Sailing Catalpa · video

What this video covers

The crew of the ketch Catalpa removes both the main and mizzen masts while hauled out at a boatyard in Mexico. To ensure precise measurements for new standing rigging, the rigger, Memo, marks all stays before removal to obtain accurate pin-to-pin dimensions for the manufacturer, Hemel, in Australia. The team hires a large mobile crane to lift the masts, which are stepped through the deck rather than deck-stepped, requiring significant vertical clearance to clear the hull. The removal process involves loosening lower shrouds, vertical diagonals, backstays, and forestays while using control lines at the top and bottom of the masts to maintain stability during the lift. During the mizzen mast removal, a control line snaps, requiring the rigger to climb the mast to re-secure it. Once lowered, the masts are placed on sawhorses for inspection and disassembly. The crew notes that the main mast weighs approximately two tons. The project concludes with the crew measuring the old rigging to finalize specifications for the replacement set.

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