Lowering e23 mast

This may be a goofy question, but what better place to ask it, than among fellow vikings?
Have any of you Ericson 23 owners ever lowered the mast when the boat was at a slip, in the water?
I have never unstepped the mast, and there are a number of upgrades I want to complete (lights, wind indicator, spreader boots), but don't want to deal with the logistics of getting everything done when she is hauled out. I would like to take a few weekends to do all of this.
Recipe for disaster?

Fred Nelson
Ericson 23 Mark II
#344
Ad Astra

Lowering the mast

Not a goofey question at all. When I was a young man (very long ago) I used to lower the mast on my Catalina 22 while in the slip. I would first bring up the dock lines hard so that she would sit somewhat still. I had a friend grab the jib halyard, another on the cabin to steady it coming down, and myself in the cockpit. I would go to the cabin where my friend was and as we gently lowered I would walk backward. The top of the mast would get wet briefly but it worked.

Get good strong help!
Good luck,
Frank

Fred, I've done mine on the water a few times and it's not that hard IF you have the hinged mast step. The CRITICAL thing is to back off the sidestay upper turnbuckles before you drop the mast(the lowers can be disconnected) or you WILL damage the boat!!!!!

Read thru this old thread, which pretty much covers all the angles, and then post any further questions

http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=6768&highlight=e23+mast+raising

Hmmm . . .
Don't have the hinged mast, but I am thinking that would be more critical when raising than lowering maybe?
Another thread suggests the Dwyer 2150 hinge
http://www.dwyermast.com/items.asp?cat1ID=40&cat1Name=Hardware&familyID=18&familyName=Hinges
so I would probably purchase that and install for when the mast is raised again.
I am thinking I need to muster a crew for the task and have things thought through in advance.
Thanks for the advice.

Fred Nelson
Ericson 23 Mark II
#344
Ad Astra

Fred,

There is an interesting youtube video of some guys at a dock unstepping the mast of their Catalina 27. Rob Hessenius, who often contributes to this forum, pointed me in this direction back in October.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpFhnYQmRYs

Best,
Roscoe

E25, cb, Hull 226

that's a heavy mast

IIRC, the mast on an E23 is the same section as on an E27, so it will be much heavier than you expect. If it's not anchored by a hinge at the base when you try to lower it you'll want several REALLY strong helpers, and a good insurance agent just in case.