess as well. What are peoples experiences, and are there any precautions needed?

Dave P
Tiki
Edited by - DaveP on 19/01/2012 23:24:20
ianfr
United Kingdom
104 Posts

Posted - 20/01/2012 : 13:46:00
Hi Dave

My Sabre is ashore in a cradle, with the mast down, but only because I needed to run new cables etc.

However, just behind is another fin keeled Sabre and she has her mast up. The yard generally accept mast up in cradles, but are very careful about matching cradle to boat. I guess that is the main thing. As long as the cradle is adequate for the boat and is not sitting totally exposed it should be fine.

I should say that the local Marina had a brand new 35ft boat in a cradle outside the sales office recently, which got blown over.

Hope this helps.




Kind Regards

Ian

rocklyn4
United Kingdom
24 Posts

Posted - 20/01/2012 : 16:10:15
Hi Dave,
I have kept my mast up for the last 2 winters with the boat in a cradle and have not had any problems, however just check with your insurance company as a few people have told me that some companies do expect them taken down or they won`t cover any damage.

Kind regards
Kyle

Iain C
United Kingdom
181 Posts

Posted - 22/01/2012 : 18:14:13
Summer Girl was ashore for the best part of 10 years with the mast up prior to my ownership. However she was in a very big, solid yard cradle...I'd be less happy about keeping the rig up in her current cradle which is a bit less Brunelian.

However, I've sometimes been surprised just how much the boat heels under bare poles when I've been motoring up to my mooring in 30 knots. Then think about how much more heeling there would be in the 50-60kts (wind force = wind speed squared and all that) that have been experienced on the South Coast recently. And then all of that force is being supported by no more than a couple of square feet of pads on your hull.

So I'm sure it would be fine and a proper cradle is incredibly unlikely to collapse, however it's probably a lot kinder to the boat to drop the rig...
Edited by - Iain C on 22/01/2012 18:15:52

NPMR
United Kingdom
59 Posts

Posted - 22/01/2012 : 18:39:45
For what ir's worth, both the current Sabre and previous Cutlass have been over-wintered with mast up, for the best part of 25 years and never a problem.

We do strip all sails and stuff which might cut the windage a bit but also put a tarpaulin over her to keep it drier, which probably negates that very thoroughly!

Boat just propped with baulks of timber but secured by cross braces and the yard check all boats regularly and expecially if a blow is coming.