New boat owner a bit confused - cord blocking mainsail

[Kerinjo]

Hello everyone, I'm a longtime reader of this forum but first time poster. I've bought my first boat, an Achilles 9m. Apologies if this is a daft question...
Raising the mainsail to check it's condition I found it blocked at the height of the spreaders. Looking closer there appears to be a loop of black cord tied around the halyard just beneath the spreader, preventing the sail from going any higher. I've pondered on this and searched for a reason for it but I've come up at a loss. Would anyone know if it serves a purpose or how I could remove/untie it? Would it require a trip halfway up the mast?
Thanks in advance! Andy

 

[PetiteFleur]

All I can think of is a temporary loop to prevent the halliard rattling against the mast. Just remove it and you'll probably be ok. Just tie the halliard to somewhere else - I tie mine to the top of the boomstrut about 3' from the gooseneck.

 

[penfold]

All I can think of is a temporary loop to prevent the halliard rattling against the mast. Just remove it and you'll probably be ok. Just tie the halliard to somewhere else - I tie mine to the top of the boomstrut about 3' from the gooseneck.

As it's just tied around the lower shroud I'd agree; it's just there to reduce slatting and has slid up out of reach. I'd have thought it would be in reach of a boathook, although perhaps you may need to stand on the boom.

 

[FairweatherDave]

Yes it looks like a loop was tied around the halyard and the stay to stop it banging the mast, and it has worked its way upwards.
Just a late night fun solution but if you put an extra bit of line on the halyrd (so you still have control of the end) and make some kind of device that you can hoist one way up through the loop, but then it expands, (like the barb on a fish hook) so that as you pull down on the halyard end and work the loop back down to be able to pull further down by boat hook..... I go to great lengths not to go up the mast....

Or attach a long thin line doubled over at the halfway point with some weights and flick it so the weight brings the halyard outside the loop............I dunno. It shouldnt be too hard

 

[Kerinjo]

Fairweather Dave, Penfold and Petitefleur, that makes so much sense, thank you for your replies! I can see how that could happen now. I'll look at your solutions and get it down,
Thanks for your help!

 

[Pye_End]

Halyard frapping may well have been at nose height before raising the main, and it took it with it as the main went (half way) up.

 

[Kerinjo]

Halyard frapping may well have been at nose height before raising the main, and it took it with it as the main went (half way) up.

That's quite possible too now I think of it, a daft mistake...

 

[justanothersailboat]

Look at this as a free lesson in something some boat owners take too long to learn: YES use bits of cord to stop running rigging thrashing about when left unattended but NO don't ever leave one of those bits somewhere where it can gradually inch its way upward out of reach.

If you can get that bit down within reach - do. Otherwise it's up the mast time. Whereabouts, roughly, are you?

 

[Kerinjo]

Look at this as a free lesson in something some boat owners take too long to learn: YES use bits of cord to stop running rigging thrashing about when left unattended but NO don't ever leave one of those bits somewhere where it can gradually inch its way upward out of reach.

If you can get that bit down within reach - do. Otherwise it's up the mast time. Whereabouts, roughly, are you?

Thanks, that's good advice. There's so much to learn. I'm in Suffolk

 

[William_H]

if a boat hook won't get it to pull it down the shroud then perhaps a knife on a stick will reach it to cut it.Then it may fall down or leave it there until such time as you do go up or pull mast down. ol'will

 

[Kerinjo]

if a boat hook won't get it to pull it down the shroud then perhaps a knife on a stick will reach it to cut it.Then it may fall down or leave it there until such time as you do go up or pull mast down. ol'will

Thanks for your suggestion! I'll give that a go when I'm next on the boat

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Tie a heavy tool with a thin line to the end of your halyard. Hoist until the tool goes through the loop then drop it . You have just threaded the thin line through the loop and you can now pull it down.

 

[Kerinjo]

Tie a heavy tool with a thin line to the end of your halyard. Hoist until the tool goes through the loop then drop it . You have just threaded the thin line through the loop and you can now pull it down.

Thanks Buck! Great suggestion, I'm sure that'll do it!

 

[lustyd]

Just a late night fun solution but if you put an extra bit of line on the halyrd (so you still have control of the end) and make some kind of device that you can hoist one way up through the loop, but then it expands, (like the barb on a fish hook) so that as you pull down on the halyard end and work the loop back down to be able to pull further down by boat hook..... I go to great lengths not to go up the mast....

I wouldn't do this. If you fail you then have to go up the mast anyway but have one less halyard available to do so.

 

[Neeves]

As a yacht owner you need to accept that ascending a mast is part of of the skills of ownership. Don't postpone the task - next time it might be more important.

There are lots of devices to allow you to reach the crane, that right angled component at the top, tape ladders, Prussic loops and everything in between.

Use the search function provided with this forum and research mast climbing and then initiate a new thread to allow you to add to and consolidate your knowledge -

Its not difficult and if conducted with knowledge - its not dangerous. It can be seriously useful

Jonathan

 

[Kerinjo]

As a yacht owner you need to accept that ascending a mast is part of of the skills of ownership. Don't postpone the task - next time it might be more important.

There are lots of devices to allow you to reach the crane, that right angled component at the top, tape ladders, Prussic loops and everything in between.

Use the search function provided with this forum and research mast climbing and then initiate a new thread to allow you to add to and consolidate your knowledge -

Its not difficult and if conducted with knowledge - its not dangerous. It can be seriously useful

Jonathan

Thanks for your advice Jonathan, I'll look into it that, it is something I'd like to be more comfortable with.

 

[andsarkit]

sailboat dataYour mast is 10.7m and the spreaders at most 6m above the coachroof.
A couple of 8ft bamboos taped together with a bent wire hook at the top should do it. The bamboos can later be re-purposed for beans in the garden. Alternatively do you have a suitable fishing rod?
You really should have an assistant if you intend going up the mast although I am happy to go up alone as I have a mast ladder that runs up the mast track.

 

[Kerinjo]

sailboat dataYour mast is 10.7m and the spreaders at most 6m above the coachroof.
A couple of 8ft bamboos taped together with a bent wire hook at the top should do it. The bamboos can later be re-purposed for beans in the garden. Alternatively do you have a suitable fishing rod?
You really should have an assistant if you intend going up the mast although I am happy to go up alone as I have a mast ladder that runs up the mast track.

Thanks, another great suggestion. I'm looking onto mast tape ladders too, but in the meantime a long fishing rod or as you suggest bamboo poles with likely hook it down.

Thanks for your suggestions and advice everyone!

 

[zoidberg]

New boat owner a bit confused​

Even old boat owners get confused, Kerinjo. I frequently am, and I've been sailing almost 60 years. ( leads with chin... )

It would be possible to reach ( just ) the spreaders area on your boat, if need be, by securing an aluminium stepladder to the mast by means of a loop, with the feet well secured
by the toerail. I've done that successfully - it's a cheap, secure option.

I've notice ONE thing in your photo which does require inspection and perhaps attention. There's a 'kink' visible in a line of sorts at top-right. If that's a rigging wire, it could be damaged, even 'crippled' and if so ideally should be inspected by a rigger.

 

[Kerinjo]

Even old boat owners get confused, Kerinjo. I frequently am, and I've been sailing almost 60 years. ( leads with chin... )

It would be possible to reach ( just ) the spreaders area on your boat, if need be, by securing an aluminium stepladder to the mast by means of a loop, with the feet well secured
by the toerail. I've done that successfully - it's a cheap, secure option.

I've notice ONE thing in your photo which does require inspection and perhaps attention. There's a 'kink' visible in a line of sorts at top-right. If that's a rigging wire, it could be damaged, even 'crippled' and if so ideally should be inspected by a rigger.

Oh blimey, thanks, well spotted! I hadn't even seen that. Yes it's a rigging wire. I'll get it checked out too, I don't know when the standing rigging was last replaced