Page 284 - Brion Toss - The Complete Rigger’s Apprentice

Figure 7-3. A deck- or tabernacle-stepped mast (for- lashed the halyard on earlier at a point higher up
ward hinging). Carry the mast on board and secure on the mast, to help keep the masthead from drop-
its butt in the tabernacle. Affix the boom, with sheet ping. Take up on your tag lines, which lead from the
and topping lift attached. Belay one end of the jibstay same spot, and hoist away. As the mast gets within
halyard on the mast and lead the other end through 30 degrees of the vertical, carefully lead the tag lines
a block at the stem and aft to the cockpit. Attach fore- well aft to serve as backstays. Secure all shrouds and
stay to masthead and stem. Lead two other belayed fittings and settle down for a nice, cold . . . What?
halyards to turning blocks and thence aft for lateral This is a three-masted schooner?
control. Take up on the sheet, pay out on the jib hal-
yard, and keep tension on the lateral guys as you
raise the mast. Attach remaining standing rigging LIVING ALOFT
when mast is in fully upright position.
Once I was 100 feet or so aloft, up by the main truck
lashing increases, a come-along or handy-billy can of the bark Elissa, installing some gear. Discovering
help to move it the last few feet. that I hadn’t brought enough shackles, I called down
Lash the foresail halyard lower block to the to the deck for extras. A new hand ran to get some,
main at the point where it rests on the padded taff- ran back with them, then smartly cast off what he
rail (you did pad the taffrail, didn’t you?). If the thought was an unused gantline (messenger line).
bulk of the mast is out over the rail, you’ll have The chair dropped out from under me, and only a

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