How to Build a Mast Crane for a Sailboat

To build a mast crane for a sailboat you should have basic knowledge of tools and of how a sailboat works. You will use your mast crane to raise the mast on your sailboat efficiently and effectively. If you build a usable mast crane you should only need one person to raise the mast on a sailboat. Once you have finished assembling the mast crane you can attach the top of the frame to a halyard, which will run through a pulley and then up to the top of the mast.

Things You'll Need

  • Two thin steel pipes 1 to 2 inches in diameter
  • Pin shackle
  • Hammer
  • Drill
  • Pulley
  • Halyard
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Instructions

  1. Preparation and Construction

    • 1

      Hammer one end of each steel pipe until it's flat for a couple inches only.

    • 2

      Bend the flattened portion of each pipe 30 degrees.

    • 3

      Drill a hole in the newly flattened portion at the end of each pipe.

    • 4

      Place the flattened ends of the pipes together in order to make an A-frame.

    • 5

      Secure the pipes together with a pin shackle.

    • 6

      Secure the pulley to the pin shackle at the top of your A-frame mast crane.