In mast furling - how to silence?

[lustyd]

I am perfectly happy to tie off someone elses halyards when they are banging in the wind. What does one do though when a neighbor has in mast furling and has rudely left it clanging without a sail in there? The marina seem to have no interest in helping, and the noise is like someone bashing saucepans next to the boat constantly day and night.

It's the foil that's clanging and definitely due to lack of a sail, so I thought maybe hoist the halyard until the top roller is halfway up to prevent movement? Obviously with a string to retrieve!

Any other ideas?

 

[Clancy Moped]

I've seen it fixed with builders expanding foam....

 

[lustyd]

Don't tempt me, I'm not far off of that!

 

[Clancy Moped]

Don't tempt me, I'm not far off of that!

I feel your pain, on a very very old post if you can dig it up, Vyv Cox posted a diagram of how to stop it, I saw my method done in Corsica, very effective.

 

[tudorsailor]

Tie something to the swivel that attaches to the top of the sail and has the halyard on it to pull it up. Put another line on the swivel so you can pull it down to the base of the mast. Then pull on the halyard so that its about 1/2 way up and then take one of you new lines to the end of the boom and so pulling the foil backwards and unable to flop around. Hard to explain but easy to do.

TudorSailor

 

[lustyd]

Thanks that's exactly what I was thinking of doing. I'm hoping they just launched and will have hoisted the sail by the next visit, but it's been a few weeks

 

[mjcoon]

Tie something to the swivel that attaches to the top of the sail and has the halyard on it to pull it up. Put another line on the swivel so you can pull it down to the base of the mast. Then pull on the halyard so that its about 1/2 way up and then take one of you new lines to the end of the boom and so pulling the foil backwards and unable to flop around. Hard to explain but easy to do.

TudorSailor

You don't actually need the swivel, a loop of rope would do as well. The trick is to pass it behind the foil, for which a bit of stiff-ish wire might be needed.

Not sure I've ever seen a naked foil; are they too large to be pulled out through the slot, otherwise care would be needed not to bend it. I suppose when the sail is fully unfurled the tension must be sustained by the foil being pulled against the slot, so there would be no need to worry on that account...

 

[lustyd]

Hadn't thought about that but yes it's definitely not coming out through the slot so I think your conclusion must be right

 

[Slowboat35]

Ask the marina to contact the owner and make him aware his boat is causing a nuisance?

 

[lustyd]

Yup, did that weeks ago. The marina just said "yes those are known to do that". I said that I understood that but still the owner should be contacted and asked to sort it since there is an obvious and easy fix. Not much else I could do, so here we are with the self service option.

 

[capnsensible]

Are people permitted to board other people's boats and do stuff in modern en ger land? Sounds a bit iffy.

Before you go off on one, I entirely sympathise. It's one of the few Marina noises that tests me. When faced with such problems in the past, I've always managed to sort it out with Marina staff doing the necessary.

Good luck. It's not a pleasant noise.

 

[lustyd]

I'd do it for a halyard, and this is many times more annoying. My thoughts on it are that the owner is the one at fault, and there's a general understanding that sorting out an unattended boat is acceptable. If not then their bow would also be bashing the pontoon....still

 

[capnsensible]

I reckon it's an elephant sized grey area full of what ifs. Certainly, nipping over and securing a halyard, or a fender that's slippy on a windy day, shouldn't be a problem should it? I'm happy for people to nip on my boat to do that.

But then, what if they slip and hurt themselves, what if they put a foot through my spray hood, what if they fall onto the dock, yadda yadda......

I've been fortunate with the marinas we've lived in or used to visit on a regular basis. Pop to office, explain problem, offer to help.....they do it. I'm also well aware though that not all marinas have staff that are empowered, or actually give one, and that is where it breaks down. A phone call from the marina office to the owner to seek permission to sort it is not exactly challenging.

Plus of course, as you've done, and all of us would, sorting out dock lines to prevent damage should be part of the community. It's just that blame thing again, what if your knot comes undone? No staff answers, I think.

I'm down our Marina most days since we moved ashore. It's a heavy airs couple of days now. I got six other yachts friends have asked me to look after so I did a set of rounds today. Both I and the Marina office know I can board those yachts to do what's necessary. But that's a massive exception. The marinas are being paid to provide berths and security. They should do their job!

 

[lustyd]

A phone call from the marina office to the owner to seek permission to sort it is not exactly challenging.

I think that's the bit that bothers me. I'd happily call the owner myself if I had the number. No idea why the marina are so afraid to do so, especially knowing I could leave them and stop paying in the search for a quieter berth!

I think if you feel comfortable that you could explain why you did it, and a normal boater would agree then go for it. Life is too short to worry about being sued for doing the right thing. Karma will take care of the rest.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Thinking about this, if it was a house or flat you could call the police in extremis or certainly the council. Why can't one do the same here?

 

[lustyd]

Very true, perhaps I could get an ASBO for them, it's certainly very antisocial behaviour!

 

[capnsensible]

This risk assesment thing has taken over. I bet the Marina staff have written ones in place. And complex insurance clauses.

For our sailing school, for example, we spent oodles of money on various risk liability insurances for all sorts. Plus risk assesment out the ying yang, every detail, even getting from shore along pontoon and boarding boat.

You can probably guess my opinion of such things..... But they lay in wait like the bait in a smart arse lawyer trap.

It's supposed to be for rest and relaxation. ?

 

[lustyd]

That's why I feel it's generally better to not ask first. Just like with all the VAT nonsense, if you don't say anything then it's fine, if you ask questions everything will come to a standstill

 

[Bilgediver]

I've seen it fixed with builders expanding foam....

I think that foam is for fixing clanging antenna and light cables which are not in an internal tube in a normal mast. .

That is not really a cure for in mast reefing as then it would not be possible to put the sail back on the internal roller. It may be possible to put a split foam collar around the roller at deck level and then hoist it to mid height with a downhaul attached as the OP suggested.

 

[BabySharkDooDooDooDooDoo]

That's why I feel it's generally better to not ask first. Just like with all the VAT nonsense, if you don't say anything then it's fine, if you ask questions everything will come to a standstill

I'd be tempted to ask for a different berth, seems to be a reasonable selection available