Mast support

Old tire with a notch in it, big diameter pvc pipe with a notch in it, bucket with a notch in it, garden plant plastic root surround thing with a notch in it, old couch cushion with a notch in it... lol

I took one of these and made a base out of a thick plastic cutting board, cut to fit the shape of the rear beam. Will look for a picture.

check out what i did on my h-16....works great should be able to adapt to your prindle

http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=88398

Great ideas guys! Thanks

I use a piece of equipment called a "Mast Caddie" and it works pretty well and keeps the mast up and off of the rear crossbar. It came with the boat so, I don't know if this product is still made. Other than that, I've also used a life vest placed between the crossbar and the mast and bungee accordingly.

i used a "milk crate" on my h16 rear beam

I bungeed it to the tramp and had a throw able cushion/pfd on top of it to aviod scratching or rubbing around (actually required gear on every boat in the usa) . then bungeed the mast down using the tramp laces as an anchor point

the crates would last a few seasons (fl sun kills everything), and when not in use, i stored my bungees and tie down straps in it on the beach

I would change one thing:
IMHO
I suggest every sailor Learn how to Tie KNOTS! bungees have no place in securing a boat or mast

(I have lost a mast off a trailer that was secured with a bungee - It hit a parked car window /
could have/would have killed a person if things happened just SLIGHTLY differently)

HOWEVER - every other cat i have owned: I turn the boat around (for easier stepping) and trailer sterns toward the car. so this moves the mast cradle to front beam - For this i made a cheap cradle with a pvc T and bow stopper

YMMV

Edited by MN3 on Jan 03, 2018 - 11:04 AM.

Thanks guys... If u have a minute, could you send me pics of your mast supports?

spags wrote: Thanks guys... If u have a minute, could you send me pics of your mast supports?

https://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=123878

This is the daddy mac mast cradle (and i am sure the worlds best shin remover when walking around your empty trailer on the beach when distracted)

MN3 wrote: This is the daddy mac mast cradle (and i am sure the worlds best shin remover when walking around your empty trailer on the beach when distracted)

You can just see a little bit of skin on the upright below the cradle. 😆

Thanks for the pics!

klozhald wrote: [quote=MN3]This is the daddy mac mast cradle (and i am sure the worlds best shin remover when walking around your empty trailer on the beach when distracted)

You can just see a little bit of skin on the upright below the cradle. 😆

haha!

my shins have perma-dents from that #W()*&QAW @~! stupid hitch/ball

I must secretly hate my shins as i never remove the ball from my car despite not needing it 90% of the time

Edited by MN3 on Jan 03, 2018 - 02:02 PM.

6" PVC notched over the traveler track. keeps the traveler tucked inside as well.
small piece of outdoor carpet in the groove protects the mast from getting scratched.
j

Edited by arch on Jan 03, 2018 - 03:53 PM.

Another great idea... Thanks!

https://www.murrays.com/product/07-3175/

https://www.murrays.com/product/13-3002/

Murryays used to sell this - i don't see it anymore

Take a length of 2X4, place it against the outside edge of the rear cross-beam, trace the outline of the cross-beam on the 2X4, including the car traveler track. Using a jig saw, cut out tracing, repeat on another length of 2X4, u now have 2 lengths of 2X4 that drop snugly onto the rear beam. Bridge the 2 lengths together with 8 - 12" piece of 2X4, u now have a box frame that sits on crossbeam, take 2 equal lengths of 2X4 and attach vertically to bridge piece to cradle mast.

This is the Mast Caddie I was talking about.

Murryays used to sell this - i don't see it anymore

martyr wrote: This is the Mast Caddie I was talking about.

Murryays used to sell this - i don't see it anymore

Those clamps were great for the front permanent mast support, quick to attach/detach. Not as good for the rear support in my opinion. They had to clamp onto the rear beam really tightly and since they were so expensive it hurt to lose them. I've always used disposable items for the rear support like old life-jackets and folded up towels. One rope and one bungee, don't use bungee alone.

i have to disagree oh fearless leader (Damon). That Mast Caddie worked great on the rear beam. Here are 2 photos of how I adapted it with a neoprene roller.

when I needed to move the mast forward or backward while raising or lowering the mast, I would spread the upper arms out to the sides and tilt the Caddie forward, putting the roller on top and in contact with the mast track. then i could easily roll the mast forward or backward without having to lift it at all. i could move it from the front or back.

to each their own, but for me, it worked great. i had several go thru my hands over the last 15 yrs. pretty sure they're not made anymore and are hard to find in good condition.
j

https://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=129632
https://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=129628
Hi, is it too late to addthese pictures? 🙂

arch wrote: i have to disagree oh fearless leader (Damon). That Mast Caddie worked great on the rear beam. Here are 2 photos of how I adapted it with a neoprene roller

when I needed to move the mast forward or backward while raising or lowering the mast, I would spread the upper arms out to the sides and tilt the Caddie forward, putting the roller on top and in contact with the mast track. then i could easily roll the mast forward or backward without having to lift it at all. i could move it from the front or back.

to each their own, but for me, it worked great. i had several go thru my hands over the last 15 yrs. pretty sure they're not made anymore and are hard to find in good condition.
j

I completely agree, the mast caddy is awesome. My boat is now on trailer backwards and no longer use it but it’s tucked away in my workshop... the money I would get for it would never be worth selling it.

Btw there is one on eBay right now for $50

Edited by car_guy on Mar 03, 2018 - 07:46 PM.

With the mast caddie, did the bottom bolt get bent on the ones that y'all had or is the bolt supposed to be bent? I'm talking about the adjuster bolt, mine somehow got bent. I do like the caddie, but I find that the tiller bar and the caddie fight for space which makes using it a bit awkward.

Get a new bolt then use old rudder cams as spacers between the two halves when tightening down on the xbar this will keep it from bending. When new the cadie came with spacers that got easily
lost. Used the mast cadie on my 18 for 15 years no issues

Thanks, I will try that.

I was able to straighten out my bent bolt today through the persuasion of a hammer and a block of wood. I was also going through my toolbox and found two round rubber pieces that were part of a coupler system for a Kenmore direct drive washing machine that I can use as spacers. I wondered why I kept those things all these years, now I know lol.