Spinnaker pole uphaul stuck in mast

[Bristolfashion]

So, recommissioning the yacht (Sadler 29) after winter. The mast has been off & reinstalled by the yard.

The spinnaker pole uphaul, which enters the mast at a sheave at the base and exits at a sheave just above the spreaders, is stuck firmly within the mast - just to be clear, both ends are accessible. It's all rope.

I've given it a firm pull by hand, but not by winch for fear of making things worse

The bottom sheave was stuck, but is now running freely.

I've used the main spinnaker halyard to raise the "pull" point above the exit point so that I can pull upwards at the upper exit point - no affect.

I can't see anything obviously wrong using binoculars.

I see the mast having to come off again, but, as it's a bank holiday, I'd like to try anything I can - I'm intending to go up the mast tomorrow to see if anything is obvious.

Any advice, suggestions, ways to proceed or stupidly obvious things that I might well have missed gratefully received! If anyone has any ideas what it might be stuck on let me know.

Thanks as ever.

 

[Kerenza]

Grasping at straws perhaps, but ease all the other lines in the mast in case it's twisted.....

K

 

[Refueler]

Maybe the line has 'jumped' the sheave at top and is now jammed between sheave and side ?

 

[Bristolfashion]

Thanks Kerenza - a good idea, I've just nipped out & tried that, sadly no affect.

Refueler - I'll head up the mast tomorrow morning and check that out - thanks.

 

[vyv_cox]

I am struggling to think of a way the uphaul could be jammed. Do all the other halyards work as they should? Or could one have been led through the wrong sheave?

 

[Bristolfashion]

I am struggling to think of a way the uphaul could be jammed. Do all the other halyards work as they should? Or could one have been led through the wrong sheave?

Yes, it's pretty weird. All the other halyards work correctly.

The mast was actually removed to rewire the instruments and lights as the cables were jammed - not sure if that's relevant. This halyard was certainly working before the winter.

 

[penfold]

If the only thing done to the mast since last year was the addition of some new electrical wire that wire would be my lead suspect.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Maybe the line has 'jumped' the sheave at top and is now jammed between sheave and side ?

yep. My money is on this.

 

[Concerto]

Another possibility could be twists in the halyard causing a kink in the halyard. Try untwisting the halyard.

 

[Thistle]

When you go up for a look, take a torch so that you can get a better view behind the sheave. A head torch is useful.

 

[KevinV]

If the only thing done to the mast since last year was the addition of some new electrical wire that wire would be my lead suspect.

I'd put my money on this - just been rewiring my mast yesterday and (on mine) there's a gap in the wiring channel by the spreaders, presumably for deck lights. If the halyard was a bit slack I could see how you might get an interaction between the two - perhaps a loop?
Can you shove an endoscope past the sheave for a look see?

 

[Refueler]

Endoscope ... remionds me - I must check out my underwater camera and that rechargeable WiFi unit still ok !!

 

[Bristolfashion]

Mast climbing delayed due to heavy rain and yellow warning of thunderstorms!

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Does the mast have an internal conduit for the cables? If so has it been used? Two possibilities come to mind the first is that the new wiring has been mixed in with the halyards and there is an internal wrap with the up-haul, the second is that the up-haul has come off the top sheave and is jammed, you can obviously check this by going up the mast.
Was there any movement in the up-haul before it Jammed? If so can you back and forward it by alternately pulling on each end?

Good luck hope it's nothing to do with the wiring.

 

[Bristolfashion]

Thanks for your replies - I did manage to climb the mast late yesterday and, unfortunately, the halyard is free & clear at the upper sheave. I can only conclude that the electrical wiring has been mixed up around the halyard.

 

[Daydream believer]

Is the sheave held in place with screws of pop rivets? If screws can you release the sheave completely & take it out whilst up the mast & have a play with the uphaul from there. Pulling it up & down with space may help you establish the issue. You can also see if the sheave shows sign of having jammed the uphaul at some time.
It could be that the electric wires have a joint piece in one of them & the resulting "lump" comes just in line with the uphaul sheave. If it sits under the rope then the wire will be damaged.
Have you tested the wires?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

First question now is to those who put the wiring in the mast, "Did you use a separate conduit" If the answer is no then it's almost guaranteed that the up-haul is tangled with the wiring.

 

[Bristolfashion]

The yard guys came over this morning - after a bit of head scratching, a twist was diagnosed - some arcane twiddling and a bit of brute force & we're free.

We'll check everything is running / working but stage 3 of our 4 year circumnavigation looks ON.

Thanks for advice & suggestions guys.

 

[Refueler]

Well done ...