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I have a question about the 26 M Mast. Unless I am missing something the only thing holding the mast up is the Jib clevis pin at the bow. So if the forestay or clevis pin breaks the mast would come crashing down. Shouldn't there be something else besides the forestay holding the Mast upright? It would be great to get together or talk with any other 26M owners in the San Diego area.

Thanks in advance for any insight or wisdom.
Jim F.

That's how it is on the 26X too (actually, most sailboats, if I'm not mistaken). Makes me a little nervous, primarily with regards to the possibility of the turnbuckle coming unwound from the furler's rotation... mine is wrapped with seizing wire.

Out of curiosity, anyone ever heard of an X or M mast coming down as a result of the forestay or clevis pin breaking (I mean, during normal operation, not as a result of a hurricane, collision, etc.)?

--Mike

I too am a bit uncomfortable with only the roller furler holding up the mast. I made the mistake of removing the roler furler to turn it around (180 deg) and before I knew it, the mast came crashing down. I have looked into it and it does seem like there are a lot of sailboats that can have the mast come crashing down if one of the stays comes loose.

You could add a second forstay if it will make you sleep (sail) more comfortably.

Rich

Some guy a while back posted an incident where teh mast did indeed come slamming down almost getting him and his family.

I always had the jib halyard clipped to the front rail as a backup (didn't need the jib halyard with the roller furling).

I plan on putting an extra forestay attached to the same place when I rerig the X into an M.

TampaMac wrote:I always had the jib halyard clipped to the front rail as a backup (didn't need the jib halyard with the roller furling).

Does the halyard get in the way of anything (in other words, does it interfere with the operation of the RF)? Sounds like a good backup.

--Mike

No, it worked OK and didn't interfere at all.

I am not aware of any existing, commercial, trailerable sloop (not cutter) design, having a stay/shroud supported (not freestanding) mast, that fixes the mast against falling rearwardly, except by means of a single forestay.
Is anyone aware of such a Mac sloop dropping its mast because of failure of the stock forestay, forestay turnbuckle (if properly safety wired or cotter pinned/wrapped or ringdinged), pin and ringding, or foredeck chainplate, if all are in proper condition and installed properly? If so, please give details, so we can avoid the problem.
Ron

Most light-weight, fractional masts stand because of the triangulation of aft-spreader shrouds and the forestay, which is the third leg of the triangle. Masthead sloops frequently use the backstay in a four-way structure, but in either case the failure of the forestay would cause the mast to fall aft. Many boats built for heavier conditions have fore-aft lower-shouds, 2 each side that would hold the mast, and/or they have a stay shroud or babystay mid-way within the forestay triangle. It's OK for long distance cruising with infrequent tacks, but a day sailor would be unhappy tacking past a babystay, even unhappier raising the mast with quad lower-shrouds.

I recall several posters have lost the mast due to mistakes when raising or pinning the forestay. One mast fell because the plastic jib halyard cleat pulled loose from the side of the mast during raising. I don't recall any report of losing the mast while under sail. Loss of the keeper is the biggest risk - pretty much human error. Given secure pinning, either sheer or tension failure of a pin is pretty unlikely. There are many examples where a single pin or bolt is critical - a single hub-nut holds every hub or drum, one clevis+keeper holds the trailer receiver, one hitchball-bolt links the car and trailer (any other examples?).

The roller furler's need to rotate makes it more risky than the hanked sail, since absent a roller furler, the headsail plus the jib halyard provides backup if the forestay pin failed. With RF, as long as the jib halyard mast-block is above the upper forestay pin, it can clip to the forestay, still be clear of the RF, and provide backup to the forestay. (I've never bothered, but maybe I should)!

I have a 26X but I use a standard 7/16" bolt instead of the clevis pin. Not as easy to raise/lower the mast but I don't do that much.

Hugo
2000 Mac26X 'Baja Rija' on Canyon Lake, TX

I always keep my jib halyard clipped on the bow pulpit as well as a backup. This also gets it away from the mast so it doesn't slap at night. I have been moving it during sailing, but it sounds like you can sail with it in place forward. I'll have to try that.

Duane,

Why keep the jib halyard at all if you use a roller furler and have UV protection? Am I missing something obvious? Is it part of your mast raising system?

Always trying to learn -

Jim

Yes, the jib halyard is the one you use with the mast raising system. The main halyard is mounted too high to use with the mast raising system. It also is useful for many other things. We hoist the dingy onto the fore deck with it, hang the sun shower with it, etc. It also is the halyard you use to fly a spinnaker as well.

Thanks -

The M mast system doesn't work that way.

While your mast raising system is different, you should still have a jib halyard that you can use for all the same stuff and for the Spinnaker.

I don't recall any report of losing the mast while under sail

Our flotilla Commodore lost the forestay on his Mac 25 on the return trip from Marquesas Key to Key West, while under power alone in stiff headwinds and 3-4' seas, on the last day of our cruise to the Dry Tortugas this summer. The mast came down.

Fortunately, there was no damage to the boat or people, and with the help of some of the other Cruisers who swam over to lend a hand, the mast was reraised and temporarily secured in place.

After the repair he made it the rest of the way to Key West without further incident.

In the excitement, the evidence of what caused the failure was lost, but it was believed to be that the forestay turnbuckle simply unwound. The Mac 25 rig is similar if not nearly identical to other Macs and every other fractional rig, for that matter, except the rotating mast M.