Mac Trawler....

[Tomfoolery]

Or just a stub. Long enough to put a masthead (steaming) light on, and a meter or more higher than the side lights at the bow. But an anchor light should be higher than the bimini or whatever else may be up there, so one that can reach the crutch at the helm may be more practical.

I was going to put a stub on mine, for the steaming light mainly, but the PO installed a socket at the stern for a pole all-round white light which he labeled 'anchor light' on the switch, and used a Perko light-on-a-stick. It's not tall enough to get over the bimini, so I just ordered a 54" version with adjustable angle to make the plane of the beam level, and I'll use that instead of adding a stub mast. I just have to remove the bulb from the stern light, at least until I put in a switch for it, if I can find the wiring.

It will also be legal as an anchor light, since it's visible all around, and has 2 mile visibility per the specs.

I use the old light as a flag staff, since it's too short to be visible all around, but is just the right length for the yacht ensign.

[JohnCFI]

I was kind of thinking of a stub, I was wondering about a length that would look OK.

My Navs (P&S) are actually on the side of the cabin (in line with the winches) halfway up from the join line and cabin top. I believe the bow ones got ripped off by an anchor rode before I got her.

I do have a spare mast (steaming) light so all I need to do is put it to shine forward, and still use the stern light.

Some photos of a with a stub mast would be good... if anyone has any.......

[Jim Bunnell]

Duane Dunn posted this mod for a power running mast years ago.
http://macgregorsailors.com/modt/index.php?view=830
Take a look - I think I remember a thread associated with the idea also.

[JohnCFI]

Thanks Jim, I found a low quality pic of this on the web, which I think was the seed for this idea. I may well go with this (Duane's) idea and discard doing it with an old mast section. It does keep the 'look'. I like it...

[Gypsy Life]

We have been traveling and living aboard our for three months now . We left Montgomery Ala April first and are sitting in Crystal River as I write .
We are seriously considering removing our mast . We just aren't using the sails , like I thought we would . To put the main up involves going on deck in a rough Gulf . Joanne and I are not as agile as we once were and I worry about us going over the side, while working on the main sail . We use the jib sail quite often simply because its on a furler and we can control it from the cockpit , so we motor sail often .
Often the winds aren't favorable and I can't see tacking when I got a perfectly good Honda , back there .

Got a question ,, with no mast , would it be necessary to fill the ballast ? Would the boat be stable with no mast and no ballast ?

We retired and cruising on a small budget and want the maximum efficiency . If we aren't using the mast then there is no sense in having it aboard . The motor would get better gas mileage without it and the ballast .

I think really we are trawler people at heart more so than sailors .
If I did remove it , I would probably build a decorative mast for an anchor light and flag pole .

Need advice , please .

[mc2]

Gypsy Life,

I use my quite often in CR and usually leave the mast at home when we go over for the day to go to the springs with the kids..... I don't notice any difference in stabilty with the boat.

We are talking about going over next week for the 4th, let me know if you'll still be over there and for how long, if you need any help with the area - let me know!

Mike

[Tomfoolery]

You don't need ballast even with the mast up. I pull my son on a wakeboard, no ballast of course, with the mast up. It's more stable with ballast in, and the angle of vanishing stability is well beyond 90 degrees (laying on its side), and probably more so without the mast, but it's stable like a power boat without the ballast.

I keep the ballast in even without the mast (it's hanging off the ceiling in my garage) when using it in 'trawler mode', because it's less tippy, and I keep the rudders on so I can use them for slow speed maneuvers. I don't know how much better the fuel mileage would be without ballast, as it doesn't sit that much lower in the water with vs. without, and well below hull speed, it takes very little energy to push that boat.

Not having the mast to deal with does two things: It makes it much faster to launch and retrieve (good), and it makes it much more difficult to work on the deck, as there's nothing to hold on to other than the dodger (bad). It may be possible to rig a static line down the centerline of the boat, from where the mast roller would be, to the mast pin on the bow pulpit, and through any short mast you may add, to give something to hang on to. It would also be useful as a place to support a pair of bicycles, upright, like they do with the canal barges for rent here on the Erie Canal.



You also need to rig a masthead (steaming) light regardless. I have a long light-on-a-stick 2-mile all-round white light that does double-duty as masthead and stern light together for motoring with no mast (or mast down), and it serves as an anchor light regardless of mast status.

[Gypsy Life]

Thanks for the replies . Even if I keep the ballast in , the boat out to be more efficient without the mast and rigging .
I have thought about trading my jib sail for a 150% genoa and removing the boom and main .

The idea of a center grabline is a good one .
We have a hardtop over the helm , that holds our solar cells , I could run the line from it , over the stubby mast and down to the bow rail .

We are anchored just south of and near to Pete's Pier . come on by when you are out and about . We will probably be here on July 4th .

[vizwhiz]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but just for clarification in my head...
In the trawler configuration the boat is technically not a sailboat, and thus the steaming/anchoring lights (and other rules) are what apply for powerboats, not sailboats, right?

[Mac26Mpaul]

Yep, if there's no rag up there, its a powerboat.

[fouz]

Thanks for the replies . Even if I keep the ballast in , the boat out to be more efficient without the mast and rigging .
I have thought about trading my jib sail for a 150% genoa and removing the boom and main .

The idea of a center grabline is a good one .
We have a hardtop over the helm , that holds our solar cells , I could run the line from it , over the stubby mast and down to the bow rail .

We are anchored just south of and near to Pete's Pier . come on by when you are out and about . We will probably be here on July 4th .

Would it be possible to post some pics of your boats hardtop?

I have thought about this myself. Adding like a center console boat T-top that would look more like a Bimini.

[JohnCFI]

Thanks for the replies . Even if I keep the ballast in , the boat out to be more efficient without the mast and rigging .
I have thought about trading my jib sail for a 150% genoa and removing the boom and main .

The idea of a center grabline is a good one .
We have a hardtop over the helm , that holds our solar cells , I could run the line from it , over the stubby mast and down to the bow rail .

We are anchored just south of and near to Pete's Pier . come on by when you are out and about . We will probably be here on July 4th .

Would it be possible to post some pics of your boats hardtop?

I have thought about this myself. Adding like a center console boat T-top that would look more like a Bimini.

Would like to see too, please..

[Gazmn]

Finally got my boat in 2day. Yay - Trawler style

Howsonever, my "Main" [get it?] regret about Trawler mode is the inability to hang on of these...
A hammock off the Mast

Mind you, another beni for trawler mode is hangin an 8 ft long Bimini - as pictured above

[Gazmn]

I also agree with Tk:

I keep the ballast in even without the mast... when using it in 'trawler mode', because it's less tippy, and I keep the rudders on so I can use them for slow speed maneuvers.

And,Gypsy, if you keep the mast up, lose the main, you can run ur Genny when you feel like it, have an 8' Bimini, if wanted - And float a Hammock

[Crikey]

Hey Gaz! Looks like you have one of those Connestoga model bimini's!
No boom swingin across that baby. (sorry! - your turn next.)
What am I saying, mine's still in the driveway...
Ross