Mast line fishing

[zoidberg]

I'm faced with re-running leader-lines through my horizontal mast for my various halyards and 'lecky cables. Yes, some originals have survived the weather, but others have not. It seems almost certain that I'll get some tangled.

I DO have an electrician's fish-tape, but I saw tonight the idea of using a pair of magnets- the one to pull the other with leader-line attached. Example...

Has anyone here used this idea for my purpose?

 

[davidej]

Ignore! I now realize what you mean.

 

[Refueler]

You need a good pair of magnets ... and a very light line to pull through ....

Don't forget that at Spreader point - its not unusual to have compression fittings inside the mast causing restriction ... so magnets have to be small ....

Of course some masts have channels for lines .. even more imprtant for small magnets then !

 

[chris-s]

I have used magnets many times for this purpose, on masts, booms, behind interior mouldings and more.

Use neodymium magnets. On my mousing line I use several small ones stacked together, maybe 4mm diameter wrapped and secured to my line with insulation tape. And then the biggest magnet you can on the outside, mine is probably 10cm x 5cm x 3cm, but that is extreme and only because I already had it.

Some washing up liquid on the mousing line helps.

Chris

 

[Ardenfour]

I used a couple of sets of screw-together electrician fishing rods. They're around a tenner for a 10m set.

 

[William_H]

I perhaps have been fortunate in not having difficulties fitting internal halyards to my mast. Being a fractional rig the jib halyard and spinnaker halyard both emerge in a sheave box which can be removed. This gives me access inside the mast to see the main halyard a loop of which can be fished out with a loop of wire.
I can tape a new halyard or a string to the main halyard to carry it up through the mast parallel to the main halyard.
Not so easy at the bottom where halyards emerge through slots. I have been able to fish out again with a hook the string attached to main halyard to get string out through the correct hole.
In the case of the main halyard I was able to feed a wire down through sheave box (sheave removed) as far as jib halyard box where string or wire can be attached to an existing halyard. All dpending on having one existing halyard in the right place. ol'will

 

[Refueler]

Many years ago ... I had my mast horizontal on the fence at home ... and had to reave halyards ... fence wire .. all sorts .. took all day to get it through ... I soon learnt !!

Next time I did it - I used fishing weights .. they are long slender and with a plastic tube attached ... the tube is flexible ... no idea what they are for - but fishing shop had them in various sizes. The light line - fishing line is made to the weight and the tube cvers the knot ... worked a treat ...

My 25 - lost a halyard few years back ... one of those stupid - wish I hadn't done it events ! with the mast down - I used one of the other halyards to pull light line through ... then that light line pulled another light line and the halyard back through ... then the light line pulled the remaining halyard through ... Maybe some ask why do it twice - OK - try pulling two halyards through together !!

 

[rogerthebodger]

When I was doing the same I had my mast on a stand i could rotate the mast so I could push a long piece of electrical conduit along the mast under the spreader compression fitting.

I would the rotate the mast so I could ensure the next fish line went the correct side of the spreader compression fitting

This was on a 15 meter mast horizontal

 

[bluerm166]

I found that the magic tool for doing this with mast horizontal was the old pvc sleeved forestay .

 

[WindyWindyWindy]

I saw a thing on youtube where someone used a vacuum cleaner and a plastic bag tied to a bit of string.
He was threading a long underground pipe but the speed the thing went at was impressive.

 

[Refueler]

Thinking of Magnets ... is the Sea Searcher still sold ??

 

[rogerthebodger]

is the Sea Searcher still sold ??

Yes

Sea Searcher Recovery Magnet

I have used welding magnets

Amazon.co.uk : welding magnets

 

[doug748]

I'm faced with re-running leader-lines through my horizontal mast for my various halyards and 'lecky cables. Yes, some originals have survived the weather, but others have not. It seems almost certain that I'll get some tangled.

I DO have an electrician's fish-tape, but I saw tonight the idea of using a pair of magnets- the one to pull the other with leader-line attached. Example...

Has anyone here used this idea for my purpose?

I'm with bluerm166, I have used an old cap stay to do the same.

I remove the head box and foot so you can actually see if there is any tangle by tensioning each new line, from either end of the mast, and looking with a strong light. Makes it an easy job, esp if the mast is above waist height.
Replacing any rivets with screws makes the end fittings easy to remove in future, very useful if you keep you boat a long time, most jobs come around again

One great thing I remembered to do this time is to photograph all details at the masthead - makes life easier if someone has to go up there to sort things out.

.

 

[KevinV]

I saw a thing on youtube where someone used a vacuum cleaner and a plastic bag tied to a bit of string.
He was threading a long underground pipe but the speed the thing went at was impressive.

I've done this, it works brilliantly IF you have no air leaks and the pipe is smooth, both of which might be an issue with a mast.

 

[Refueler]

Yes

Sea Searcher Recovery Magnet

I have used welding magnets

Amazon.co.uk : welding magnets

ok ...

 

[Neeves]

I'm not going to answer your question, but its a forum so acceptable

Riggers or mast suppliers do this every day, what do they do?

If the answer is: 'have the mast vertical'

then

That is hardly onerous, unless you have a 100' yacht.

Some of the rare earth magnets are exceptionally powerful and small. There was a company Neosid, guess where the name came from, who were experts in the field. They might be worth contacting for the best magnets to use - if they still exist.

Jonathan

 

[ghostlymoron2]

The sea searcher is powerful but much too big.

 

[rogerthebodger]

The sea searcher is powerful but much too big.

Why if used on the outside of the mast with a piece of steel inside

 

[andsarkit]

I have several magnets recovered from old radar magnetrons.
I believe you can also recover them from a broken microwave.
Microwave magnets
For work we used very powerful magnets for attaching underwater sensors to oil rigs. I have a few of these and they are potentially quite a hazard if you get you fingers between a pair of them.

 

[Refueler]

I have several magnets recovered from old radar magnetrons.
I believe you can also recover them from a broken microwave.
Microwave magnets
For work we used very powerful magnets for attaching underwater sensors to oil rigs. I have a few of these and they are potentially quite a hazard if you get you fingers between a pair of them.

I've had a Magnetron trap my fingers in the past .... yes it ******* hurts !!