Should Have Known Better!

[archie]

I recently removed the reefing lines and out-haul from my boat for their annual trip to the laundrette, but this time I forgot to put mouse lines in the boom to re-thread them.

I have several ideas for re-threading them but wondered if anyone had a guaranteed 10 minute solution that didn't involve hours of fiddling around with lengths of rigid wire, net curtain wire, magnets, a real mouse with some string tied to it etc.

Any help gratefully received.

 

[Skipper_Christoph]

Bring the boom into a (nearly) vertical position. Then tie some sort of weight to a mouse line an let it slide from the upper end of the boom down.
Tie or sew your reefing lines and out-haul to this and drag through.

Christoph

 

[sarabande]

electrician's rods ?

Always a use for them elsewhere, too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=electricians+rods

 

[Seajet]

I always use whipping twine with a few nuts tied on the end 9 better than one weight as they can articulate round sheaves etc ) then if it's a boom lift the ' feed ' end, with the desired outlet sheave on the lower side to let gravity help - then jiggle it - with masts a thin bit of wire with a hooked end to poke through the lower sheave and grab the twine; never failed so far.

 

[duncan99210]

Do you have a sail bag fitted? They have battens which are about the right length for prodding a line through the boom. Failing that, a full length sail batten would do the job. When I fitted a third reef, that's how I threaded the mousing line through.

 

[Jabs]

Vacuum cleaner? Suck the mouse line through??

 

[mtb]

I use a mig welder liner from the torch, its nice an whippy but strong lol enough to pull things back

 

[PembrokeshirePromise]

electrician's rods ?

Always a use for them elsewhere, too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=electricians+rods

Another vote for these - works for my boom ...

 

[cliff]

electrician's rods ?

Always a use for them elsewhere, too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=electricians+rods

Those are expensive (postage £20) try these:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Han...+Cable+Access+Kit+10+x+330mm/d10/sd170/p50619
or
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Han...per+Cable+Access+Kit+10+x+1m/d10/sd170/p75799

 

[onesea]

Not needed it on the boat yet but:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LARGE-50FT-ELECTRICIAN-FISH-TAPE-Cable-Wire-Access-Rod-Threader-Conduit-Drywall-/201062095684?pt=UK_BOI_Materials_Supplies_Electrical_ET&hash=item2ed03c1b44

Same idea but not rods... Worked wonders in a few places but not needed it yet for halyards....

 

[Norman_E]

On some booms the sheaves fitted at the mast end can make it very hard to get anything through to carry a mouse line. When I fitted an extra line through my boom I had to resort to knocking out the pin the sheaves run on and removing the sheaves. It was actually quite easy to do that and replace the sheaves afterwards, with the added advantage that I was able to grease the bearing surfaces on reassembly.

 

[wiggy]

Old bike chain works well, it's heavy so falls down hill well but flexible so goes round sheaves.

 

[archie]

I purchased a set of pulling rods but they were too bendy so I resorted to a load of garden canes taped together with a magnet and small torch taped to the end. i then push a thin line with another small magnet attached to the end up over the sheaves where it magically joined the big magnet on the end of the canes that I had passed along the boom. Quite easy in the end actually!

 

[Birdseye]

Take the boom off the gooseneck, put it near vertical, drop a line down attached to something a bit weighty like a steel bolt. Pull the line through.

Alternatively, if you have a gay friend see if you can borrow his hamster.