Up the mast

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nathanlee

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Afternoon (and what a good one it is!)

I've got a wee problem. The main halyard block at the top of my mast seems to have broken in some sort of nasty way. I had an absolute nightmare trying to get the main down earlier.

I need to get up the mast asap, the only problem is...
I'm single handed (as in crew, not limbs)
The broken blocked main halyard is the only one I have with rope thick and new enough to trust with my weight. The genoa halyard might work, but it's quite thin (8mm I think). I've climbed on 7mm rope before, but that was brand new. The only other halyard I have needs to come down really, it's very old and knackered and was probably used for the spinny, which I don't have. There's no way I would put my weight on it, so we can ignore that one.

The kit I have available is a climbing harness, 1 pretzl ascender, spare chord which i could use to makes prusiks if needed. A couple of crabs and a figure of 8 belay device.

The only way I can think of, born from years of climbing, is to prusik up the doubled over halyard on the broken block (risky in itself), but then that leaves me with my weight on the thing so I can't change the block over.

Suggestions are welcome.

I'm on the Deben too, so no bridges seem to be near.
 
Is the mast in a tabernacle? If so I would be inclined to drop the mast. I used to do it on a 24 foot Snapdragon with no special equipment, just 3 people whilst the boat was alongside a pontoon. Mast climbing is an over rated pastime.
 
You say the only other halyard needs replacing...so why not replace it and use that? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

You'll prolly be best using the spinnaker halyard and that's one of the ropes that doesn't come out of the head fitting of the mast. Depending on the make of mast you might have to remove the head fitting to replace the broken pulley.

It would be much easier if you could find someone near by to pull you up there as you'll have to go up, see what's wrong, come back down get the bits you need and go back up there again....Maybe someone on here is near by. I saw you Kudu in St Kats a few weeks ago, and could have cycled down this evening, but now you're out east it's a bit far.

You could always see if anyone on the East coast forum could give you a hand /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Is the mast in a tabernacle?

[/ QUOTE ]

It is. But I've got roller furling so I'd have to be very careful, and I'm not sure if there's anywhere to go along side around here (felixstowe ferry)?
 
[ QUOTE ]
You say the only other halyard needs replacing...so why not replace it and use that? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

It's unused so I can't justify the cost. Actually the main halyard block is hung out from the mast, externally, which is another worry about climbing on it. The though of bouncing off the coachroof with a broken leg, before falling into a river that runs at 3 knots doesn't really appeal. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Oh, St Kat's. That seems like so long ago.

Right, I think lescargo has the safest plan. I'm going to head right up to the top of the deben tomorrow and see if there's a boatyard that can help out.
 
I had roller furling too. Took off all the sails and the boom, attached a long line to the end of the forestay and left the cap shrouds on but loosened. Lowered the mast by the forestay with the 2 helpers taking the weight of the mast as it came back to rest in a cross piece made up with the spinnaker pole and an oar or somesuch. The foil was kept reasonably straight with the tension on the forestay and then just laid along the mast. Reverse to put it back up and if you have marked off the position of the threads in the bottlescrews with masking tape, you don't even have to worry about retensioning the rig.
 
This suggestion might be shot to bits on all sorts of grounds but it worked for me - I took my extendable ladder to the marina and used it to sort out a mast top problem.
 
My ladder works for me too. Pull it up the mast then start climbing. Make off with sail ties at the top and you can change just about anything you like. The wash from othe boats is the biggest problem for me.

Good luck
 
Can you find a boat with mast steps nearby? Climbing up someone elses mast and pulling your mast over with a halyard will leave it all free enough to sort your problem.
Allan
 
Nathan, there are yards at the ferry, Waldringfield and in Woodbridge that can help - but probably for a fee.
The nearest freebie I can think of is Suffolk Yacht Harbour where there is a walkway by the public slip which at low water may just be high enough - obviously all other facilities too. May be possible to careen Kudu at low water if its not high enough; there are some highish banks near the entrance which I have used to work on the top of my Squib mast there
Trouble is its neaps now so not so low; low tide 1400/1500 ish next couple of days.
PM if you get stuck.
 
I would advocate lowering the mast. You need one or 2 props to extend from near or level with the mast base to go to the bottom of the forestay and you will need an A frame or similar prop at the transom for the mast when it is down. If it is low enough you can reach the mast top from a dinghy. Or better remopve the base of the mast and move it forward so that the mast top comes over the boat at the stern.
You will need helpers for the first time you lower the mast and do it when water is calm.

The roller furling is dealt with by firstly using ano0ther halyard or tieing many turns of rope and knots onto the furled jib so that you can pull down hard on the forestay/jib by taking the line around a pulley and back to a winch or use a tackle o both.
Once the forstay is pulled down enough to allow forestay under the drum to be removed the forestay is released enough to allow a ltackle to be attached to the bottom of the forestay (along with your stay poles) to allwo the mast to be lowered into the stern support. Note the load wioll get very heavy as the mast approaches horizontal. Do some more research on mast lowering and get helpers. Once it is mastered you will be able to do it single handed for bridges.

i know a guy with a 43fter who regularly single handedly lowers his mast for bridges while under way. good luck olewill
 
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It's unused so I can't justify the cost.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wrong. You cant afford to have a situation where your one and only decent halyard gets stuck. You need at least 2 preferably 3 to allow one to get stcuk, one to climb up and one to act as a safety whilst you do.
 
The block has probably been worn at the cheeks or the sheave has crumbled, its a nuisance caused by cheap blocks, so be prepared to replace it with something that will cost.
As for getting at it dropping the mast is not as hard as you may think. Years ago I used to drop and raise the mast on a Hurley 20 (I know a bit smaller than yours) singlehanded. Remove the boom slacken of alll rigging and attach the mainsheet to the bottom of the forestay and the chainplate. If you have a pole of any sort that you can rig from the mast to the bottom of the forestay this will keep a good angle of pull, release the forestay and standing by/behind the mast slowly ease the mainsheet and guide the mast down. If you have no pole attached there will be a point where the angle shrinks and the mast is easier guided down by hand, more muscle required for this method but not beyond a singlehander.
Have some kind of rest for the mast as suggested, cheapest option a couple of lengths of 2x1 from a skip or buy it at jewsons or B&Q.
Don't forget to disconnect the electrics first.
good luck
 
He'll have a job to careen a bilge keeler /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
If you need to replace any part you might find it difficult to get that replacement on the Deben. Woodbridge does not have a decent chandlery, nor Waldringfield nor Felixstowe Ferry.

Going back to Levington on the Orwell would be on option as mentioned before. You have a chance of reaching the top of your mast from the high wharf and you should get any part there at either the chandlery or the riggers (is it rig-magic?). Best place for the most comprehensive stock of parts in the area is Fox's at Ipswich, almost directly underneath the Orwell bridge.

Going further up the coast I think it will be Lowestoft before you get to a decent chandlery.
 
Hi Nathan.

Probably too late but the following yards are on the river:-

Felixstowe ferry - where you are now

Waldringfield - also a quay you can lie alongside at high tide

Then at Woodbridge you have Eversons, Frank knights, Robertsons and & Larkmans (in that order as you go up river) However once you're above Kyson point it pretty much dries out to soft mud at low water.

I hope this helps, good luck.
 
If it is for Kudu I would suggest that the easiest solution by far would be to lower the mast. No need for a yachtyard for that size, just someone on the coachroof to 'walk' it down and a helper, preferably tall, in the cockpit to take it when it is within his reach. I used to do it regularly when I had a Vivacity, with only the help of my son.

I wouldn't consider climbing on that size of boat / mast.
 
Sails and boom off and drop the mast from a rope on the fore-stay through a block or turning point on the stem head.
On a 22 footer, I lowered and raised mine on my own standing on the coach roof by lowering to shoulder, then to knee, then to fenders.
 
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