Mast removal

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Billyo

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Quick question for the experienced, I'm having my mast removed next week and just wondering what to do with the halyards. Should I remove them beforehand and replace with a mouse line, or do people normally leave them in and secure to the mast?
 
Minchsailor said:
You can do either, but I generally leave them in place. If you remove them, you have the opportunity to put them through the washing machine (30 deg wash) - they come up a treat!.
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Put them in a pillow case first or spend the next day untangling them. Ask me how I know.
 
Great, thanks for the responses.

On washing, the boatyard has already said that cruisers are banned from using the washing machine, appareltny it keeps breaking. Im assuming from all the ropes/sails that are overloaded into it...
 
Depends on how long the mast is down for. Ours is down for 6 months every year and I remove and clean all the halyards. However I'm in the minority.
The advantages are it doubles their lifespan, keeps them clean and makes it easy to check for any worn areas. I find it easier to remove and replace when the masts stepped but loose a mouse line and it's a trip up the mast.
I tape up all the electric cables and place the ends in a plastic milk / juice bottle hung upside down.
 
A really good chance to do some maintenance. Remove halyards before mast down - leave mousing lines in place. Easier to do with mast vertical. Check and wash halyards. Check any lights, new (perhaps LED) bulbs. Check sheaves etc at masthead, often worn or cracked. Look very carefully at shroud/stay connections and top swages of wires. Then clean every inch. I used a toothrrush for detailed bits.
 
Billyo said:
Great, thanks for the responses.

On washing, the boatyard has already said that cruisers are banned from using the washing machine, appareltny it keeps breaking. Im assuming from all the ropes/sails that are overloaded into it...
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Get a large bucket and soak them in weak bleach for a few hours, it'll remove the green and black. Then rinse thoroughly. Not too strong though, it can make them stiff.
 
I always take mine off, but they're external. If yours go inside the mast, I'd still take advantage of the opportunity to check them thoroughly, but definitely use mousing lines. Trying to rethread internal halyards with the mast down, you'll surprise yourself with the breadth and imagination of your NSFW vocabulary
 
Catalina36 said:
Get a large bucket and soak them in weak bleach for a few hours, it'll remove the green and black.
Click to expand...

That'll be a bugger

s-l400.jpg
 
I've realised I had a brain fart moment, all my halyards are external, so once the mast is on the ground I can remove and replace easily without worrying about mousing lines ect.

But... another question, how difficult is it to splice a radar cable? Something I can tackle myself with some but ends and a crimping tool, or do i need to either find a professional who knows what he's doing/tear the boat apart to get the cable out in one piece?! Its a furuno radar if that makes a difference? (I'm also hoping that one day a bright spark in the sailing world will conjure up a furuno plugin for opencpn, tempting and financially damaging it is to replace it now with a lowrance)
 
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