11 steps to raising your mast on a Corsair trimaran

Corsair 760 Trimaran

For all of you who are new to trimaran sailing, or for the avid Corsair Trimaran sailor who wants a brush-up, here is an awesome list of 11 steps on how to raise your mast on a Corsair Trimaran. You should print this out and keep it on your boat for reference!

MAST RAISING PROCEDURE

1. Untie the mast from all supports.

2. Attach cap shrouds and forestay or roller furling headstay to the mast.

3. Attach cap shrouds to the chainplates on the floats. If your boat has wire shrouds with Hifield levers take a bungee cord and hook one end to the upper toggle of the levers (the levers need to be in the open position. If you have an F-24 or early model Sprint with wire shrouds, go to the top of the turnbuckles), and the other to the daggerboard up and down lines on the deck so that the levers are held in a vertical position.

4. Place the yoke onto the deck hinges and pin into place. The yoke should be facing the bow with its curved edge facing down so that it clears the halyard blocks on the mast step. Place the long ½” pin on the deck nearby so that you are ready to pin the mast into place. On 750s/760s attach the mast raising hinge to the deck and pull the long ½” pin out and lay on the deck nearby.

5. Carefully walk the mast back until it is even with the yoke or mast raising hinge. Watch the spreaders on the aft beams as you go back so as not to bang them. Once in position, lift the yoke up to the mast, and place the ½” pin through the mast base, and put the clips in the pin so it cannot fall out. Be careful moving the mast at this point as it will become stern heavy, and want to lift up.

6. Attach the mast raising wires to the pad eye on the mast, and to the anchor loops on the deck. If a roller furler is used, make sure it is above the wire. Insert the mast-raising pole into the yoke or into the mast and attach the mast raising wire to the pad eye on the mast. On the 31’s, as you lift the pole into position, it will get a little hard as the spreaders are lifted over the rollers on the aft mast support.

7. Unroll enough line from the trailer winch to reach the pole. Attach the jib and screacher halyards to the winch line, pull them tight until the connection between the halyards and the winch line is just forward of the V in the mast raising pole, and cleat it off on the cleat at the base of the mast  (In the case of the 24, 750 or 760 with clutches on the mast: secure the halyards in their clutches and back them up on horn cleats or tie around the mast or the rope clutch itself for security). Take a final look around for potential snags on the shrouds, and make sure all is clear.

8. If you raise the mast with the bowsprit in place, be aware that as the line wraps around the spool, it will not spool evenly, and can possibly jump off the spool if not caught soon enough. I recommend leaving the bowsprit out until the mast is up for this reason as well as the winch line will chafe a groove on the side of it. You are now ready to raise the mast.

9. With one person at the winch, and one on deck by the mast base, begin cranking the winch. If the ground is not level, or there is a side wind, the mast will want to lean away from the center of the boat, so evaluate this possibility before getting too far and anticipate the direction it will want to go. The mast raising wires will prevent the mast from going too far, but it is best to be aware of this. The person on deck can help out here, by gently pulling on the correct mast wire. Continue raising the mast, the deck person is watching the shrouds to make sure there are no snags. If the mast starts to lean to one side a lot, or it gets suddenly hard to crank, STOP. Look around for something hanging up. Once the mast is part way up, NEVER WALK BENEATH THE MAST. If all is clear, continue to raise the mast until it rests on the mast step ball, and attach the forestay to the stem fitting. You can now release the trailer winch, and reattach it to the bow of the boat for launching. You can now remove the pole, yoke, and or mast raising hinge, and bungie cords from the levers if used.

10. At this time, you can now string all the halyards through the mast base blocks and/or deck organizers and run them back to the cockpit and through the rope clutches if applicable, and attach the boom. Launch the boat, unfold the floats, tension the shroud levers if applicable, and remove the mast raising wires.

11. To lower the mast, just reverse this procedure in the exact order written.
The bungee cords are not needed for lowering the mast.

Always make safety the first priority in both raising, and lowering the mast. Neither process is very difficult. With some practice, it will become an easy thing to do. If at any time, any of the mast raising gear gets damaged, repair or replace it before doing another stepping of the mast, as it may have become too weak to perform its job safely. Always check and maintain all parts of your boat for the best performance possible.

HAPPY TRIMARAN SAILING!

Thank you Don Wigston with Windcraft for documenting this process!

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Reach out if you have a specific question about Corsair trimarans,
we're happy to help.

Other helpful resources

Corsair 760 >>
Corsair 760 Sport >>
Corsair 760R >>
Corsair Sailing Manual >>

180 Marine is a distributor...serving performance-minded sailors, as a Corsair Trimaran dealership. We're most active in the Western United States, Mexico, and Canada. 180 Marine strives to make sailboat ownership more exciting and enjoyable, as we expand our vital community of sailors who love adventure and sailboat racing.

Contact Richard Allen for the latest news on the Corsair 760 richard@180marine.com

180 Marine is the fastest growing Corsair Marine Dealer in the U.S., owned and operated by Richard Allen and Leslie Gabriel, long time Corsair trimaran racers, day sailors and cruisers.

Why would I ever consider a trimaran?

Corsair Cruze 970

Thank you, John Rich, for sharing these great trimaran insights!

As a multihull man, in particular, one who loves and sails trimarans, many people ask me...

“Why would I ever consider a trimaran?”

They often say: 

1. Trimarans have a smaller accommodation

Correct
The internal accommodation is compensated by the living space outside. After all, when you go sailing you do not want to spend your time inside your cabin, do you? You want to enjoy the environment and atmosphere. Most often we sail the trimarans in warm waters and to get the most out of the time onboard, to have fun with people around us, above all to enjoy our sailing experience. That is what the trimarans offer, in particular, our Corsair Trimarans! The photo above is a Corsair Cruze 970.

2. Trimarans take on board less “stuff”

Fantastic 
Contrary to many sailor’s inventories on board these vessels trimarans are not floating storage spaces. The old motto is “when you go sailing take only what you need and then take only stuff that is light”. In fact, next time you go sailing just spend the day taking stock of what you have onboard and weigh it all on the scale. You will be very surprised how much unnecessary stuff you carried in the past when you went sailing. Now sort out what is really required on board. Weigh what you selected and put it on board. Then weigh what you need on your trip, take “just in case” few extras. Now load your boat taking care of what is where so you can easily find it. You can make a little packing scratch so your crew could be informed where things are located and why. Often people sail with full tanks of fuel and water, why? 

3. Trimarans are wide

Excellent 
The wider the boat the better it is, meaning she will hill less and with a wider overall beam, the boat will be also stiffer. Flatter sailing platform on trimarans equates the faster speed. 

4. Trimarans need more space to park onshore, on the water or at the marina

Possibly
Generally, it's correct with trimarans exceeding 38 foot or 12 meters. With smaller trimarans such as a Corsair trimaran, there is a possibility of easy reduction of the beam by folding the floats tacking them neatly under the central hull. This operation is extremely easy and allows Corsair trimarans to be trailerable behind suitable SUVs, 4WDs and Pickup Tracks in case of Corsair 37. This gives the owners much-needed freedom of mobility to follow the summer season across a continent, or each time sail in different geographical location, or if the owner likes to race major regattas to take their boat there. Additionally, your Corsair can serve along the way as a comfortable and safe place to sleep. This makes Corsair almost equal the Airstream caravan (or another type) with one major difference and greatest asset. Your Corsair will float, it will sail and motor around the lake, river, bay and the sea. It will above all do this very fast giving you a big smile each time you go sailing.

As an owner of a Corsair trimaran, you have many ways to store your trimaran. You can do this folded on the trailer with the mast and rigging down on your property next to your house, or at the boat-yard on the hard-stand, alternatively on any property where you can legally park your Corsair trailer.

You can keep your Corsair on the trailer, folded with the mast/rig up. This way your trimaran is more economical to store near the water where she can be easily launched. 

Alternatively, when your marina or boat-yard has a dry storage area with mast/rig up and floats fully open you can keep your Corsair ready to deploy into the water and go sailing. 

While on the water at the marina you can moor your trimaran as is, space permitting, at the jetty or your pontoon. The best thing about Corsair folding ability is that while the marina space is at the premium you can fold your floats while motoring to your designated location and “park” your trimaran with her mast/rig up and just step off and on your boat going sailing at your leisure with a minimum of fuss. 

Lastly, you can moor your boat on a designated mooring and use a marina’s tender service or your own dinghy to get on and off your boat.

All these options give you great flexibility.

5. Trimarans can tip over

Sometimes
Every now and then we hear of horror stories of boats tipping over. When it happens to a monohull because of the ballast the boat most likely will right herself after a while. Onboard the catamarans or trimarans it is much harder. One thing is certain multihulls because they have no heavy ballast that will float on the surface mostly because of positive buoyancy due to construction materials used onboard. 

The most important thing is to understand why multihulls can tip over and always sail within the safety margins. On monohulls, we try to keep as much sail area up to go faster, while on multihulls it is paramount to reef as early as possible anticipating changing nature of the weather fronts and local weather conditions. In fact, the multihull with less sail area or center of sail gravity will sail often faster and positively safer. The biggest challenge comes when sailing multihulls in the heavy weather, which is the art form in itself and demands practice and experience. In these situations, if you must continue your passage you will make it with utter respect and caution giving the most attention to the position of your trimaran in relation to the waves.

In all this please remember, your trimaran will be very fast and its safety will be governed by the ability to get to your destination before the weather gets foul.

Corsair 760

6. Trimarans are more expensive

Yes
Buying a trimaran is like buying a sports car. You can buy a car that will get you from A to B, you can also buy SVU, Pickup, Van, Station Wagon, etc. You can also buy a Prestige or Exotic car. The function of each will be exactly the same, yet the price will vary between $10,000 and $1,000,000. That is 100 times difference in price. In other words, you pay for what you want based on your needs, desires, and status. 

Trimarans are the most sophisticated types of boats on the market. That is why you do not see them very often and when you see one sailing you know that it is an ultimate sailing machine which will give you prestige, comfort within the confines of its platform and above all excellent performance. 

Ultimately the choice of boat one chooses will be up to the owner, we can only guide you towards your decision based on your sailing plans.

Learn more about the Corsair 760 HERE >>

ABOUT JOHN RICH
John Rich is an outstanding yachtsman and multihull sailor and composite boat builder as well as an extraordinary man with a wealth of knowledge and unrivaled life experience which makes him a highly sought professional businessman, salesman, and trainer. He is an Australian sales representative for Corsair Trimarans and works as a salesman with Multihull Central, dealer of Corsair Trimarans and Seawind Catamarans.

Benefits of a Corsair Trimaran

You’re ready to buy a Corsair trimaran right now!  You know which model you want but would like to speak with an experienced Corsair Dealer first to understand the purchasing logistics and after-sales.  What should you do first and how do I find a dealer nearest me?
A: Easy!  Corsair Marine has a global network of dealers ready to assist you and answer questions you may have from the beginning of your purchase through to the delivery and even launch of your new Corsair trimaran.  Our experienced dealers own Corsairs and are constantly in the process of buying one or even several.  They have raced or cruised them, organized sailing clinics and regattas with them.  Everything you need to know about buying and owning a Corsair, your dealer is there to help you. Contacting them is a great place to start.  Find a dealer nearest you.

Why is it so great to have the option of a folding trimaran?
A: It’s great because it’s foldable so therefore trailerable.  When folded up it is easy and very convenient to berth.  Basically, it’s great because of its convenience and cost efficiency due to its incredible versatility.

Can I sleep with my family/friends aboard a Corsair trimaran?
A: Absolutely. Not only can you sleep aboard one of our boats but you can pull it right up to any beach or just off the beach giving you access to the best of both worlds, on the water and convenient access to the land.

Is my trimaran high enough performance to race?
A: Corsair models are renowned for their high-performance capabilities and in all sorts of conditions! In fact, even on a gentle puff of wind, they move quite quickly. As well as being high performing and super competitive, they also provide you and your crew with the necessary room, comfort, handling, and structural reliability.

Where can I keep my trimaran?
A: On a mooring; beached at your favorite secret spot or anchored there as well; folded in a berth or on a trailer at home! Due to its versatility, it’s really up to you!

Is there a warranty on my newly purchased Corsair?
A: Yes – All new Corsairs come with a 5-year structural warranty.

Can I customize my boat?
A: Yes – you can select from a wide range of options, fabrics, wrappings, and signage.

How do I service my trimaran?
A: Contact your dealer network and they will be the best contacts for support.

How long does it take from order to delivery?
A: On average a minimum of 6 to 16 weeks depending on the model.

What about the resale value?
A: Corsair Marine trimarans have an excellent reputation and are in high demand throughout the world, in particular, the USA and Europe but increasingly in Asia and the South Pacific. Used Corsairs have sometimes sold for a higher value than their original price making them an excellent investment for their owners.

How do I promote hosting a Corsair regatta at my yacht club?
A: Contact your nearest dealer for Corsair Community information.

What is the Corsair global Owners Community?
A: We have a number of Corsair owners around the world that organize or host regattas and sailing ‘Safaris’. Corsair also regularly sponsors events in conjunction with host Yacht Clubs. Learn more on Corsair Marine’s Facebook Page.

I know trimarans are safe but what do they offer me over a monohull or a catamaran?
A: Corsair designs have an excellent safety record due to their stability, unsinkability and conservative rigging. A Corsair trimaran unlike a monohull or a catamaran offers you versatility with its uniquely patented folding design, accessibility to places boats with fixed keels and fixed daggerboards/rudders could not access (resulting in true solitude and escape), beachability for those who enjoy stepping directly onshore and best of all, affordability. Everything you could possibly want in a ‘form follows function’ design.

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If you're interested in knowing more about a specific Corsair model contact US trimaran expert Richard Allen. richard@180marine.com

Richard is a long-standing Corsair trimaran expert with vast experience across all models.