help lost halyards etc..

[Guest]

whilst renewing my main halyard I've lost the end (don't ask!) & was wondering how to re thread it down the mast? My boat is a SWIFT 18 so mast is quite small & can be lowered single handed I also want to run a mast head VHF co axial wire down it I guess the same technique?

 

[Chris_Stannard]

I do not know the boat so:

If you are masthead rigged, use the jib halyard to pull a mouse(thin) line through the mast. Obviously you will have to fiddle the ends its place, and thin nosed pliers will be a help.

If you are fractional rigged then try inserting a fairly long and thin weight, on the end of a light line, into the top of the mast, than raise the mast and let the weight pull the line through. Welding rod works quite well for this purpose since it is bendy and you can get it out at the bottom end. Alternatively, try whipping line and the biggest sailmakers needle you have, When it is in place use that to pull a ight line though the mast, which you can then use for your halyard and antenna
cable

Best of luck


Chris Stannard

 

[seaesta]

My method for this is to

1.get a length of stiffish galvanised wire (eg that used by farmers for fencing. )
2. Use existing or (small) new holes to gain access and push the galv wire down the length of the mast.
3. Hook out the end of the galv wire and fix a draw-strings to the galv wire
4. Withdraw the galv wire and that will pull the drawstrings through the mast
5. Use the drawstrings to pull through the halliards/cables et al

It has works for me - good luck

Martin of Seaesta of Whitby

p.s. dont tell the farmer I sent you!! - go to the hardware shop or agricultural merchants and buy it!!

 

[Guest]

Push a length of 1/4" plastic hose down the mast. It works really well, a good mix of pliability and stiffness and doesn't catch on existing lines.

Good luck

KCA

 

[Guest]

1/2 a dozen links of light drive chain work well as a weight as they come out the bottom easily

 

[Chris_Stannard]

Another thought, if you know a plumber , or electrician, ask if you can borrow his snake. This is a long flat strip of spring steel with a bullet shaped thingy at the end. It is normally coiled onto a reel, and is the best way of getting a new line through a restriced space since it is fairly rigid longtitudinally. If you are in Cowes, I have one you can borrow.

Chris Stannard

 

[claymore]

Get a fishing weight (sea angling) that will go through the sheave at the top of your mast. Tie on some thin line and angle the mast so that the weight drops down. Take off the heel plug - (the bit at the bottom - normally riveted or screwed on then pull the thin line through, having taken off the weight. Attach thin line to new halliard and pull through.Riggers use plasic conduit for vhf cables - there's probably not going to be a slot on a swift mast so just feed the conduit up the mast whilst the heel is off.
regards
John S

What care we - tho' white the Minch is,
What care we boys, for wind or weather?