I was nervous about removing the mast. My biggest fear was that the electrical connections between the boat and the mast were hard wired or corroded together. The process was really straightforward for pulling the mast off though.
- Remove any mast mounted hardware that can be hurt by the crane. Josh pulled off the windex and VHF radio antenna
- Loosen and disconnect the turnbuckle for the forestay, backstay and shrouds
- Loosen the lower shrouds (the ones that connect to the middle of the mast below the spreaders)
- Have the boom truck pick up a bit on the mast
- Remove the pins that hold the lower shrouds
- take the mast up about a foot
- Disconnect the electrical and radio connections running through the mast
- Store the mast in the yard
The sling holds the mast under the spreaders
On its way to the mast yard
Brian and Josh with a mastless Airborne
Airborne looks naked without the mast