Jib halyard disaster advice please

[mickyp168]

I finally managed to do it. As a result of a long story I have accidentally pulled my jib halyard completely out of the mast. I understand that the best way to fix it is once up the mast have a messenger line attached to an old bicycle chain . Thread the chain and line down over the pulley and into the mast so it drops down to near the access slot for the halyard. Then hook it out somehow and splice the halyard to the other end of the messenger line and pull that up and through as if you were replacing the halyard in the normal way. Im wondering if that would be the best way or is there another? I really don't want to take the mast down unless I have to. Thanks

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Don't know about the bicycle chain but thin mousing line and a couple of small nuts as weights is what I have used in the past.

 

[pete]

That's the normal way, just make sure any other halyards are tight so they don't get crossed over in the mast when you drop it.
a bit of welding wire would be good for rooting it out at the bottom.

 

[lampshuk]

Pretty much.
There is another method, involving a ferret, a sausage and a bucket, but the bicycle chain is easier.

Doesn't have to be bicycle chain (just a few links) but that seems to work well.
I have used fishing line with a lead weight as the messenger.
Removing the sheave(s) at the mast base will make it easier to hook the messenger (usually just requires pulling a split pin and withdrawing the axle-rod).

The first time I did this, I had to remove about a pillow-case full of moss from the base of the mast.

 

[jaypea]

A picture of the mast top would be useful to assess options. There are a myriad ways of doing it, but if resolving by the 'gravity' method [using a weighted mouse line] something thin and preferably fairly short is best. They have an irritating habit of catching on everything else thats inside the mast
Does the jib halyard go right to the top of the mast? Is there another [lower] halyard that could be used as a mouse line....tie mouse to 'head' end of halyard, pull halyard through as far as the bottom sheave, hook mouse line out of required sheave. At top of mast, thread jib halyard in and hook out of secondary sheave box....i unscrewed the sheave to give easier access. Then you're only threading the actual halyard, poss weighted a much smaller distance....retie the mouse line to the halyard and pull through. Needs a diagram really but hoping my note makes some sort of sense!
I'm sure you will get several suggestions on here and the 'right' one really does depend on your particular mast. Good luck

 

[Kukri]

Did it this spring on the Squib; used some nylon monofilament fishing line and a lot of split shot.

You need a lot of patience.

 

[mickyp168]

Thanks for all the advice I see a lot of swearing coming on!

 

[bluerm166]

Have just had to replace the spinnaker pole uphaul halyard for exactly this reason.Obviously a bit easier than for the jib as the pulley is only about 600mm above the trees.
Found that the gap above the block was too small to take even a 6mm nut so used lead shot.
Used the main halyard low level exit slot as an intermediate point from which the mouse line could be fished.
With a Z spars mast base and its 'integral' pulleys it is near impossible to drop the mouse line thro the 10mm hole in the base but proved possible to feed green garden wire around the base pulley and up thro the guided hole and approx 900 mm up to the slot.The wire could then pull the mouse onward down and out.

 

[Kukri]

Another vote for green garden wire. Every boat should have some!

 

[lw395]

I find it helps if the 'mouse' is heavier. I tend to use a lot of small nuts , threaded on a string with knots between groups of 6 or so.
Another good weight is that silver ball-chain from your works security badge...

On some masts, it helps to heel the boat and have the other halyards bar tight, the mouse then slides down the wall of the mast instead of tangling with other lines.
You should check it really is free of cross-overs and be prepared to take it out and start again.

 

[Slinky Spring]

I did this recently. chain was too thick to fit through the sheave. I ended up using a long length of 'ball chain'. not sure what its used for. possibly bottom of curtains. A metre or so was heavy enough to pull the mouse line through. At the bottom I used a loop of cable tie which opened back out once pushed through the sheave and the chain went straight down into it.

 

[[3889]]

The very small link chain used in Sturmey Archer gears works well.

 

[DavidMcMullan]

I used 6 or 8mm (to suit pulley diameter) diameter round fishing weights on monofilament. Also found it helpful to drop it down the outside of the mast first and mark with a knot where the mast opening near the base is.

 

[Kukri]

I used 6 or 8mm (to suit pulley diameter) diameter round fishing weights on monofilament. Also found it helpful to drop it down the outside of the mast first and mark with a knot where the mast opening near the base is.

That’s a good tip.

 

[wiggy]

On my last boat the jib halyard exited tight under the forestay attachment, I had to push weighted look e uphill first, lots of swearing essential.

 

[mickyp168]

Thanks again for the advice ! You live and learn . Always something with boats it's never simple

 

[NorthUp]

A decent magnet helps if fishing for a ferrous mouse.

 

[Tomahawk]

Get a very long cable tie and push a loop through the exit slot.

Then feed it in until it has pushed up against the insides of the mast all round..
This also makes sure the other halyards don't get entangled.
Then drop the weighted mouse through the loop..

Pull the cable tie out.. with the mouse line in the middle ... Simples

PS make sure any weights will come out the exit slot without any problem..

 

[LadyInBed]

Get a very long cable tie and push a loop through the exit slot.

Then feed it in until it has pushed up against the insides of the mast all round..
This also makes sure the other halyards don't get entangled.
Then drop the weighted mouse through the loop..

Pull the cable tie out.. with the mouse line in the middle ... Simples

PS make sure any weights will come out the exit slot without any problem..

:encouragement: that's how I do it.
Pre marking the length to the outlet helps a lot.

 

[sgr143]

When I had a misfortune with a spinnaker halyard, I tried pretty well all variants of the games above (except the bicycle chain one - good idea!), but none worked. It always got stuck somewhere on the way down. Eventually I sorted it out when the mast was down so I could fix the jib furler. I used screw-together "electrician's poles" (like sweep's brushes, but thinner), with a geomag magnet gaffer-taped on the end. I measured the pole length up external to the mast first so that I could place the magnet inside the mast just next to the sheave. Then I lowered the mousing line in past the sheave, with another geomag on its end (opposite polarity to the one on the pole, obviously); there was a highly satisfying "snick" as they mated together, and then I could withdraw the pole, pulling the mousing line through. Sewed the halyard onto the mousing line, and then pulled that through; job done! The reason I lost the halyard in the first place was through not ] sewing it to the mousing line, thinking that just taping it on would be OK. Much grief followed!
Steve