Stepping The Mast on an Alberg 30 Sailboat with an Wooden DIY A-FRAME

Episode #188 - UP WITH THE STICK
Hello Friends,
The time has FINALLY arrived to step the NEW MAST ! This turned out to be a MUCH bigger feat than lowering our old mast with the same process. The new mast is likely twice heavier and so much more is at stake.
I hope to NEVER have to do this again with our mast. Next time we will use a crane. I would say its a perfectly suitable method of raising and lowering mast that isn't super loaded up with halyards, double spreaders, radar, masthead equipment and all of the weight of the wiring that comes with it.
A very stressful experience for me but it all went off perfectly.
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Love,
James & Camille
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[@PrivateUsername]

Just a comment to help the algo. Nice job on the re-step, and thanks for the vid.

[@lorettaleger2825]

That was one gutsy move on the water. Good job

[@SailorJames]

Get’er’done…. Most people who are in places in the world that aren’t western countries do even more with less

[@UUBrahman]

Great the boat yard let you do the Do It Yourself mast raise.

[@colinwinters6140]

Job well done !!! I would have shat myself lol. The dodger looks real good.

[@SailorJames]

I may have shat myself.... I just finished painting the dodger yesterday and its a thing of beauty !

[@bulentekim5806]

@@SailorJames Bravooo. Eres un maestro de verdad.

[@richardboody6709]

Great job you two held my breath during the whole lift. You two are amazing together and I don't think you could of done it without Mr. Steady

[@2stepinfool]

Well, you've convinced me to never do my mast that way. Thank you for that great piece of info. If you make it down to San Diego before leaving, drinks are on me!

[@douglasthorpe234]

Congratulations! What an AWESOME post. I recognize the worry having done this myself and the honesty to share the concern for safety. However, viewers should note that this couple are extraordinary sailors with considerable experience that was used to assure success. The "average" weekend sailor in any marina would FAIL this miserably and potentially hurt some one let alone irreparably damage their rig. Massive KUDOS and "well done" to you two for showing exceptional skill and technical know-how. It is ALWAYS a pleasure to see your wonderful channel and the inspiration that you show how sailing couples can THRIVE and do AMAZING things on the water. Thank you for sharing this!

[@andybrands1883]

i had a massive stauner in that marina 3 years back !!! Great memories!!

[@AXISMEDIATV]

Rock n Roll! I could never imagine doing this with my Mast- but super cool to see how you guys did it-

[@SailorJames]

Yeah I hope to never do this again with our mast!

[@2sail7thst]

Excellent production quality and working together

[@jerrylynch5611]

Good effort folks.. It looked like it went relatively smoothly really...

[@TheBoabby50]

Scary Scary the way the A frame seemed to flex. Really glad you managed it succesfully, but was on the edge of my seat throughout the whole process

[@SailorJames]

You should have seen how the A-frame flexed on the test lift with the new mast.... like a banana! the A-frame was plenty strong after we reenforced it I was just worried about the top block!

[@TheBoabby50]

@@SailorJames Really glad you survived with only a few extra grey hairs. Suspect I got a few extra just watching from a safe distance :-)

[@ByMyRecords]

Thata boy!!! And girl! GET IT DONE!!!!

[@izzybella100]

You guys are boating rock stars!!👏👍💪😎

[@murrat]

Wow. Never seen that done before.

[@petec9686]

Great job. If I could make one recommendation, it would be for the cross brace. I would space is out a few inches so you could leave it in place the entire time.

[@c.a.mcneil7599]

Great job. The camera placement was brilliant. The coin is in safe keeping. Think when the time comes hopefully will be able to use a crane.

[@ricopo3522]

Done a little work w/ a-frames, gin poles... just enough to see/feel myself in your shoes... how sketched out I'd feel. That said- what really stands out is what a good team you make- how well you 2 work together. I dunno- maybe you edited out the sniping 😜 but looked awesome.... slow, steady, make a move, evaluate, calm communication. Freaking nailed it. Ya'll got some stones.

[@SailorJames]

Thanks ! Yeah we work together well as a team and no editing tricks on that front. We worked professionally together before we were a couple rigging and lift heavy and very expensive sculptures in the artworld so anytime we do something like this we basically just go into work mode and stay calm and communicate

[@ricopo3522]

@@SailorJames Right on- it shows. Ultimate litmus test- couple that can step a mast in the slip without a bad word- 100% isn't "that" couple having it out dropping the hook. Cheers brother.

[@Seacracker1]

Amazing job

[@tednottodd]

Even though I knew the outcome, the end was really scary when Camille took that cross brace off.

[@SailorJames]

Yeah I got some new grey hairs on this day for sure!

[@sailingdreams7699]

Again you guys are doing a great job that seemed so scary I was freaking out anyway good luck hope to see you one day

[@SailorJames]

super scary!

[@jonathanbresler6721]

Well done! It is a bit scary. Pucker moments from start to finish. Very glad that you waited for a calm, quiet day for this. You mentioned a new mast. Is it an Alberg 30 mast or did it come from another type of boat? Wow, looks like a dual spreader rig.

[@AUDE-F1]

You are good James 👍 what a viking 🇩🇰

[@ericbarnett6771]

Looks like one of those smaller marinas up the channel in Wilmington. Kept my S&S Yankee Dolphin there for years. Great, out of the way marinas, but that motoring to open water can be a pain.

[@bryanbadger6841]

Well done mate. Won't be long and you 2 will be out and about sailing. Btw, I've restocked my beer fridge. Just in case you eventually find your way down here to Nz. Take care. Atb.

[@SailorJames]

we will be right over hahaha

[@JP-pu5xg]

After watching your Unstepping video, I tried Unstepping my A30 hull 644 using your A frame method. My A frame started to “bow” considerably, and I decided to abort. Local boat yard in Sacramento Delta lowered and raised it, cost $300. I share your anxieties during this process. Great camera placement from above btw.

[@SailorJames]

Yeah it’s trial and error with how stout the Aframe needs to be based on the mast, I am glad you played it safe and knew when to call it

[@stanfromcleveland7313]

Excellent

[@josephreynolds7505]

Good job

[@Cameron-ur2tk]

Sell those 2 by 4s and pocket like 60,000 dollars, nice job.

[@JeanBenoitFOURNIER]

Nice! Next: you try this on 59 North's Falken with Andy? :) I'm feeling slightly more confident now to attempt this with my CS 27. Each year I lose a week of sailing waiting for a bloody crane to help me step the mast. If I only lose a day (and hopefully no fingers), that'll be a big win. Fair winds to you.

[@SailorJames]

Very easy on a 27ft boat

[@JeanBenoitFOURNIER]

@@SailorJames famous last words! Hahaha. I'll keep you posted ;)

[@Superfandangoo]

Been toying with dropping my mast just to tidy up, replace vhf, cables, led mast and flood lights, radar reflector etc but think I may just manufacture and fit aluminium steps, this looks to stressful. But good job

[@redsailor101]

I got scared when the frame started to move 😱

[@atschris]

Indeed that looked sketchy as frack! With all the extra weight up top, how do you think it might affect the handling?

[@billleskeep2033]

Yup that was hair-raising for sure. Now that we're through that I agree with you--never again! But am further perplexed at the rationale for a taller rig; was that calculation done based on the Alberg 30's insufficiency of sail or another efficiency of some sort? Am also a bit surprised the marina does not have a gin-pole for such exercises as mast-stepping, which is a routine maintenance assistance? Thanks for the editing, you guys are getting better and better!

[@SailorJames]

This mast is 2 ft smaller than the original. I was fine with losing the two feet because A30s are so tender that I didn't mind moving the aspect ratio lower.

[@Neilhuny]

For the dim amongst us - probably just me - what does the base of the mast sit in? I thought they always went through most of any boat to the bilge or keel - or very low down at least - to keep it stable? There are immense pressures going through it so it needs tieing in to the structure of the boat. I was expecting to see & hear a *thump* as the mast sat in to a socket/bucket like hole at the very least. There didn't seem to be any of that. How is it secured, what stops it floating about at its base??? See, I told you I was dim!

[@Neilhuny]

I've just watched the video of you taking the previous mast off - how did I miss that? I shall check the notification bell in a moment. The mast sits in a 'shoe' that is bolted to the deck.... I'm very surprised that copes with the pressures, but it obviously does. I hope you put a coin under the new mast!

[@nickbernstein]

Was not going with dynema rigging just a question of cost for you guys? You seem like an ideal candidate given the boats weight distribution, and it might have made re-stepping a little easier with the weight savings.

[@SailorJames]

I don’t trust the creep with dyneema for places I will be taking my boat , I just didn’t want to deal with constantly tuning it. If I was just going to be doing coastal cruising I would have totally gone with Dyneema

[@redwood1957]

Would like to see that A frame go up. Thank you

[@SailorJames]

We don't have any footage of it going up but basically we lasted the feet to stanchion posts and ran a line through the lifting block then all the way aft / center then to the self tailing winch and cranked it up.

[@redwood1957]

@@SailorJames Next time find a marina with boat racks. Have their fork lift raise your mast. I had a friend do it that way. A sub sandwich and a case of beer.

[@johncampbell388]

I agree; that was scary.

[@SailorJames]

so scary!

[@martynobs6970]

How did you calculate the height of the A frame and where to lash on the mast ?

[@bilbob7624]

to quite Darth Vader... Impressive...Most impressive!

[@victorsmith7766]

Enjoy all the kudos comments. I'm not going to be so nice. Well I'm very glad that you got your mast stepped and nobody got hurt. I think even attempting that in that Marina with all those other boats around was very foolhardy and inconsiderate the potential damage you could have caused to other people's property not to mention risk of personal injury was so not worth it. If it had been my boat in the vicinity of your project I would have done everything I could to stop you in your tracks. It is a good thing that you said you will never attempt that again. You should have never attempted it in the first place. I can't believe the marina where you are birthed allowed you to do this project.

[@SailorJames]

Give me a break, people have literally been raising masts this way for centuries, there was never any risk to any boat other than our own and that risk was very low because we are both professional riggers,

[@victorsmith7766]

@@SailorJames The boats adjacent to your own were clearly at risk. I saw the footage. Yes people have been stepping masts this way for a long time. If you were doing it in a remote area without risk of damage to other boats and possibly bystanders that would be a different issue. Neither of you "professional riggers" were wearing hard hats or other safety gear. I seriously doubt if you had liability insurance coverage for this project. Your A frame, cobbled together with 2x4 lumber would never be approved by any regulatory agency like OSHA. I am a professional rigger and have stepped hundreds of masts using proper equipment and safety procedures. No Marina or Boatyard I have ever been involved with would have allowed an operation like yours trip to proceed. I get that you are going for the old school sailor vibe with your tattoos and earrings Etc. I have seen your videos and have been entertained. I don't have a problem with your MacGyver approach to rigging Etc as long as the lives and property of others are not at risk.

[@pascalbonischot421]

Great video! What is the lenght of your mast and what is the lenght of the A frame sides? A30 #330 1968

[@SailorJames]

if you check out this video : kzbin.info/www/bejne/mJOyhYKFr62Cq5Y I go over all of the measurements and process

[@daveg4963]

Are mast interchangeable?

[@bryrensexton4618]

👍!!!

[@phillipobrien7365]

I was shitting meself watching from the comfort of home ! That would have been some scary times.

[@SailorJames]

Yeah I was terrified the entire time !

[@Jackson15157]

Will the increased weight of the new mast effect the sailing characteristics of the boat?

[@SailorJames]

its negligible, If we were racing we would be counting pounds but the weight of the additional gear is typical for any blue water boat / cruising boat. Also with Triteia being a full keel boat she can handle weight aloft better than say a flat bottom fin keel boat.

[@Beba-qv3db]

Hope nobody will follow this procedure. Very dangerous.

[@SailorJames]

So is driving a car on the freeway