505 on a hoist Mast UP???

Hi,

I just got a 1970 Rondar 505. (It's a 505 class racing dinghy 16.5 feet long super light weight hull construction. The one I have is largely glass but has a thin wood bow deck.

My question is this, I plan to keep the boat on a boat hoist in my front yard. Above the water of course. I am wondering if it is ok to store the boat with the mast on? The boat is 16.5 feet long but is so light weight that two adult men could lift it off the hoist. Does anyone have experience with this kind of dinghy, or something similar? It would make it so much easier to go sailing if I could leave it partially rigged. But I'm concerned that this might damage the boat. Any thoughts???

 

5ohs are typically stored with the mast up.

Go to the 5o5 class site and read up on them

 

The boat with a bare mast will never come close to experiencing the kind of stresses that would occur when sailing. Leave the mast in.

 

As far as the mast per se is concerned, no worries, I bet most of the 5-0hs in the world live with their masts up.

The things that would concern me are how are you going to lift up the boat, which is not designed with lifting eyes or anything, and what will happen when its seriously breezy.

 

> and what will happen when its seriously breezy.

Absolutely. Tie it down well or a high wind can tip it over (as I learned the hard way).

 

I think most people are assuming a lifting sling where it may be one where you pull the boat onto cradle or longitudinal bunkers and the whole thing is lifted out of the water on cables.

If this is the case, tying the boat down is probably a good idea and all that is necessary except in strong storms. Then I would take the mast down.