tome
New member
Feeling pretty pleased with myself after going up the mast yesterday and fixing all the minor problems. I hate working aloft!
I spent a good hour getting together all the gear and tools I would need, then slackened off the backstay to take the tension off the forestay. It took me 10 minutes to get up 50ft above WL to the masthead using the Topclimber. Once there I hooked a safety line over the masthead and took a breather.
First job was to properly fit the split pin on the toggle holding the forestay. This was barely through the pin and not splayed - hanging on by a thread. I'd practiced on a lower toggle before going aloft, so had the mole grips set up ready. Even so, it took a good 15 minutes to do this simple task and I managed to break a pair of long nosed pliers in the process.
Next job was to replace the spinnaker block. The one fitted was on a snap-shackle, which is dangerous aloft. It wasn't articulating properly and was on a long shackle onto the masthead U bolt. This shackle had begun to wear badly, and had started to damage the headbox. I'd already dropped the halyard from on deck. Sods law came into play and the shackle proved a right b*****d to remove. This took another 20 minutes. I eventually fitted the new block (I was terrified of dropping the shackle pin) and moused it with monel wire. I threaded a 4mm mouse through the new block and dropped both ends down to the deck.
Then it was bulb replacement time - this time I didn't leave the bulbs on the chart table! I'd decided to replace the tricolour bulb also, so went to the Pumpkin chandlery in our marina to get a spare. They were out of 12V 25W bulbs but took one out of a new light for me - they really are helpful in the Northney branch. When I removed the lense I saw that there was no bulb fitted to the anchor light, so I applied some vaseline and put in the new bulb. Took out the tricolour bulb and discovered it was 10W! Somebody had replaced a blown tricolour with the anchor light bulb. More vaseline, and back on with the lense.
All that remained was to measure the mast height. I have a set of plans for my boat from Holman & Pye but there was some suggestion that the later boats had a taller rig and I wanted to check this. I taped one end of a 50m surveyors tape at the boom gooseneck and took the rest aloft. I measured 41ft 3in which is exactly what the plans say.
By now it was getting a little breezy and I was worried about my messenger line. I'd been aloft for about an hour and a quarter and my feet were beginning to ache in the Topclimber webbing straps. As I descended I saw that the messenger line was a little short and blowing around just above boom height, so I shot down as quickly as I could. Fate was smiling for once, and both ends came to hand. Couple of minutes later I'd re-run the spinnaker halyard.
I took some digital pics whilst aloft for future reference, and was feeling pretty chuffed with myself. All done, and ready for a serious lads sail this coming weekend (Alderney if there's any wind). Bloody glad to hit terra firma though!
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I spent a good hour getting together all the gear and tools I would need, then slackened off the backstay to take the tension off the forestay. It took me 10 minutes to get up 50ft above WL to the masthead using the Topclimber. Once there I hooked a safety line over the masthead and took a breather.
First job was to properly fit the split pin on the toggle holding the forestay. This was barely through the pin and not splayed - hanging on by a thread. I'd practiced on a lower toggle before going aloft, so had the mole grips set up ready. Even so, it took a good 15 minutes to do this simple task and I managed to break a pair of long nosed pliers in the process.
Next job was to replace the spinnaker block. The one fitted was on a snap-shackle, which is dangerous aloft. It wasn't articulating properly and was on a long shackle onto the masthead U bolt. This shackle had begun to wear badly, and had started to damage the headbox. I'd already dropped the halyard from on deck. Sods law came into play and the shackle proved a right b*****d to remove. This took another 20 minutes. I eventually fitted the new block (I was terrified of dropping the shackle pin) and moused it with monel wire. I threaded a 4mm mouse through the new block and dropped both ends down to the deck.
Then it was bulb replacement time - this time I didn't leave the bulbs on the chart table! I'd decided to replace the tricolour bulb also, so went to the Pumpkin chandlery in our marina to get a spare. They were out of 12V 25W bulbs but took one out of a new light for me - they really are helpful in the Northney branch. When I removed the lense I saw that there was no bulb fitted to the anchor light, so I applied some vaseline and put in the new bulb. Took out the tricolour bulb and discovered it was 10W! Somebody had replaced a blown tricolour with the anchor light bulb. More vaseline, and back on with the lense.
All that remained was to measure the mast height. I have a set of plans for my boat from Holman & Pye but there was some suggestion that the later boats had a taller rig and I wanted to check this. I taped one end of a 50m surveyors tape at the boom gooseneck and took the rest aloft. I measured 41ft 3in which is exactly what the plans say.
By now it was getting a little breezy and I was worried about my messenger line. I'd been aloft for about an hour and a quarter and my feet were beginning to ache in the Topclimber webbing straps. As I descended I saw that the messenger line was a little short and blowing around just above boom height, so I shot down as quickly as I could. Fate was smiling for once, and both ends came to hand. Couple of minutes later I'd re-run the spinnaker halyard.
I took some digital pics whilst aloft for future reference, and was feeling pretty chuffed with myself. All done, and ready for a serious lads sail this coming weekend (Alderney if there's any wind). Bloody glad to hit terra firma though!
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