SLSC: Stepping the Mast on an Ensign

Stepping the Mast on an Ensign

First

The Ensign mast is stepped directly on the cabin floor through an opening in the cabin top. Since, at SLSC, there is no deep-water seawall or crane available for handling the Ensign mast, the mast must be stepped and unstepped dockside at the main floating dock. The old procedure was to round up a gang of six to eight bystanders to muscle the mast upright or implement a controlled fall. This situation did not sit well with the engineering mind of some of the Ensign owners. Several innovations and trials led to development of a gin pole to assist in raising and lowering the Ensign mast. Raising and lowering an Ensign mast can now be accomplished by two persons.

The procedure that follows has a number of steps, but it's really pretty easy once you've done it a couple of times.

Position gin pole and wooden base on the cabin top in front of the mast opening. You can see the gin pole resting on the wooden base below, and Ed, on the right, is ready to attach the shrouds.
Secure pole side stays to the aft chain plates, below, and pole forestay to the jib tack.
Secure upper auxiliary pole forestay to the jib tack.

First

Last

if you'd like to learn more about Ensign sailing.