Main halliard hooked round the front...

[DeeGee]

OK, I promised to report back with results of testing Vitalman and Chris_E's solutions.

Vitalman, I owe you a pint! Doing it your way took about 1min and could not have been easier. I came to the immediate conclusion that this would work for anybody, no matter how high the spreaders, as the obstruction HAS to be at least a metre below the top of the mast, and that is way enough.

To recap. One slackens the main halyard, if necessary threading the spinnaker halyard through the bight of the main halyard between the top of the sail to the masthead, and then tension the spi halyard, pulling toward the bow. Poof, the main halyard is free. MAGIC !!

And so obvious when you know how. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Chris, with the success of Vitalman's solution, I tried to rehook, to try your fender technique, but couldnt hook it. Even if the fender solution works, you must accept my unbiassed evaluation of his technique as ACE! or COOL as they say today. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Thistle]

I can't quite picture this - probably because I'm being a bit thick. If the obstruction - reflector or whatever - is above the spreaders, doesn't the spinnaker halyard get caught under the spreaders?

 

[kengill]

No - 'cos you feed it in from the side that doesn't jam - not the other one.

Having said that MY CREWS solution came about 'cos they're blind and doing it that way means you don't actually have to be able to see it to be able to sort it. She does this on her own boat too.

 

[Thistle]

I'm still in stupid mode - sorry!

I'm imagining a bight of main halyard going forward, above the spreader, through the triangle between mast, shroud and spreader and hooking itself round the reflector on the front of the mast. Let's say this happens on the starboard side.

If I understand your method, you take the spinnaker halyard to the starboard side of the mast at deck / boom level, put it round the main halyard (which is still attached to the head of the lowered sail) and then walk the spinnaker halyard forward. As you go forward the point where the two halyards cross moves upwards until it meets the spreader. What happens then?

 

[ColinHuggins]

Re: Main halliard hooked round ...

None of which will be necessary if you keep the radar reflector in the cockpit locker and only hoist it . . . in fog, and then to the spreader.

Of course you'd have to sacrifice all those courtesy ensigns, burgees and house flags decorating the rigging . . .

 

[ChrisE]

Well, I'm glad you found a solution that works for you.

 

[steve_cronin]

You could easily make your own from the 1 metre strips of anodised aluminium sold by B&Q

Steve Cronin

 

[DeeGee]

.. the crossing point moves up ( <span style="color:red"> the main halyard is slack, the spinnaker halyard is moderately taught </span> ) until the main halyard HAS TO part company with the obstruction/hookey-uppy-thing/radar reflector. Believe me, it is so simple and there is no fiddling or anything. I repeat, the main halyard cannot remain held back, it just slides off in reverse of how it slid on.

I suppose if the radar reflector had some nasty shapes, like bits sticking out - it might want to hang on, then I suppose it would be necessary to do some wiggling of the spinnaker halyard.

Put this in your boat notes. I had the problem once before and pratted about with a messenger line, a bolt, and a catapult. I am glad I have lost the catapult /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Thistle]

Terminal stupidity on my part I'm afraid, but many thanks for trying so patiently to explain it to me. I reckon I'll have to try it on a mast before I can really understand how it works.

Thanks again.

 

[DeeGee]

Ah, but my experience is that, despite getting hooked in the first place, it is damnably difficult to get it hooked again. Not that I tried VERY hard - but I did want to try Chris' method. Maybe later this week I will give it another go, I may be able to use the same method with the spi halyard to hook it back ! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Thistle]

I think I'll probably use the Enterprise that's sitting in the garden awaiting its annual dose of tlc. Tie on a fender to act as a "radar reflector" and use the jib halyard instead of a spinnaker halyard; roll the boat over to hook the halyard (and to unhook it if other methods are unsuccessful!)

Results will be posted here ... but don't hold your breath!