How to get Forestay/Jib Halyard down from Mast Head

Sammy Lou

Sammy Lou

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I'd appreciate peoples thoughts on how best to remedy my c*ck up.

Last weekend I removed the sails from the boat as I was preparing it for coming ashore and it was planned that the mast would be un-stepped for new rigging during lay-up.
However, during the course of this week, my plans have changed and I'm no longer planning on laying up the boat where she is and need to move her this coming weekend.
The problem is, as the boat is new to me, I was unfarmiliar with the forestay/jib halyard arrangement & as I untied a wire from on top of the jib furler it shot up the mast and the sail came down. The halyard wire is now 12m from the deck. I was expecting the jib to be secured by a sheet in the mast!
It would not of mattered if my plans had not changed but I now need to re-fit the jib & I'm considering my options for getting the jib forestay wire back to deck level.
I've thought of using a top climber (or similar) & possibly drain rods to hook it but does anyone else have any suggestions? I'm a bit worried by heights (understatement) and also concerned about the job having to be done whilst the boat is on its keel in mud.

Does anyone have any suggestions? The boat has to be moved this weekend, I'm unhappy to have motor only (althought the distance is only 17nm), I'll have the main but the reefing is not set up and I'd be happier with the furling jib rigged.


Thanks.
 
I am a little unclear about the arrangement of your foresail halyard and do not understand how releasing a wire at the furler caused the sail to drop. However, if the halyard has a shackle on it you may be able to use another mast top halyard (main or spinny) to wrap around it and lower it and drag it down in stages. I have successfully done this for a spinny halyard. However you need a meter or so of the halyard to be hanging free so you can get it to twist around the halyard you are using for the recovery.

If the foresail halyard has dropped right in so that its shackle is close to the sheaves, then I fear you have no option other than to get up the mast. Getting hoisted on another halyard (+ safety line) put on a winch works well but not easy if you don't like heights. The above may all be useless advice if I have misunderstood the arrangement.
Morgan
 
If it is still attached to the top swivel, or if the shackle is proud enough, then I have seen a trick using a boat hook tied into the spinnaker halyard (like a dinghy burgee) and hoisted to the top to hook the shackle and draw it down. A coat hanger tied in might do the same.

I also don't really understand your description of how it got up there!

Good luck!
 
I managed to recover a lost halliard by lashing a nice big treble fish hook onto the spinnaker halliard that ran alongside the lost one and snagging it. It took some fiddling but if your halliards are close enough at the mast head it can work.
 
It sounds like it's the same as my rotostay one, you need to attach a bit of rope to the wire before you send it up the forestay. The sails were off the boat when I got it so I knew what to do as I'd had to fit them.

I'd stick with the Main+engine option but I have been up my mast before. I have a Bosuns chair. I had to pull myself up the halyard (external halyards) as the stout helper on deck couldn't hoist me unaided.
The second time I needed to go up I found a small boy who was willing and jumped at the offer.
 
Done it a few times myself; I use an ordinary ladder to reach up to the spreaders and then I use an extendable pole (from B&Q) which is approx. 5 m; together with my height it is enough to hook the end of the halyard from top of the mast. I also have a mast ladder which can reach to the top of the mast. The extendable pole is very useful for many things; get one at £10 ~£15.
 
Apologies if I'm being a bit vague with the details but the boat (southerly 100) is new to me and the jib halyard arrangement is different to my last boat.

I've attached a couple of photos (both prior to mishap) - photo 1 shows the mast head & I'd say that the swivel is attached directly to the mast head. Photo 2 shows the furler and it has two connections - one for the sail for attachment and one where a wire is tied of with line.

I think that the (wire) halyard from the top swivel travels back down the outside of the furling spars and ties off on top of the furler drum. It is this part that has let go and is now at the top of the mast. So, I have a wire eye with 1m of 6mm line hard up against the top swivel

Picture 010 CROPPED.jpgPicture 004 CROPPED.jpg
 
It's an odd way of doing it isn't it, when you are used to halliards coming down the mast?

I'm not sure I'm getting enough tension on the genoa luff with the bit of 3mm string passed through hook on the furling drum and the end of the wire multiple times, anyway that's another thread.
 
I'd second the Boat hook or Coat hanger attached to stick bent to a shape designed to catch the Halyard, hoisted on another halyard or preferably the mast head burgee halyard. I've done this several times on various boats after loosing the main and another halyards up the mast. Good to have a light weight external halyard for this in any case.
 
garvellachs said:
If it is still attached to the top swivel, or if the shackle is proud enough, then I have seen a trick using a boat hook tied into the spinnaker halyard (like a dinghy burgee) and hoisted to the top to hook the shackle and draw it down. A coat hanger tied in might do the same.

I also don't really understand your description of how it got up there!

Good luck!
Click to expand...

I'm not sure of the arrangement either - but four or five garden canes gaffered together, with a hook on one end should do the trick.....
 
aquaplane said:
It's an odd way of doing it isn't it, when you are used to halliards coming down the mast?

I'm not sure I'm getting enough tension on the genoa luff with the bit of 3mm string passed through hook on the furling drum and the end of the wire multiple times, anyway that's another thread.
Click to expand...

It is not what I was expecting - hence when I undid the 'string' I was surprised at how quickly the halyard shot up the mast and left me swamped in falling sail! The last time that I had an arrangement like this was on a Wanderer dinghy - It seems unusual to me on a 32' yacht.


Anyway, thanks to all for the suggestions. I've decided to (1) look in to hooking it/wrapping it with the spinnaker halyard (or possibly the topping lift) (2) I'll get some strong drain rods with a hook - standing on a ladder with (upto) 9m of rods might work & (3) give up on it all and go with motor and main sail only.


Thanks all
 
OK idea for you....

You have one end of wire at deck level on up the mast?

Attach the end at deck level on the swivel? on to say the spinnaker halyard (with another rope as down haul).

Use the spinnaker halyard to hoist halyard to top of mast to take weight of wire of the other side. Then try rattling and shaking mast/ furler it might fall the right way?

If not and mast is coming down anyway, you have engine you have main sail, you have SeaStarts phone number?

They will charge extra, but you can join on the spot in an emergency for immediate call out...

There are enough precautions there, how do MOBO's & RIB's manage?
 
There's a fair few MastaClimbas around the Portsmouth/Southampton area.
Perhaps one proud owner will leap at the chance to show off and do the job for you.

Do you not have a spare - spinnaker or storm jib you could jury rig?
 
+1 for a bent wire coat hanger fastened to the mast head burgee halyard, or if you don't have a burgee halyard, any mast head halyard, with a down line attached.

It's much easier than it sounds, especially if the boat is on the mud and there isn't too much wind. Lying on your back on the deck saves a crick in the neck from looking up.

I've used the technique successfully several times.
 
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