41 replies to this topic

[-Julian-]

Hey all,

I hate being the one borrowing a gin pole. So i want to make one for my J/24.

I potentially have access to quite a few Old Dinghy masts such as Echoes (probably too short), Albacores, L2 and potentially 420.

My question for the J forum is this: How small (diameter-wise) have you seen/made/used/trusted a Gin pole, and do you think that a dinghy mast is pushing the limit. If i don't get a unanimous answer, i'm going to have to do some tests.

I'm cautious, otherwise i wouldn't bother posting here, but what i wonder is, how strong is a small dinghy mast, and hom much force does stepping a j24 mast generate.

I think that an abacore is the closest thing to the right thing to use, being something like 22 feet long (I think), but i wonder how much force it takes to cripple the column.


Thanks,
-J

[juswannagofast]

try this,

http://home.comcast....03.htm#Gin_Pole

[USA190520]

We have an old star wind mast... It's about the same dia. as a thistle mast...

[-Julian-]

We have an old star wind mast... It's about the same dia. as a thistle mast...

Thanks, and approximately what diameter is that?

My major problem is that I know i've BIG BiG poles, and some medium (star mast-size) poles, I just dont have a good reference in my mind for how that size compares to the dinghy masts that i can cannibalize. (which are not in the same place as any other references).

-J

[USA190520]

The stick we use has a footprint about the size of an iPhone.

[-Julian-]

The stick we use has a footprint about the size of an iPhone.

Awesome thank you.

[J24Soup]

Sadly I know that a bent J24 mast cut down makes a great ginpole to put up the new mast...

[BalticBandit]

In theory - if you have enough hands around to help - you don't need a very tall Gin Pole. you basically need one that extends as far above the spin-pole pad-eye, as the mast sticks below-decks to the bearing plate.

But a short gin pole means your "pick point" is below the "balance point" of the mast and that means the butt of the mast will want to kick up and the tip crash down.

the higher you set your pick point the easier it is to control the mast. The "balance point" is about 2' below the spreaders. So the ideal Gin Pole extends about 2'-3' above the spreaders. That sort of gin pole is one that you can use to singlehandedly step and unstep the mast. But of course that means you need a thicker gin pole to carry the load.


I've built one from the Al bottom section of an old 49er mast. and it was fine. I've seen old Star Masts used.

[DrewR]

A friend used an old InterClub mast, and I used it a few time on my old J/24. Sort of scary, it was definitely at the limit, sighting up it while the J/24 mast was swinging was not a comforting site, it was VERY out of column.

I made mine out of a old Thistle mast and it was perfect.

[usa 917]

Fleet 6 uses an old flying dutchman mast section and it has been used for many yrs.

[saintcnc]

I just built one for a J-80 with a 18'6" x 3" OD aluminum tube.

[Grind4Beer]

Without going through all calculation for Euler-buckling for off-center loads, since how much offset between your pulley at the top and the middle of the gin-pole is pretty much unknown ...

The mast weighs about 50-lb, double that for the hoist rope having up and down parts at the block, and double that again for tension on the guys keeping the pole vertical. So figure about 200-lb without safety factors, applied within say 2.5-in off center of a 15-ft hollow pole.

A piece of 1.25" OD steel pipe could be overkill, .75" OD might be iffy.
A chunk of 2.5" OD aluminum tube should be good enough, 2.0" if you were careful, 1.5" would be iffy.

Wrap at least the top several feet with something that won't scratch the mast, and don't tighten the guys more than needed or offset/crane the hoist-pulley if you're using a small section.

G4B

[-Julian-]

Without going through all calculation for Euler-buckling for off-center loads, since how much offset between your pulley at the top and the middle of the gin-pole is pretty much unknown ...

The mast weighs about 50-lb, double that for the hoist rope having up and down parts at the block, and double that again for tension on the guys keeping the pole vertical. So figure about 200-lb without safety factors, applied within say 2.5-in off center of a 15-ft hollow pole.

A piece of 1.25" OD steel pipe could be overkill, .75" OD might be iffy.
A chunk of 2.5" OD aluminum tube should be good enough, 2.0" if you were careful, 1.5" would be iffy.

Wrap at least the top several feet with something that won't scratch the mast, and don't tighten the guys more than needed or offset/crane the hoist-pulley if you're using a small section.

G4B

THAT is exactly the info I was looking for. Obviously, if I wanted to get scientific with this, i could have done some engineering myself, but i was looking for a general consensus, and this thread has given me just that.

-j

[USA190520]

Also when setting up the stays don't go to tve top of gf gin pole, make it a fractional so to speak.

We stuck some 3m resilient nonskid,,(rubbery non aggressive stuff) to the side the mast slides up and down on.. For us it's port side every time.. Matters not but we like repetition... Cause were dumb and we'd forget something, like the main halyard, or the headstay on the wrong side of the spreaders...

[bulbouskeel]

Hey all,

I hate being the one borrowing a gin pole. So i want to make one for my J/24.

I potentially have access to quite a few Old Dinghy masts such as Echoes (probably too short), Albacores, L2 and potentially 420.

My question for the J forum is this: How small (diameter-wise) have you seen/made/used/trusted a Gin pole, and do you think that a dinghy mast is pushing the limit. If i don't get a unanimous answer, i'm going to have to do some tests.

I'm cautious, otherwise i wouldn't bother posting here, but what i wonder is, how strong is a small dinghy mast, and hom much force does stepping a j24 mast generate.

I think that an abacore is the closest thing to the right thing to use, being something like 22 feet long (I think), but i wonder how much force it takes to cripple the column.


Thanks,
-J

We just use a flimsy old section of dinghy mast -- from a 470, specifically. I can't say we have ever had any drama in particular. The J24 mast only weighs about 85# so don't worry too too much about it (everyone seems to, though). For our pick point, for years, we have just used the spin cleat on the starboard side of the mast (to be clear, we don't use it as a cleat, just something to stop the lifting loop from sliding up the mast). Yes, that's obviously way below the balance point. No, it does not matter. Yes, the mast goes up very very quickly that way. And you don't need a very long gin pole at all. (People always seem to regard our technique with horror so feel free to ignore.)

Two things we always do are (i) make sure the 3 gin pole guys are bone tight before lifting, and (ii) minimize the time of the lift -- it should just take 15-30 seconds to pull the mast up to vertical (go extra quickly if it's windy, so the mast doesn't blow in wierd directions). You might want to use an old ratchet block on the hoisting line. Just guide the base of the mast into the hole in the deck with foot pressure. Have someone belowdecks to guide it onto the shoe, and you're all set. Go to any J24 regatta and watch many people overdramatize this. Actually it is hard to screw up. Just remember to screw the effing Windex on before you raise the mast -- I can't count how many times we have forgotten that ...

Summary: don't overthink it.

[Grind4Beer]

Years ago, on the J-24 Texas Circus (yep, that's on the t-shirts), we saw a crew drop the stick while motoring back to the dock. It looked like they had two guys lifting and one using the forward halyards to control the drop. There was an hour or more of queue for the hoist onto the trailer, so, bored and slightly beered, we tried the same trick at the dock.

It worked out okay strength-wise (we were big guys, sailing four-up and sweating the weight limit), and we got lots of advice from kibitzers (it helps to keep in mind that boatlength < mastheight before starting the drop) ahead, astern and abeam. Overall, it's not something I'd recommend in any sort of breeze unless your insurance is paid up.

From the perspective of a dozen or more years later, I don't recall for sure if we ever tried stepping the stick that way. Knowing us, I'd guess that we probably at least tried, once.

Now if some bright guy rigged up a 4-ft cross-bar that bolted into the gooseneck, padded the mast-butt well, and split a long bridle to the sides of the pulpit ... I'd guess that three stout-fellas could probably work enough leverage and stability to get the stick stood and stabbed without really outrageous drama ... Make sure somebody gets the video if you try it ... *L* ...

Gin poles? ... We don't need no stinkin' gin poles! ... Here, hold my beer and watch this ...

G4B

[BalticBandit]

Years ago, on the J-24 Texas Circus (yep, that's on the t-shirts), we saw a crew drop the stick while motoring back to the dock. It looked like they had two guys lifting and one using the forward halyards to control the drop. There was an hour or more of queue for the hoist onto the trailer, so, bored and slightly beered, we tried the same trick at the dock.

It worked out okay strength-wise (we were big guys, sailing four-up and sweating the weight limit), and we got lots of advice from kibitzers (it helps to keep in mind that boatlength < mastheight before starting the drop) ahead, astern and abeam. Overall, it's not something I'd recommend in any sort of breeze unless your insurance is paid up.

From the perspective of a dozen or more years later, I don't recall for sure if we ever tried stepping the stick that way. Knowing us, I'd guess that we probably at least tried, once.

Now if some bright guy rigged up a 4-ft cross-bar that bolted into the gooseneck, padded the mast-butt well, and split a long bridle to the sides of the pulpit ... I'd guess that three stout-fellas could probably work enough leverage and stability to get the stick stood and stabbed without really outrageous drama ... Make sure somebody gets the video if you try it ... *L* ...

Gin poles? ... We don't need no stinkin' gin poles! ... Here, hold my beer and watch this ...

G4B

I've stepped and unstepped a mast with just manpower and no Gin Pole more than once. It helps to have someone tall... Ideally you have two taller guys lifting/guiding the mast with their arms outstretched as high as they can. then two guys crouched near the deck lifting the butt end, and one person in the cockpit standing on the lazarettes around traveller bar to catch it as it comes down.

Lift the mast as vertically as possible and set the butt on the deck. then smoothly and moderately quickly have one guy go fwd with the butt and the tall guys hand over hand the tip aft the way you would a tall extension ladder. Extra hands join in as soon as theycan reach



To step it, you set the mast aft on the pushpit so that the butt lines up with the carpet pad just fwd of the partners. Smallest person gets to put their foot there and push down to keep it from skipping fwd. 2-3 taller guys then "walk the mast up" - just like raising a tall extension ladder - starting aft and moving FWD until the mast is vertical. Immediately the "butt keeper" puts the butt into the partners and the lifters let the mast slide down the 4' so that it is resting in the bottom of the boat.

Now someone goes below (on deck folks can't let go yet) and calls for the mast to go back up 6". Belowdecks then guides the butt onto the shoe that is already on the bearer beam AND LOCKED IN PLACE (doesnt have to be in the final position but it DOES have to be locked in place)

Bob's Your Uncle

[Tool]

I think one of the Doyles from Youngstown, I think Kevin was telling me how they attached a small cheek block to the aft side of the mast just above the butt. Then they would secure one end at a forward stantion base then through the other and back to a winch. They would walk the mast up while the other guy would pay out the line until it was on the butt casting. I'm sure I have the details wrong, but Kevin swore by it. I'm sure if entropy is lurking in the background he can chime in and probably give you the exact details. I think they would just winch it out using the same rig.

[entropy]

We stole that idea from Kevin Doyle for Geoff Moore's boat.

Here's how it worked: Cut away the mast track section back to the flat at the very bottom of the mast. We cut away about 3 inches, just enough to bolt a Harken 132 Big Bullet cheek block to the flat.

To take the rig down- We ran a small line - foreguy or something, from the foreguy cleat down the partner, thru the block and back up the partner to the topping lift cleat. Un-hook all the shrouds and what not and hoist the mast butt up to the partners with the line we just rigged. Get that sucker nice and tight and cleat it. Then the line acted as a tabernackle fixing the mast butt in place. It was surprisingly easy and controlled walking the mast back. Once we had the mast in hand, just uncleat the tabernackle line and walk it forward.

Stepping was the same process in reverse. The key was to get the line tight.

Once we got good at it, this system was way, way faster than a gin pole and at least as fast as a mast crane. We almost always had the mast down and packed up when we hit the hoist after the regatta. On at least one occasion we had to step the mast as we were motoring out for the first race....van problems. Tried not to make a habit of that :-)

[-Julian-]

Hey all,

The plan is o go with an old albacore mat section. I am trying to decide whether or not to cut it shorter. it is currently 22' 6" and we probably only need 18' 6" for the lift.

Anybody who chimes in before we make the cut gets extra credit.

thanks,
J

[bulbouskeel]

In theory - if you have enough hands around to help - you don't need a very tall Gin Pole. you basically need one that extends as far above the spin-pole pad-eye, as the mast sticks below-decks to the bearing plate.

But a short gin pole means your "pick point" is below the "balance point" of the mast and that means the butt of the mast will want to kick up and the tip crash down.

the higher you set your pick point the easier it is to control the mast. The "balance point" is about 2' below the spreaders. So the ideal Gin Pole extends about 2'-3' above the spreaders. That sort of gin pole is one that you can use to singlehandedly step and unstep the mast. But of course that means you need a thicker gin pole to carry the load.


I've built one from the Al bottom section of an old 49er mast. and it was fine. I've seen old Star Masts used.

We have a short gin pole and what you say is true. But it works great. Everyone seems to think this is a terrible idea, but for years we have used the spin halyard cleat as the pick point -- it's 8' off the deck so probably about 12' from the bottom of the mast. Yes, it doesn't balance correctly, but it works fine with one person stabilizing the butt end as it rotates up. Once you've dropped it through the deck, it becomes trivial -- just send the helper down below to guide it onto to shoe.

Here's the key to raising the mast: get it up and down as quickly as possible. You can hold it just fine once it's vertical, and obviously when it's lying on the boat there's no problem. But in between is when bad things can happen. Make sure it's just a few seconds in each direction.

One thing about a gin pole: don't overthink it. A J24 mast is only about 80 lbs with the shrouds attached. It doesn't require any kind of ultrasophisticated gear as far as a gin pole, and no complex loads are placed on the pole; as long as the three guys for it are sturdy and don't have any slack, you're all set. If you have an old ratchet block, it's nice to use that for your mast-raising line. By no means essential though.

People seem freaked out a little bit by gin poles. You don't need a particularly long one, or a particularly fat section. Just three bombproof guy-wires to attach to the boat. Don't overthink it. Perhaps the most useful advice would be: make sure your Windex is attached before you pull up the mast!!!

[-Julian-]

In theory - if you have enough hands around to help - you don't need a very tall Gin Pole. you basically need one that extends as far above the spin-pole pad-eye, as the mast sticks below-decks to the bearing plate.

But a short gin pole means your "pick point" is below the "balance point" of the mast and that means the butt of the mast will want to kick up and the tip crash down.

the higher you set your pick point the easier it is to control the mast. The "balance point" is about 2' below the spreaders. So the ideal Gin Pole extends about 2'-3' above the spreaders. That sort of gin pole is one that you can use to singlehandedly step and unstep the mast. But of course that means you need a thicker gin pole to carry the load.


I've built one from the Al bottom section of an old 49er mast. and it was fine. I've seen old Star Masts used.

We have a short gin pole and what you say is true. But it works great. Everyone seems to think this is a terrible idea, but for years we have used the spin halyard cleat as the pick point -- it's 8' off the deck so probably about 12' from the bottom of the mast. Yes, it doesn't balance correctly, but it works fine with one person stabilizing the butt end as it rotates up. Once you've dropped it through the deck, it becomes trivial -- just send the helper down below to guide it onto to shoe.

Here's the key to raising the mast: get it up and down as quickly as possible. You can hold it just fine once it's vertical, and obviously when it's lying on the boat there's no problem. But in between is when bad things can happen. Make sure it's just a few seconds in each direction.

One thing about a gin pole: don't overthink it. A J24 mast is only about 80 lbs with the shrouds attached. It doesn't require any kind of ultrasophisticated gear as far as a gin pole, and no complex loads are placed on the pole; as long as the three guys for it are sturdy and don't have any slack, you're all set. If you have an old ratchet block, it's nice to use that for your mast-raising line. By no means essential though.

People seem freaked out a little bit by gin poles. You don't need a particularly long one, or a particularly fat section. Just three bombproof guy-wires to attach to the boat. Don't overthink it. Perhaps the most useful advice would be: make sure your Windex is attached before you pull up the mast!!!

Thanks,

In an effort to not overthink it, i'm going to try to just use the whole mast uncut (it's only 22 feet). IT could probably stand to lose a least 3 or 4 feet but i want to give it a try as is first since that is just the easiest.

[tommays]

A 2" OD .065 wall or MORE tube has worked fine for me and i have found you need a min of 19' of lift to get the mast high enough to drop it through the cabintop onto the step

[Big Show]

Perhaps Curt will chime in with the exact details but sailing on Brain Cramp the guys had the mast butt casting and steel plate permanently attached to the base of the mast. I think with a set screw or the like IIRC.

At the partners you simply put a line over the forward facing part of base plate to keep the butt from kicking and then I think we simply walked the mast up and down.

Still prefer my gin pole though...

[USA4182]

We have all hand picked a mast out and laid it down, its been done successfully for years, heck at an East Coast Championship we gathered a crew of 5-6 big guys and just walked down the bulkhead dropping masts, we must have done 10 of them in 15 minutes. Anyway, a short time after that I watch someone drop one, literally, well it hit the stern pulpit and destroyed the mast and the pulpit. A few months later I watch someone drop one and just miss another boat and a guy on the dock. Since then I use my gin pole. If you gin pole is set up properly, mine is half of an old J24 mast, with quick clips and such, you should be able to get it(you have to get the lifting bridle anyway so get the gin pole while your at it), put together, and drop the rig in under 15 minutes. So, the lesson is, don't be in such a rush, take the extra 15 minutes, avoid the call to the insurance company and don't hurt yourself or anyone else. 15 minutes is not worth it.

P

[tommays]

I would also add that once you set the lenth of the gin pole support lines it takes about 7 minutes to set it in place

And if you have cracy money the hall carbon pole one is sweet

[sailphast]

If you have access to a 420 mast like you said, it works. I use an old V15 mast and it is the same tube section.

[Ho'Okele]

Question: Where exactly is the CG of a J/24 mast? Last time, in a rush, I used a boat-lift and slipped the loop beneath the upper spinnaker ring. It was just me and another guy, and he had to pull some serious heroics to keep that bugger stabilized. Seems the spreaders are high enough, but I think it's hard to find a boat-lift high enough to get the butt clear of the partners if you did that. Bottom line: if you were using a crane, where would you grab the mast?

[USA4182]

Its somewhere above the spreaders a bit with the mast rigged.
Easy to figure out, go pick up the mast in the middle until it balances.
If you grab lower, like most do, the butt will try and find the sky, especially if you grab it as low as one of the spinnaker rings. The spreaders is a good starting point and its only moderately out of balance at that point.


p

[tommays]

I go about 10" below the spreaders as it works well for me to have to control the mast tilt from the base

It might be 8# to 10# out of balance at that point

[some dude]

Melges 24 masts break at the gooseneck all the time and make super cool gin poles

[ticktock]

best gin pole for me was 2 420 masts tied together at the top with some steel cable. Slots in both mast butts to fit into on the stanchions base and spin-sheets fore and aft tied to the top of the A-arm. Lift the mast just below the spreaders. You could do this yourself slow and steady with the mast hanging stable the whole time.

[farscape]

Any li ks to some pics or video clips? I get the part wher you raise the must with the gin pole, but I can't figure out how you drop it through the deck on the support beam.

The 'net is full of pics and clips for deck-stepped masts but short of using an anchored A-frame or a tripod I don't see how this works. Lacking imagination, it seems...


Thanks,

[-Julian-]

Any li ks to some pics or video clips? I get the part wher you raise the must with the gin pole, but I can't figure out how you drop it through the deck on the support beam.

The 'net is full of pics and clips for deck-stepped masts but short of using an anchored A-frame or a tripod I don't see how this works. Lacking imagination, it seems...

Thanks,

No pictures, all i can say, is that somebody holds the bottom of the mast as you lift it. The tip goes up until the whole mast is verticle above deck, then somebody goes down below and guides it as somebody above lowers it down.

This usually takes us at least 3 people.. one works the hoist (call it a halyard) one person walks the butt of the mast towards the hole, slowly making it verticle. the third person recieved it down below.
-Julian

[Adam9066]

I dont know if your looking for something to just once or twice during a season. But I rent a boom lift from home depot to step and unstep my mast. The first year 6 of us steped it and it was really sketchy.

this is what I use. Its way over kill but then again I really dont want to buy another mast. the bucket comes off and there is a hook we tie a pully to.

[Dogfish4255]

There are several common attributes that make a good gin pole, all of which minimize the likelihood of failure (which means you don't have to rent a ridiculous piece of machinery, or pay other hacks to pull your rig out)

• Adequate length (lifting more than a foot or two off the balance point is unnecessary and makes this process far more dangerous than it needs to be)
• Reasonably light weight ('cause you'll ask your wife to pass it up to you, or your wife will ask you to pass it up to her)
• Overkill wire or dynema for gin pole stays ('cause gin pole failure in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• Clips for aft gin pole stays ('cause remembering how to set up your gin pole in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• Durable 3:1 purchase for front gin pole support ('cause figuring out a new way every time in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• 2:1 non-ratcheting lift line ('cause you'll ask your wife to lift the mast, or your wife will ask you to lift the mast)
• Good condition lines and hardware used throughout ('cause "it broke" is a shitty excuse in the boat yard before a regatta)

For anyone remotely considering setting up a gin pole, I'd suggest consulting with as many J24 racers as possible first, and then seeing a few gin poles in use at the next regatta you can attend.

If you assemble a gin pole and are not 100% confident that you could put the mast up safely with 1 and 1/2 persons, then you've failed and put everyone in the boat yard at risk.

If you feel like cutting corners on any of the attributes above, I suggest you stick to renting machinery, using the permanent gin pole available at your local boat yard, or paying someone else to step your mast safely.

Lift safely my friends.

[-Julian-]

There are several common attributes that make a good gin pole, all of which minimize the likelihood of failure (which means you don't have to rent a ridiculous piece of machinery, or pay other hacks to pull your rig out)

• Adequate length (lifting more than a foot or two off the balance point is unnecessary and makes this process far more dangerous than it needs to be)
• Reasonably light weight ('cause you'll ask your wife to pass it up to you, or your wife will ask you to pass it up to her)
• Overkill wire or dynema for gin pole stays ('cause gin pole failure in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• Clips for aft gin pole stays ('cause remembering how to set up your gin pole in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• Durable 3:1 purchase for front gin pole support ('cause figuring out a new way every time in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• 2:1 non-ratcheting lift line ('cause you'll ask your wife to lift the mast, or your wife will ask you to lift the mast)
• Good condition lines and hardware used throughout ('cause "it broke" is a shitty excuse in the boat yard before a regatta)

For anyone remotely considering setting up a gin pole, I'd suggest consulting with as many J24 racers as possible first, and then seeing a few gin poles in use at the next regatta you can attend.

If you assemble a gin pole and are not 100% confident that you could put the mast up safely with 1 and 1/2 persons, then you've failed and put everyone in the boat yard at risk.

If you feel like cutting corners on any of the attributes above, I suggest you stick to renting machinery, using the permanent gin pole available at your local boat yard, or paying someone else to step your mast safely.

Lift safely my friends.

Agreed.... but i still think that you should have 2 people on deck just in case, and that means that you really should have a third to go below.

[Dogfish4255]

Agreed. Three is usually the magic number of people on the boat for mast stepping/unstepping.

[USA190520]

A trick: unlatch the fwd hatch... As you drop tve rig into the boat, carefully, open hatch and look down, you can place the butt right onto the shoe without the 3rd hand

In time, you will be able to go from rig down to rig up in less than 20 min... That includes fu@king off time.

[opa1]

I thought that a J24 mast was stepped on the keel. All the illustrations I've seen here show the mast being on a swivel fitting on the deck.

[Lamps]

There are several common attributes that make a good gin pole, all of which minimize the likelihood of failure (which means you don't have to rent a ridiculous piece of machinery, or pay other hacks to pull your rig out)

• Adequate length (lifting more than a foot or two off the balance point is unnecessary and makes this process far more dangerous than it needs to be)
• Reasonably light weight ('cause you'll ask your wife to pass it up to you, or your wife will ask you to pass it up to her)
• Overkill wire or dynema for gin pole stays ('cause gin pole failure in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• Clips for aft gin pole stays ('cause remembering how to set up your gin pole in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• Durable 3:1 purchase for front gin pole support ('cause figuring out a new way every time in the boat yard looks like a waste of time)
• 2:1 non-ratcheting lift line ('cause you'll ask your wife to lift the mast, or your wife will ask you to lift the mast)
• Good condition lines and hardware used throughout ('cause "it broke" is a shitty excuse in the boat yard before a regatta)

For anyone remotely considering setting up a gin pole, I'd suggest consulting with as many J24 racers as possible first, and then seeing a few gin poles in use at the next regatta you can attend.

If you assemble a gin pole and are not 100% confident that you could put the mast up safely with 1 and 1/2 persons, then you've failed and put everyone in the boat yard at risk.

If you feel like cutting corners on any of the attributes above, I suggest you stick to renting machinery, using the permanent gin pole available at your local boat yard, or paying someone else to step your mast safely.

Lift safely my friends.

Agreed.... but i still think that you should have 2 people on deck just in case, and that means that you really should have a third to go below.

INstead of 2:1 lift line if you have a nice thick rope and a ratchet block at the top it's handy.

[FRENZY]

I have to agree with the grab and go method, we would have 4-5 J/24s mast up in about an hour and a half.

Requires 4 crew and an old towel.

Place the old towel in front of the mast partner on deck, slide the mast back and place the butt of the mast on the towel. One crew hold the mast butt in place while the other three raise the mast upright.
Slowly lift the upright mast a few inches and lower it down through the deck while someone is below to guide the mast butt onto the step. Total time 15 min.