Mystery halliard

[Finesse]

My Finesse 24 is sloop rigged and fitted with an aluminium spar from International Yachting Equipment Ltd, who no longer seem to exist. I have a question. There is a halliard on the starboard side which emerges from the side of the mast at the top, is run internally and emerges again low down towards the foot of the mast and is made up to a cleat above the sheave. Any ideas what this could be for as I have not seen a similar arrangement?

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[Peterduck]

If the cordage is very light it may be a burgee halyard. I presume that you have eliminated the more obvious things like spinnaker halyards, etc.
Peter.

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[ccscott49]

Doubt it's a burgee halyard, as it's inside the mast, but I suppose it could be a spinny halyard.

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[Finesse]

The strange thing is it emerges from a sheave at the side of the mast and is therefore fo good for flying a spinnaker or chute. Its a suitable size for a topping lift or silmilar but whatever you fix it to, it has an unfair lead. When I take the mast down at the end of the season, I expect all will be made clear!

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[steve_l]

If I remember correctly, the prefered place to fly the national ensign is from the mast head (from RYA publication - Flag Etiquette or something similar). The stern staff is the alternative position if the masthead is not suitable for any reason. Of course, it's easier to fly the ensign from the stern so the alternative position has become the normal position.

So, I would guess that this is the ensign halliard.

The ensign staff would be attached to the halliard just under the ensign and a downhaul attached to the bottom of the staff (could be the same line). This is then run up the side of the mast and the ensign flies above the masthead without getting in the way of anything important (before the advent of Windex and other modern masthead paraphernalia).

br. steve

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[AuntyRinum]

"If I remember correctly, the prefered place to fly the national ensign is from the mast head (from RYA publication - Flag Etiquette or something similar). The stern staff is the alternative position if the masthead is not suitable for any reason".

Not correct! The rule is that the ensign is the most important of the flags and it should be worn on the after part of the ship and most prominently displayed, usually from its own special staff on the taffrail. If this is not possible because of interference from sails or rig then it may be worn as near as possible to the position it would be in if it was flying from a staff. In gaff rigged yachts this may mean on the peak of the sail on the after mast, which by tradition is acceptable.

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[whiskerstay]

Mast Head Ensign

It is only correct to wear an ensign at the mainmast head when dressing ship (when more than one mast is fitted, there should be an ensign at each masthead), side by side with your burgee (mainmast).

The only time it is otherwise acceptable to fly a masthead ensign is on a vessel where an ensign staff on the taffrail would interfere with sails or gear, as in ketches, and particularly yawls. We fly our ensign from the mizzen masthead on our bermudian yawl, and it has been questioned once or twice.

On a single masted bermudian-rigged vessel where a taffrail mounted Ensign isn't possible, it seems rather controversial where the ensign goes, but apparently it is probably acceptable two thirds of the way up the leech of the mainsail...? Does anybody do this?

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