Separating a stubborn mast (Ted Mount)

Also see Ron's technique below ...

As I need to either have my top section repaired/replaced I tried pulling the upper and lower mast sections apart today with the help of a couple of guys...... it was having nothing of it, probably due to sand ingress and it having never been split since new!

ED's Note: Seperate your mast every now & then and clean the join ... then you won't have to follow this instructions. (I too have suffered this problem ....)

Warning recieved from Matt Connor

"I read the piece on tying a mast to the back of a car to separate it. There were a few stories from the RS600 fleet of doing this a few years back with the results being the extension being fired through the back of the car when it released. Be careful out there!"

Rather than messing around I went straight for the killer blow and separated it using my car.

Mode Requires:

1 x stuck mast
1 x fairly immoveable object (preferably a tree)
2 x lengths of rope
1 x car


Instructions:

Tie one end of rope #1 around the lower mast section just above the gooseneck and the the other end around immoveable object/tree

Tie one end of rope #2 around the upper mast section with slip knot type thing and the the other end around tow bar

SLOWLY move car forwards while prefereably watching the mast in the rear view mirror. When the mast is suspended in mid-air take deep breath and continue to ease car forward. If all goes well the upper and lower sections will separate.

Clean the connection between the two sections before reassembly.

Try to separate the two parts occasionally and wash with fresh water.

Verdict: SEPERATED

there is a way easier / safer way to get the masts apart. I’ve done it with a 4 year old mast over here and others.

Separating a stubborn mast (Ron Radko & Steve Lieberman)

Basically, make sure you have slack in the halyards, take the spin halyard from where it exits at the foot, and while leaving enough slack for the mast to come apart, tie a new knot using the remainder of the halyard lead to from the gooseneck fitting. Use about 4 feet of line and tie that to and immovable object. Then leaving about 1 foot of slack between the mast and the immoveable object, bring the mast back rapidly until the halyard jerks on the mast. The sharp pull of the mast coming to a stop will the pull the pieces apart in no time.

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