How do i raise a top mast on a schooner

[J T]

Hey folks,

just found this site, its great.

I need to put up a top mast on a schooner, i have taken one down but never put one up.

Can some one walk through the steps of doing it here.

Thanks
JT

[osteoderm]

Specifics, please... What size topmast, mast, and boat are we dealing with here? Are the topmast fittings aloft wood, steel, or a combination (ie., wooden trestles below, a metal fitting atop the mainmasthead)? Is the topmast heel fitted for a proper fid, or some other retaining method? Does the topmast heel have a coke or dumbsheave? Is the topmast round throughout, or shaped alow (ie., a square heel, or possibly octagonal)? Are the topmast partners grooved, relieved, or otherwise clearanced to accept a heelrope?

Of course, my first response would be to simply say, "Put it in the reverse of how you took it out!", but I digress... Assuming the most traditional arrangement, and a not-excessively large or ill-proportioned craft, the process goes roughly thus:
Lay the topmast out on deck, heel away from the lower mast, in such a way as it may be raised cap-first into a vertical position forward of the mast without fouling.
Make fast a heelrope aloft, somewhat off the vertical line of the topmast's eventual position, making the belay between the cap and the tree. Lead the fall of the heelrope down through the opening in the trestle tree, through the coke/dumbsheave at the heel of the topmast, then back aloft through the tree opening, through a handy block aloft (of ample strength!), and then back to deck, clear of other obstruction. This line needs to be plenty stout, ideally 4 times or longer than the height of the mainmast cap above the deck. Some quantity of lubricant at hand will greatly ease the passage of the heelrope through the heel.
Now you have some options. I've had success with loosely stoppering the falls of the heelrope alongside the length of the topmast, in such a fashion so that the mast will not tend to fall away from the taut falls as hoisting begins, yet not so tightly as to restrict the movement of the line. At any rate, a little bit of twine here or there ought to be applied to keep the works together.
Now apply a sturdy selvagee, or for the modern folk, a righteous Icicle Strop, to the topmast well above the balance point, but low enough as not to foul the tree when the topmast goes vertical. To this selvagee, run an appropriately-sized halyard, led outside the tree. Here the hoisting begins, and several hands are advised.
Have someone tend the heel of the mast, as not to ding the woodwork and deck fittings alow. Another to tend the heelrope, taking slack as necessary (but no strain yet!). And a hand (or mob) on the halyard tail to get the stick up. If you start with the topmast cap close to the base of the lower, and keep the halyard close to vertical while hauling, just easing the topmast cap here and there, you can avoid the whole jeebly "Iwo Jima flag-raising" spectacle that might otherwise occur if starting with the topmast heel close to the lower mast, and the cap away somewhere yonder outboard.
Anyways, by and by you'll have the topmast stand vertical afore the mainmast. If the topmast is longer heel-to-cap than the height of the trees above the deck (would be rare on a schooner, but not so unlikely on a burly gaff cutter, for instance), you may need to wiggle things around at an angle to get the topmast cap started through the trees. As is more likely, the topmast cap will be sitting somewhat below the trees.
In either event, secure topmast alow with a loose selvagee/strop to the mainmast, above any sails, gaff, hoops, parrels, etc., and take some little strain on the heelrope, easing on the halyard, until the first has the weight, and the latter slack. If the topmast has been stoppered to the falls of the heelrope, it will be disinclined to fall away from vertical.
Take a moment to breathe, then spit on your hands and commence hauling the heelrope. Now, and hand or two aloft is required; they will guide the topmast cap through the tree and then up through the mainmast cap fitting, clear away stoppering as required, keep a close eye for any undue binding of the heelrope at the trees, and importantly! affix the topmast capshrouds, stays, cap, burgee, windex, lightning rod, et al, to the topmast before it climbs too far out of reach... Trust me here; you only forget these things once .
Now keep hauling away on the heelrope handsomely... hands alow can tend the loose capshrouds to keep things from getting to waggly aloft, while the hand(s) aloft keep the heelrope nice and free and easy, perhaps with the frequent application of tallow, lard, Vaseline, Secret Mixture #9, etc., and watch for that perfect moment when the topmast heel is high enough in the tree to slip in the fid upon which it will rest. Here you will appreciate having made-off the belay and turning of the heerope as high as possible, to allow maximum advantage and control over those last few inches of travel.
Now simply clear away the heelrope and any leftover stoppering, selvagees, etc., and attach/tune the standing rig.

Of course, the particulars of your own boat may require changing this procedure. Furthermore, I may have missed some point or trick or two, as it's been a few years since I last sent up a mast... although that was t'gallants on a brig, underway, and the experience is pretty-well etched.

[J T]

I am not new to schooner sailing, but very new to schooner rigging.

I will try and research the questions you have asked and post at a later date.

I am getting the schooner Lavengro out of mothballs, She is a 1927 Biloxie Shrimping schooner. 63 LOA and 37 LWL. Very similer to a chesapeak schooner.

Is there a reference book that will help me with schooner rigging and the such?

Thanks
JT

[osteoderm]

"The Gaff Rig Handbook" by John Leather is a good one. And although it's a big bite for the uninitiated, Lever's is a go-to tome.
The principles behind fidded topmasts and their rigging are fairly universal; I suggest discovering the traditional basics, then investigate modern refinements from there.

[Brian Duff]

might also pick up a copy of
'Hand Reef and Steer' by Tom Cunliffe

[J T]

A big thank you for all the references

Just what i was looking for!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks
JT