DeMasted September 26, 2008

The sun just barely peaked over the trees into the Marina as we pulled out to head up Trail Creek to the next Marina inland. Laura, the bridge gate keeper, raised the bridge and we slide into the B&E slip. Martin, Beaver and Michael grabbed our mooring lines and for the next hour and a half helped Tom remove Catrina's mast. Debbie took the following pictures!

Catrina in slip-------------------------------------and the hoist with crane moves over boat

Beaver moves hoist with crane over mast.


Martin placed loop around mast.

Beaver raised loop up mast to the spreaders. The bottom of the loop can be seen just under the spreader.

Tom and Martin remove forestay which is also the furling jib.

Michael removes the two Side Stays. Now the mast stands on its own only held up by the cable loop

Tom disconnects the VHF, TV Antenna and the Mast Lights whose wires run up the inside of the mast.

Beaver raises the mast to clear the top of the cockpit and then lowers the lower end onto the stern mast holder.

Next the top of the mast is placed in the foward mast holder. This sounds very easy but it took a long, long time!

Then it is decided that we cannot place the furling jib under the mast in the mast holders. The jib is strapped on top of the mast.

Finally, everything is tied down tightly and we are ready to motor off to the Hammond City Marina. We find this Marina to be very big (750-950 boats) and very old. It is a country mile literally to hike to the Marina Office from our slip in Row "V". Also a large casino is being built on the east side of the Marina. We have reached the big City!!!