Mousing a new halyard

youen

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2005
Messages
684
Location
Brittany
Visit site
I try without success to mouse a line for a new jib halyard on the ZSpar mast of my First 25.7. At the moment the mast is laid down in a shed.When I use an électrician needle from the mast head each time I try the guide is stopped at the level of the spreaders ,when I try from the other side the needle go up the mast but I
have no access to the guide which arrive behind the halyard sheave.Going downside I think the guide is stopped by à part Linkin the 2 spreaders.How can I succeed?thanks
 

Neeves

Well-known member
Joined
20 Nov 2011
Messages
12,284
Location
Sydney, Australia.
Visit site
Take the mouse line along the mast, as the mast is presumably horizontal, using another halyard.

Say you start at the top of the mast - feed the mouse line through the appropriate sheave - the one designed for that halyard. Fifiddle around and pull the mouse line to a halyard already in the mast . Secure mouse line to existing halyard and pull through the mast. When the mouse line appears at the exit slot fish around from the correct slot and pull the mouse line through. Best done in dry weather - and you need patience :)

Tools needed, some stiffish wire and maybe a torch.

Jonathan
 

Concerto

Well-known member
Joined
16 Jul 2014
Messages
6,023
Location
Chatham Maritime Marina
Visit site
You use a ceramic magnet and an old iron nut. Secure the nut on the end of the mousing line and then use the ceramic magnet to move it along the mast. It is best to work on the top side of the mast, so if the nut drops you will hear it. To extract the nut make sure you have some cable ties in a large loop inside the base of the mast from the halyard exit. Drop the nut past the loop and then gently pull it out. You just need patience, but quite easy to do. If you do not have a ceramic magnet, the plenty available on eBay, etc.
 

Shaddickp

Member
Joined
4 May 2004
Messages
146
Location
UK, South West England
Visit site
Take the mouse line along the mast, as the mast is presumably horizontal, using another halyard.

Say you start at the top of the mast - feed the mouse line through the appropriate sheave - the one designed for that halyard. Fifiddle around and pull the mouse line to a halyard already in the mast . Secure mouse line to existing halyard and pull through the mast. When the mouse line appears at the exit slot fish around from the correct slot and pull the mouse line through. Best done in dry weather - and you need patience :)

Tools needed, some stiffish wire and maybe a torch.

Jonathan
Yes all good, but I would attach two mouse lines so you have one for your new halyard and one that you can use to pull back through the halyard you just used.
 

Rhylsailer99

Active member
Joined
19 Jun 2020
Messages
648
Visit site
I did mine a couple of days ago by tying a cord to one halyard and pulling it through then with the use of forceps managed to manipulate it so its on the other sheave.
 

Neeves

Well-known member
Joined
20 Nov 2011
Messages
12,284
Location
Sydney, Australia.
Visit site
Yes all good, but I would attach two mouse lines so you have one for your new halyard and one that you can use to pull back through the halyard you just used.

Sorry - but I was assuming the halyard being used would be long enough that it would not be pulled right through. Halyards are usually twice working length plus a bit for handling - which should be fine - but I might pull a second mouse line through anyway in case someone inadvertently pulls one right through - been there, done that.

But

This would need to be checked by the OP.
 

youen

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2005
Messages
684
Location
Brittany
Visit site
Thanks everybody, at the end I have suceeded after taking apart the sheave box and used an electrician needle push through the mast from the lower end to the mast head
 
Top