Should raising your mast be this hard?



Credit: Tourism Frederickton, CA

Okay, you're right. The guy on the left isn't hoisting a mast, he's hoisting a caber (a Scottish kind of thing), but am I really that far off? Doesn't raising your mast at local ramp seem to be every bit as difficult, and rather tenuous? Imagine how it is for the new sailor with the spouse and/or kids watching? How many of us have had that "Oh, ?#%$" moment when the wind catches the mast or a line/shroud gets tangled half way up?

My point is that this simple process could be holding folks back from enjoying the sport, especially the new sailor, senior sailor, those less muscularly gifted, or those with difficult masts. Now, imagine pulling into your favorite ramp and finding a dedicated parking space with a mast-raising tower/station at the ready! And why not? At area ramps there are fish-cleaning stations, handicap kayak hoists, and other specialized amenities, but not for the sailing public. SailMichigan is on a mission to find one pubic ramp willing to serve as a model for such a system. We've made an outreach to the Huron/ Clinton Metroparks system due to their desirability with area sailors.





Credit: Runners-world.pl

While we are waiting to hear back from them, I want to be proactive in getting feedback from you folks. First and foremost, do you have a story to share regarding a hair-raising, mast-raising experience, where such a system would have helped? Have you gone home in frustration (or seen someone leave in frustration) due to a problem with raising a mast? Or, have you encountered a mast-raising tower/station at a public (DNR or municipal) boat ramp? If so, where, and how useful was it? How was it designed?

And speaking of the latter, do you have a suggestion for a design for a mast raising tower which would accommodate a variety of designs (i.e. hinged steps, inset steps, masts with or without stays, and masts up to 30'). This type of system would be applicable to trailerable- boats under 26' (which is the vast majority of registered sailboats).

And finally, is this a cause worth pursuing???