main halyard at mast head!!!
main halyard at mast head!!!
Ok,
this is a pretty pedestrian sailing problem.
my main halyard is now dangling about 6 inches from teh mast head.
my mast is mounted in the raised position and I would hate to lower it for this. can I go aloft just on the jib halyard? will that be safe w/o a 2nd halyard? will that get me high enough to reach it?
any other better ideas?
my boat is still stting on the hard in its original shipping cradle
this is a pretty pedestrian sailing problem.
my main halyard is now dangling about 6 inches from teh mast head.
my mast is mounted in the raised position and I would hate to lower it for this. can I go aloft just on the jib halyard? will that be safe w/o a 2nd halyard? will that get me high enough to reach it?
any other better ideas?
my boat is still stting on the hard in its original shipping cradle
- EmergencyExit
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I get looked at funny when I post this, but the last time I lost a main halyard tail up the mast, I rented a 30' extension ladder, placed the foot against the rear of the forehatch and the top rung against the mast. Then I tied the jib halyard to the top rung and used that to both extend the ladder and (once ladder was up) to keep the ladder secured from falling over. Climbed up and got the wayward halyard tail.
Now just because I got away with it doesn't mean it was a good idea, but it worked, and I felt secure making the climb that way.
Now just because I got away with it doesn't mean it was a good idea, but it worked, and I felt secure making the climb that way.
- thepartydog
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- Location: Crestview Florida
What condition is the jib halyard? If it is in good shape, it shouldn't be a problem. I had to send my youngest (he's the lightest) son up to retrieve ours before.
Lowering the mast isn't too scary on the hard, plus you get to spend more time inspecting the masthead. Probably not a bad idea if you haven't seen it lately.
Darin
Lowering the mast isn't too scary on the hard, plus you get to spend more time inspecting the masthead. Probably not a bad idea if you haven't seen it lately.
Darin
Darin
"Ya Never Know"
1980 C26
"Ya Never Know"
1980 C26
great ideas guys..
I have to move the boat anyway ...soooo.. .if it goes by land the mast comes down....if it goes by sea... looks liek I go up ( the mast) I am planning on hoisting a "soft" ladder upp the mast tracks hoisted by the jib halyard and hope that can getme high enough up the mast to grab it and get back to earth safely, I plan on strapping a rope around me and the mast ( like a telephone lineman) as a back-up in case of a total failure.
I have to move the boat anyway ...soooo.. .if it goes by land the mast comes down....if it goes by sea... looks liek I go up ( the mast) I am planning on hoisting a "soft" ladder upp the mast tracks hoisted by the jib halyard and hope that can getme high enough up the mast to grab it and get back to earth safely, I plan on strapping a rope around me and the mast ( like a telephone lineman) as a back-up in case of a total failure.
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well GC..wish you were on LI!!!
anyway... I will either climb up using the jib halyard or bring the mast down..
mast comes down forward over the bow corect?
I am thinking I can do this myself ona NONwindy day....sort of a controlled fall !
any tips for doing this single handed.... my boat is in its shipping cradle onthe hard.
anyway... I will either climb up using the jib halyard or bring the mast down..
mast comes down forward over the bow corect?
I am thinking I can do this myself ona NONwindy day....sort of a controlled fall !
any tips for doing this single handed.... my boat is in its shipping cradle onthe hard.
Just sent you a PM, but saw you post and wanted to reply.
The mast is lowered aft over the stern rail. The mast step has a finger which latches into the base of the mast. Biggest issue with trying to raise or lower is the side to side swing of the mast. We (read my husband) snapped two mast fingers trying to raise it by himself.
If you haven't seen it there is a website which has the manuals with mast rasing and lowering instructions. They are a little cryptic but note the information on the rasing bridles which stops the side to side swinging.
We can easily lower the mast with two but try to use three people when putting it up.
With the bridles, on a calm day, on the hard you probably could do it alone. I wouldn't but that's me! Just make sure you have something to rest the mast on when it is lowered fully. Our boat no longer has a stern rail so we had to make a wooden "T" bracket to rest it in.
The mast is lowered aft over the stern rail. The mast step has a finger which latches into the base of the mast. Biggest issue with trying to raise or lower is the side to side swing of the mast. We (read my husband) snapped two mast fingers trying to raise it by himself.
If you haven't seen it there is a website which has the manuals with mast rasing and lowering instructions. They are a little cryptic but note the information on the rasing bridles which stops the side to side swinging.
We can easily lower the mast with two but try to use three people when putting it up.
With the bridles, on a calm day, on the hard you probably could do it alone. I wouldn't but that's me! Just make sure you have something to rest the mast on when it is lowered fully. Our boat no longer has a stern rail so we had to make a wooden "T" bracket to rest it in.
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- EmergencyExit
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For the bridle assembly I use a length of light chain with snap clips at the ends and in the center. Gives a bit a room to adjust since you can take the center clip off and move it up or down the chain if needed.
The key is that you should be able to sight thru the "eye" in the center of the bridle and have it line up to about a couples inces above the foot of the mast and right in the center of the mast.(right where the step finger is.
It will act as a fulcrum right there and will keep the temp rigging from binding while raising/lowering but still keep the mast under control.
(FranS, again welcome aboard !)
The key is that you should be able to sight thru the "eye" in the center of the bridle and have it line up to about a couples inces above the foot of the mast and right in the center of the mast.(right where the step finger is.
It will act as a fulcrum right there and will keep the temp rigging from binding while raising/lowering but still keep the mast under control.
(FranS, again welcome aboard !)
Once you do it a few times it gets pretty easy and fast. I use the above method by myself regardless of weather. This method prevents side to side movement so it is just a matter of pulling it up. I use the boom vange setup to pull it up by hand. I have not done this on the water yet however I do not think it should be a big deal.
How timely this is!
Hmm, it seems there is a rash of halyards at the head of the mast. Over the winter, our fitting came loose and the halyard is now at the top of the mast. (or was helped come loose by someone - we'll know when we either find or don't find the fitting at the top of the mast stuck in the pulley.)
We are now faced with either going up in a bowson's chair or lowering the mast. I am favoring the latter, since we also need to rewire the anchor light, and possibly replace the entire light. We would have more time to work on the masthead issues if the mast is lowered. (Besides, I was the most likely candidate for going up the mast since I am the lightest, and wasn't really looking forward to this being my first excursion without a second halyard for safety!).
thanks for the info posted. I will review all the information, and come back with questions.
I do have an initial question for your consideration: I have the option of doing this on the hard or in the water. I think on the hard is the better option - BUT when the mast is lowered, it will be hanging out over the launch ramp in an inaccessible position. If done in the slip, it will be accessible from the bulkhead, but not sure how difficult this procedure will be with a boat bouncing around in the water and not having land access to all sides of the boat.
We've never raised or lowered the mast while owning the boat, so this is all news to us. Including making a pin to fit the boom to the base of the mast, since it is missing / never came with the boat from previous owners.
Thanks in advance for any advice and insights you all can provide!
Lesley
We are now faced with either going up in a bowson's chair or lowering the mast. I am favoring the latter, since we also need to rewire the anchor light, and possibly replace the entire light. We would have more time to work on the masthead issues if the mast is lowered. (Besides, I was the most likely candidate for going up the mast since I am the lightest, and wasn't really looking forward to this being my first excursion without a second halyard for safety!).
thanks for the info posted. I will review all the information, and come back with questions.
I do have an initial question for your consideration: I have the option of doing this on the hard or in the water. I think on the hard is the better option - BUT when the mast is lowered, it will be hanging out over the launch ramp in an inaccessible position. If done in the slip, it will be accessible from the bulkhead, but not sure how difficult this procedure will be with a boat bouncing around in the water and not having land access to all sides of the boat.
We've never raised or lowered the mast while owning the boat, so this is all news to us. Including making a pin to fit the boom to the base of the mast, since it is missing / never came with the boat from previous owners.
Thanks in advance for any advice and insights you all can provide!
Lesley
Kiwi II
1979 Chrysler 26
Wilmington, Delaware
1979 Chrysler 26
Wilmington, Delaware
We fashioned the pin from a 5/8's stainless bolt which we cut the hex end off. Something we learned the hard way.. drill a hole in one end and run a long cotter pin through because the pin has the habit of falling into the boom if you are not careful. The sound of that thing rolling around inside the boom on one sail was enough to cause us to pull off the boom drill out the rivets on the aft end and fish the pin out .
My two cents, lower it on the hard. Can you move the boat to an area near the launch ramp with the mast up? The Chysler web site has photos of someone lowering the mast at a slip so its definiatley doable. We use three people to raise it on the hard. One hauling, one supporting the mast as it goes up and walking under it forward and one standing by the mast step to keep the mast from twisting as it goes up. Coming down its easy with just two.
My two cents, lower it on the hard. Can you move the boat to an area near the launch ramp with the mast up? The Chysler web site has photos of someone lowering the mast at a slip so its definiatley doable. We use three people to raise it on the hard. One hauling, one supporting the mast as it goes up and walking under it forward and one standing by the mast step to keep the mast from twisting as it goes up. Coming down its easy with just two.
Thanks - another question
Fran,
Thanks so much for your insights. You confirmed what I was wondering - there seems to be no "stop" for the pin in the boom end. I could see it wandering in there - that noise would drive me crazy for sure! (But I'd always know where to find the pin should I ever need it again)
Could I use a snug rubber grommet on the pin between the mast and boom, to prevent it from slipping into the boom?
I had a thought - moving the boat involves using the launch lift. Since the mast hinges backward, how about lowering the mast while it is in the sling? That would solve a *little* of the bearing off problem on the way up and down. I would think that dropping the swing keel for stability would solve the problem of the thing wobbling all over the lift. However, I've climbed aboard while the boat was in the lift and it certainly does move around a bunch! Not sure this won't fall into the "Gee, it sounded like a good idea at the time - now what the hell am I going to do?" category.
Thanks so much for your insights. You confirmed what I was wondering - there seems to be no "stop" for the pin in the boom end. I could see it wandering in there - that noise would drive me crazy for sure! (But I'd always know where to find the pin should I ever need it again)
Could I use a snug rubber grommet on the pin between the mast and boom, to prevent it from slipping into the boom?
I had a thought - moving the boat involves using the launch lift. Since the mast hinges backward, how about lowering the mast while it is in the sling? That would solve a *little* of the bearing off problem on the way up and down. I would think that dropping the swing keel for stability would solve the problem of the thing wobbling all over the lift. However, I've climbed aboard while the boat was in the lift and it certainly does move around a bunch! Not sure this won't fall into the "Gee, it sounded like a good idea at the time - now what the hell am I going to do?" category.
Kiwi II
1979 Chrysler 26
Wilmington, Delaware
1979 Chrysler 26
Wilmington, Delaware
Hi everyone,
Lots of masts seem to be going up and down right now. :) Funny!
My wife and I step our mast quite frequently on our C-22.
I have made a support/crutch out of 2X6 with a 45 cut in the top. The mast lays in there nicely and I also use this to transport.
The 2X6 fits right in my motor mount. I have the kind that goes up and down. Not a fixed mount. It is mounted in the middle of the transom.
Perfect spot for the mast.
PS. When we trailer the boat, I always take the outboard off and put in the truck bed. I figure I don't need the extra weight on the mount when the mast is down.
As far as the boom, I have made a 8 ft metal pole w/ eye bolts to attach the lines etc. This way you do not have worry about the main being on the boom and made a plug for it.
Good luck
Lots of masts seem to be going up and down right now. :) Funny!
My wife and I step our mast quite frequently on our C-22.
I have made a support/crutch out of 2X6 with a 45 cut in the top. The mast lays in there nicely and I also use this to transport.
The 2X6 fits right in my motor mount. I have the kind that goes up and down. Not a fixed mount. It is mounted in the middle of the transom.
Perfect spot for the mast.
PS. When we trailer the boat, I always take the outboard off and put in the truck bed. I figure I don't need the extra weight on the mount when the mast is down.
As far as the boom, I have made a 8 ft metal pole w/ eye bolts to attach the lines etc. This way you do not have worry about the main being on the boom and made a plug for it.
Good luck
Jeffrey
Fore Sail
1976 C-22
Fore Sail
1976 C-22
looks like I am going to trailer my boat out to the east end. so the mast will come down and a lot of work will be done at the mast head.
also looks like I will have the yard bring it down since I will need to hire a helper or two anyway to lower it and I have never done so so all in all the yard will figure this out and hopefully NOT break the mast finger ( as if they will ever admit doing so!)
BTW, I was told that NO YARD IN NY State permits ANY work or painting below the water line at all according to some environmental laws. So I will have to pay them big to do the bottom paint as well... could this be true?
also looks like I will have the yard bring it down since I will need to hire a helper or two anyway to lower it and I have never done so so all in all the yard will figure this out and hopefully NOT break the mast finger ( as if they will ever admit doing so!)
BTW, I was told that NO YARD IN NY State permits ANY work or painting below the water line at all according to some environmental laws. So I will have to pay them big to do the bottom paint as well... could this be true?