Daysailing modifications, improvements, gadgets.

Aft mast stand lateral support?

Just added a front mast stand to my trailer and put a 16" aft mast stand like shown earlier in this thread where my rudder goes for safer trailering. But I'm curious now that I installed the aft mast stand (simply sliding the pins in) as to how you keep the mast from swaying side to side down the road as the pins can still rotate in their holes. Will tying down the mast to the trailer solve this problem? Anyone have ideas? I thought the aft mast stand would be intuitive but I guess it's not as easy as I thought.
 
I don't seem to have any sway problems. I use a bungee cord to hold the mast tight to the aft support, and my aft support has a V in it at the top that the masts rests it. It will not rotate in the pins if the bungee cord is in place.

I do, however, use a line in the middle of the mast. I connect one end to a jib cleat, wrap the line twice around the mast, and then to the other jib cleat. I only use enough tension in this line to prevent the mast from jumping around too much in the center (it's a long way between the two mast supports).
 
Like the idea about tying the mast down in the middle to the jib cleats - I'll definitely add that. Just curious if anyone's aft mast stand bounces up and down while trailering since it's really only held down by gravity. Unless I'm misunderstanding Paul... I thought it sounded like you just bungee corded to the "plug-and-play" V-support not to the "hard-mounted" rudder pin holes. Maybe if I tie the mast down to the V-support a little better it will inherently cure any sideways sway.
 

Back
Top