mast and sail info for a trawler

I bought a 1978 Marine trader 34 double cabin. I believe they originally had a mast. This one appears to have had one originally but it is gone. My question is what purpose did it fulfill?
Thanks

"My question is what purpose did it fulfill?"


Mostly to look nautical, but perhaps it could lift a small dink, or spread a sun cover?

"What purpose"
On trawlers they are commonly known as steadying sails... help reduce roll when traveling in beam seas.
But few actually hoist a sail but do use them as a hoist for dingys.

Bacchus said:

"What purpose"
On trawlers they are commonly known as steadying sails... help reduce roll when traveling in beam seas.
But few actually hoist a sail but do use them as a hoist for dingys.

Click to expand...

Dinghy hoist is/was the main purpose on the KK42. As far as a steaming sail, I’m not sure it would work. Being an x sailor we looked into adding one on Hobo. The size with the factory mast and boom would be about 100 square feet which would be pretty useless on a boat that displaces over 40,000 lbs.

The mast and boom does look pretty cool though.

I would estimate that a Marine Trader 34 would need about 250 square feet of sail area to give a noticeable steadying effect and a wee bit of propulsion. The original setup was less than half of this.
The main reason for the sail was to sell boats. It worked well for that.

My C&L44 (looks like a MT) came to me with a small mast and boom. There are eyes in the deck corresponding to the points you would expect to find stays attached. No stays, no sail.
The first time I used the boom for lifting anything, I had a sabot, built to win dinghy races, so right at the minimum total weight under the sailing rule 52# including all the gear. I was lifting the empty hull, but it was too much for the mast step, an aluminum casting that broke with the dramatic effect you can imagine.
My opinion of the OEM setup, you can also imagine.
As an ex sailor, (currently only Lasers in an Old Guys club) I calculated the minimum sail area needed for any noticeable effect for get home propulsion. Need less to say not possible. For steadying, a small sail did work on the fishing Troller I cut my teeth on, so I wasn't quite ready to discount that, but the look would have been off, and being a hard chine, SD hull, my boat doesn't roll so much that I would ever consider mounting sail. For laying at anchor without hunting around the bay, the sail is too far forward to have any noticeable effect.
I replaced the OEM stuff with better and have used mine for lifting the Laser, even when it was suffering from a significant amount of water getting into the hull and weighing lots more than its 150# dry weight.
Others use their mast and boom only to get the anchor light up a ways.

mast

Thanks for the info. I would like to put it back to original . So I'm looking for the system or a drawing to build it. I posted a wanted here also.
Any suggestions?

invaderjb@gmail.com


my other hobby is
jeffbrownvintagekarting.com

I added a mast to a previous boat that I owned. The primary reason was to have a place to mount the radar and lights. We had davits on the stern so I didn’t need it for the dinghy. Where in Michigan are you?

mast

I live in detroit and have had a 1966 38 CC Commander there for several years.
The Trawler is in Houston which is new to me . I go there on occasion in the winter for a get away.
contact me on invaderjb@gmail.com
Thanks

mast

Does anyone know the approx dimensions so I can construct one?

Thanks

invaderjb@gmail.com

Bacchus said:

"What purpose"
On trawlers they are commonly known as steadying sails... help reduce roll when traveling in beam seas.
But few actually hoist a sail but do use them as a hoist for dingys.

Click to expand...

Steadying sails, with "longer range" radar and VHF:

For actual dimensions, best is to prowl the docks with a measuring tape. Find one that looks right. Measure.

mast

I'm in Michigan not many trawlers there or in Houston where the boat is now.

Thanks

The above link has a drawing of the setup for you to view. I have the 34 DC as well and have all the fittings. The original mast was wood. Mine needs to extend above the Bimini top so the mast will be aluminum 12 feet in length

Mast

Nobles9596
When I open the link you sent it onlyshows a picture of the boat that sold
Can you email the info to my email?
Invaderjb@gmail.com

Mast

My new-to-me 1968 Grand Banks 32 came with a mast and boom but not set up. As a former sailor and with a desire to used it for lifting an inflatable onto the swim platform I set out to get it set up and rigged. Just this last weekend I succeeded. Although the canvas cover over the aft deck keep me from lowering the boom completely to a horizontal position I still had to hank on the sail one time just to prove to myself that it would work. At roughly 90sf I doubt it would have any effect in any conditions. I will use the mast for flags and pennants, and the boom for lifting. (Yes I know I need to build a new boom crutch.)

Mast

correction: sail area approx. 40sf

I added a 40’ mast to my “trawler”, but it really has more of a full displacement sailboat-type hull.

With about 400 sq ft of sail it will do about 3-4 knots in at least 15 knots of wind from the beam or stern. Won’t point into the wind well at all however, so it’s not really a “get home” sail but more of a “get somewhere” sail plan. My boat has a pretty big sailboat-style rudder, but without the extra flow of water across the rudder from the prop it just won’t point into the wind. Or it could be I’m a terrible sailor. That’s actually probably part of it. [emoji23]

The sail plan works much better as a sail assist. With just a little bit of power from the engine and a good breeze it goes where you want to go, and it’s very stable doing it.

Hi I have a 1973 Grand Banks with a stay sale. It's purpose is to keep here healed over in a beam sea and while at anchor I can keep here headed into the winds which keep is for sailing around! They work great on my boat!

lost my non-original mast to Irma, will try to send you pics of original wooden boom and fittings w/ rough measurements. i have blueprints of MT 34 double cabin in MI you might copy, i expect to return before june. best, mike.
1two3four5@live.com

If it was me, I'd get a marine architect to work something out... Aesthetics are one thing but well engineered purpose built is another. Just my 2 bits

Jeff Brown, Somebody is advertising one on this forum that they are taking off their Marine Trader. Not sure if it is the right one for yours or not

it is on facebook on the marine trader trader page