Halyard is no longer in mast!

[richardh10]

While my main is being repaired I thought I would take the opportunity to end to end the main halyard. Due to a fatal combination of laziness and stupidity I ended up with all of the halyard at my feet on the deck and no mousing line in the mast. What is the best way to rectify this situation. (I tried swearing at it loudly but that didn't help)

 

[Refueler]

I had same problem with spinnaker halyard.

An old trick is to get a lightweight person up mast with light line that has a length of bicycle chain ... or long thin fishing weight on line ..... person then feeds it in appropriate sheave at mast head .... only problem then is making sure line doesn't wrap with existing halyards / VHF cable etc. Leaning boat to one side can help ... side that halyard exits mast at base ...

But best way is when mast is down .... which is what I resorted to in the end.

I used an existing halyard that is on same sheave pin next to one to rerun. Remove both sheaves ... masthead and also at mast base. This then allows you to bind with tape a light line to halyard mid point- leaving sufficient halyard spare once pulled all way, if necessary connect light line to this just in case - and pull both .. once started to pull and both inside mast - replace top sheaves with halyard back to correct and light line where you want to rerun halyard. When exits base of mast ... split lines and replace sheaves. Pull back other halyard to its normal and make fast. You now use light line to rerun that halyard which came out ...

Job done.

I've tried it ... seen others try it ... and it rarely works or you spend hours before it actually works >>>>>> stiff fencing wire - what happens is it usually catches about where the spreader fastenings protrude into mast ! Especially that some masts actually have an anti-compression bar there !

 

[capnsensible]

Did one on a friend's yacht, Beneteau 331, a couple of weeks ago.

One in bosuns chair up mast, one winching.....used topping lift, right size, me, well, supervising.

Dropped a thin line down inside the mast weighted. We had prepared a bit of wire with a hook bent in to retrieve line. Bit of jiggling and hey presto! Rolling hitch with extra hitches on halyard wrapped in duct tape.

Job done, 30 minutes.

Good luck, like most boat jobs it's a lot easier than you think.

 

[jaminb]

Having washed my main sheet in the washing machine last week I thought I would treat the main halyard to a wash this week.

I now have the halyard hanging out the sheave and a jammed mousing line! Kicking myself for not taping the knot. Anyone know a cheap monkey in Southampton?

 

[st599]

Bike chain, string and a hook made from a coat hanger. Plus lots of waggling.

 

[richardh10]

Good luck, like most boat jobs it's a lot easier than you think.

Funny that, it always seems to end up being harder than I think!

I've tried the weighted line down the mast, but because of the sheave I don't think the weight was heavy enough, but I like the idea of the bike chain

 

[MoodySabre]

Good luck. My mast has foam inside. Electricians rods, several sets but from bottom with the mast down and sheave removed.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Good luck. My mast has foam inside. Electricians rods, several sets but from bottom with the mast down and sheave removed.

Thats my method. Probably because I’ve got enough rods to put the main halyard back into a J class.

 

[rib]

Thats my method. Probably because I’ve got enough rods to put the main halyard back into a J class.

10/20 small nuts so it can bend attached to mouse line ?

 

[richardh10]

Thats an excellent idea, and one I shall be trying, as I have to make do with what I have on the boat and that doesn't include a bike chain or a metal coat hanger! So I thought for the wiggling bit I would make a large loop from cable ties and see if the mousing line would fall through it. What could possibly go wrong!

 

[PlankWalker]

You can direct which side of the mast the nuts or chain goes by using a powerful magnet and dragging it down the mast (assuming its aluminum) as you descend in the chair.
I've even dragged the nuts out of the halyard exit slot using a magnet.

 

[richardh10]

You can direct which side of the mast the nuts or chain goes by using a powerful magnet and dragging it down the mast (assuming its aluminum) as you descend in the chair.
I've even dragged the nuts out of the halyard exit slot using a magnet.

Another excellent idea. Thanks

 

[MikeBz]

The magnet trick works really well, I use a short steel nail tied to the end of the mousing line. I bought a 15mm diameter Neodymium magnet on EBay for a fiver - if you clang it onto a piece of steel it is quite hard to remove it!

 

[wingcommander]

.Another possible solution, as described above with additional short legnth of whipping twine tied to lowered end . Possible then to extract with vacuum connected to a short tube.

 

[Refueler]

The magnet trick works really well, I use a short steel nail tied to the end of the mousing line. I bought a 15mm diameter Neodymium magnet on EBay for a fiver - if you clang it onto a piece of steel it is quite hard to remove it!

We use Rare Earth magnets to hold hatches ... even wings on RC models ....

Never thought of using any for mast stuff ... I can also imagine that using a magnet avoids line getting wrapped on existing lines / cables in mast.

Just a question : Does anyone still sell those big magnet jobs for salvaging tools etc. out of the oggin ? They used to have a keeper plate on them due to the mag strength ..

 

[Praxinoscope]

Refueler, thé RNLI shop lists the Sea Searcher magnet, so do several chandlers, I have had one lying around for about 20 years and actually used it about a month ago when I dropped the adjustable spanner I was using overboard, got it back in about 5 minutes.

Not to be recommended but a friend who’s ast was down at the time used a small hand-held cross bow and shot the bolt down the mast with the mousing line attached. It did work but not sure I would use this method.

 

[savageseadog]

The Magnetron in a microwave oven will contain a couple of reasonably powerful magnets. Find a scrap oven.......

 

[Refueler]

SeaSearcher ... was trying to remember the name ...

I've lost loads of tools ... even a battery out of one drill which had failed to latch in correctly .... in my boat channel.

Cross-bow .... pal of mine is ex Latvian Archery Champ .... I had a model airplane stuck up a high tree one day ... he tried for ages with bow to help me get it down. We got Fire Brigade in the end .... how that guy could go up that ladder ... not something I would do ...

Guys on the ground told him to hang on ... and moved ladder for a laugh ..... !!

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That’s Eastern Europeans for you. They don’t have the same attitude to personal risk as us soft westerners. Our Polish friends are similar.

 

[Refueler]

That’s Eastern Europeans for you. They don’t have the same attitude to personal risk as us soft westerners. Our Polish friends are similar.

Try this one in UK ....

Me ... in bosuns chair trying to fix crap windex ! Crane was there to lift boat into channel ..