This is what I found

[tome]

On going to the masthead yesterday using the Topclimber:

1 Forestay toggle on masthead opened up with split pin barely in place. Advice from Selden agents is to close it with a pair of molegrips and replace the split pin. Failure could have brought down the mast and would certainly have damaged the Furlex gear, forestay and genoa.

2 Spinnaker halyard block is a snatch-block! Who would fit one of these? Selden agent told me they never use the spinnaker halyard to go aloft because of the daft things they find. Also, the shackle which links it to the U bolt on the masthead was upside down with the pin through the U bolt. This wasn't articulating properly and had caused wear to the masthead.

Should be easy enough to fix, but when did you last inspect your masthead? I've owned the boat since August and this was my first visit aloft. I previously had a good look with my binos but didn't spot the problems. Shudder to think how hard I've pushed her in the meantime and the possible consequences.

And now confession time. I took the tools/contact cleaner etc to change the anchor light bulb whilst I was there. Took it apart before I realised I'd left the new bulb on the chart table! Oh well...

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[LadyInBed]

Are you sure its the bulb and not the connection?/forums/images/icons/blush.gif

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[tome]

I'm pretty sure it's the bulb as I already checked the connection at the mast base, but time will tell. Since I have to go up again I'l replace both the Tricolour and anchor bulbs anyway.

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[craigbalsillie]

I'm new to this sailing lark so I won't comment on what you found but I can identify fully with your feelings vis-a-vis the bulb on the chart table.

In a previous life I was an apprentice mechanic with a local council and therefore the maintenance of refuse trucks was a big part of the job. On one occasion I had the task of retrieving a hydraulic hose off a donor vehicle that had been scrapped.

You know exactly how I felt after clambering up on top of the thing all tooled up and eager as a beaver only to find my "colleague" laughing uncontrollably and pointing at the donor vehicle across the yard, It was the wrong bloody bin lorry.

I do hope you were at least up the correct mast..

craig..

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[30boat]

My Fulmar sailed all the way from France to south Portugal without a split pin in the backstay and no toggle in the top end of the forestay.That was before I bought the boat.The first thing I did was to go aloft and inspect the rigging.It amazes me that the boat made it ,so many things were so dangerously wrong.

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[tome]

You had me running in circles unil I realised I've only got one mast. Welcome to the forum Craig.

I'm in the yard with you but leaning towards the merciless!

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