Leaving the mast up while stored

[Russ]

Raising and rigging the mast seems to be a pain and time consuming. I'm trying to decide between a slip rental or dry storage and launching the boat when we use it.

So, I was wondering if there is a reason why you can't leave the mast attached and rigged and store the Mac and trailer in the marina lot.

My first thought was it's not that heavy of a boat and all that stuff adds a lot of windage in the event of a storm. Our old Hunter 34 never had the mast removed while we stored it in the winter. It, however, had a lot of steel in the keel to keep it balanced on land.

Any thoughts?

Unwise to keep the mast attached while on the trailer?

[Compromise]

Raising and rigging the mast seems to be a pain and time consuming. I'm trying to decide between a slip rental or dry storage and launching the boat when we use it.

Any thoughts?

Unwise to keep the mast attached while on the trailer?

Not unwise at all
In fact a lot on this board store their boats in mast up facilities. Myself included until my trailer fell apart, literally.
At that point I was faced with the decision to either shell out about three grand for a new trailer or pay about $1100 for a bottom job. It's been in a slip for two seasons now and we love the convenience of the slip, but if I had the choice I would probably store in a mast up facility.
Good luck

[delevi]

I too store mine on the trailer, mast up, fully rigged, ready to go. My marina is extremely windy most of the time. Not a problem. The only thing to consider is if your marina has any low-clearance objects between where your boat & trailer will be and the launch ramp. In most marinas I've been to, this wasn't an issue.

Leon

[Russ]

Our marina has no wires to worry about getting to the ramp from the lot.

I'm still favoring the slip because we can get on and going much faster. I wanted to know if dry storage was viable.

[Captain Steve]

Russ, I store mine mast up on the trailer. the landing has a sling so I call hen I am about 30 minutes away and its waiting in the water for me. All the advantages of a slip without the bottom paint, and saltwater maintenance issues. Wash rack to use after a haul out and so far no problems security wise.

If I tow somewhere they tow it outside the compound for me and if I return after hours I leave it for them to put away.

unlimited "slinging" and storage for $120 a month

[Harrison]

We store ours mast up. I do remove the boom, and store it and the mainsail down below. So far she’s withstood 80mpg + gusts, but, I do have her staked down from the chain-plates just in case.

---Harrison

[jetta01]

All of us here in Marina Del Rey's mast up storage, including Mike Inmon with Inmon Yachts, store our boats mast up. The Santa Ana winds have ripped through there up to 100 mph and no problems.

If it wasn't for the mast up storage, my wife and I would have sold our boat or been divorced long ago. Raising and lowering the mast each weeknd is a huge pain and the source of many good arguements...

[johnnyonspot]

Our marina has no wires to worry about getting to the ramp from the lot.

I'm still favoring the slip because we can get on and going much faster. I wanted to know if dry storage was viable.

I can think of no reason why one could not drystore a Mac M or X with the mast up. After all, it is basically being stored with mast up while sitting in a slip, though the weight of the boat is being supported all around by the water rather than trailer bunks. I can also not imagine any marina having overhead wires or other obstructions between the storage area and the ramp. Every single yacht they launch and haul with their travel lift or crane has its mast up, and most are much higher than the M or X masts. How utterly stupid would it be to have overhead wires between the storage area and the launch site?

I don't believe there is really and comparison between a slip and any other method of storage, whether it be trailering to and fro or dry storing fully rigged at the marina. Launching and retrieving is still a real PITA, especially if you are doing it alone. Though Russ seems to effectively have a "slip" for all intents and purposes. Not a bad arrangement he has there so long as there is always someone there to sling it in and out, and they do a good job placing it on the trailer each time.

[Hardcrab]

I'd just like to chime in with a positive comment about launching and retrieving. Perhaps it's the location used by some that ends in a PITA experience.
I have zero trouble at all with L+R my boat singlehanded. Maybe it's the very nice ramps at MDR, or the usually favorable wind direction, but it's a piece of cake in my personal experience. It seems to L+R much easier than most boats we observe next to us.
With the Admiral helping, the boat almost L's+R's itself. We look at each other and grin, it's so simple. Other than the Mac Bump, nothing else in the whole process comes close to a PITA.

YMMV

I do not want my boat in the water living 150 miles away, visiting every other week. I envy you guys who live close by.
For us, Mast-up storage 200 yards from the ramps is more than ideal. No problems with wind, etc.

[Russ]

It would seem rigging is the biggest PITA about launching. The only complaint I have is our marina has one ramp and if we get someone on there that doesn't know what they are doing, we could end up waiting a while for access. I've seen pros who get in/out really fast and others who block the ramp for a long time.

My only concern was blowing off the trailer from lack of ballast. So with that no longer a concern, the decision is to pay for slip rental and convenience or use cheaper dry storage. Fresh water, so bottom grime isn't as much of a concern. We've kept our runabout on dry storage because we didn't stay onboard. I'm thinking it would be better to have a dedicated slip to come back to if weather turned nasty. Hopefully there is one available this season.

It's a small marina without luxuries of "slinging" services. That would be great to call ahead and have it waiting to go. I've seen those operate and they are so nice.

[James V]

Because of the possibility of ice buildup during the winter, I would advise to put the mast down for the winter season. You would want to check everything in the spring anyway so you would need to lower it.

During the summer, No problem. Just make sure that nothing can bang around in the wind. Make sure that the trailer has the nose a little high.