Date: 9/19/2007
Name: Al Paul
email: al.paul@sbcglobal.net
subject:Mast Raising: Gin Pole
Use of the gin pole (also spelled "jin") is a common method for raising & lowering the mast, especially single handed. Googling on "gin pole + sailboats" yields a lot of info. What is common to most is that the pole is set at an approximate right angle to the mast with its bottom end free to pivot. One line runs from the top of the pole to some point along the mast. The main or jib halyard is often used for this. A second line runs from the top of the pole to some point where it can be pulled by a winch, capstan or block and tackle. The pole must be restrained from shifting sideways by lines which attach to points on port and starboard that are on a line that goes through the pole's pivot point. When raising the mast, the pole starts off vertical and, of course, the mast horizontal. Winching the pole to the horizntal brings the mast vertical. Voila!Many make the pole out of a scrapped spar or a piece of aluminum tubing. Mine is just a T beam made from two 2 X 4's. Don't use thin wall tubing, as it could buckle. The bottom has a fork that fits over the base of the mast. The top has an eye to which the jib halyard and pull line attach. The pull line passes through a block shackled to the forestay fitting and leads aft to one of the genoa winches. The restrainers tie to the hand rails at points on a line through the mast pivot pin. They attach to the pole about 3 feet up.
No more strained back and no more danger of dropping the mast. Al Paul
[Return to Harbor Messages | Create New/Followup Message]