Main halyard top wheels...

[BlueRunner]

My H17 is an '08 model that didn't sell until last summer. The buyer didn't find it to his taste so it was returned to the dealer for a consignment sale. Enter me last Aug with enough money to buy the boat. I sailed it for about 6 weeks before pulling it for the winter.

I didn't notice when I bought the boat that the wheels on the top of the mast that the main halyard runs through are frozen. They appear to be oxidized. While I have no way of knowing for sure, it appears that it takes extra effort to pull the main up with these wheels frozen.

Anyone else had this problem and if so, how did you free up the plastic wheels? I was considering taking the mast cap off and going the "noodle" route, but I don't see any holes that water could enter the mast on a knock down except at the base.

 

[Ed Schenck]

That should be an easy fix with the mast down. I know nothing about the H17. You mention "wheels", plural. Are these internal, the halyard(s) go inside the mast and out over the sheaves(wheels)? Sometimes it just takes some lubricant to make them spin again. My own mast has caps on the side that when removed let the axle come out. Then the axle can be cleaned and lubricated as well as the bearing of the sheave.

 

[BlueRunner]

Perhaps I should have said "sheaves". There are 2 of them (one on each side of the top of the mast) and both are exposed to the elements. The halyard runs outside of the mast and through both sheaves. Yes, I can raise the mainsail with the halyard, but there is some friction because the sheeves do not true when the halyard moves through them when raising the mainsail.

I moor the boat so the mast generally only gets "stepped" once or maybe twice a season. However, I won't do that until May 1st so I have a month to see if I can free up the wheels. Another option would be to replace the mast cap with a new unit, but I would not have a clue as to where I could buy one.

I think I'll run down to Home Depot and see if they have anything that might free up the sheaves.

 

[Ed Schenck]

I guess you know the sheaves are the problem because the mast is down. So the halyard goes up the front of the mast, over a "frozen" sheave, and down the back(you stated the halyard runs outside the mast). And you don't see any way to remove the pin(axle) that the sheave turns on. Seems strange. Guess we need a picture of the masthead.

 

[BlueRunner]

Ed,

Below are a couple of shots of the sheave problem. From the side shot, there are 2 "pins" on each side with 2 small dots (indents). Is there some tool that goes into these dots to screw the shafts out? I'm leery of drilling them out as I don't know what I could replace the shafts with.

Anyone else that knows what the 2 small indents are for, feel free to add your 2 cents worth.

Thanks in advance...

Chuck

 

[Ed Schenck]

So your halyards are internal after all. Picture really is worth all those words. What does the other side of the masthead look like> Those two little holes are for a pin wrench I think( http://www.amazon.com/P33554-Adjustable-Pin-Wrench/dp/B001RMK2HQ ). You would need to clean off the paint and check more closely. If you can screw those out you can lubricate or repair in place. Otherwise you will need to remove the masthead.

The rivet on the mast below the sheaves can be drilled out. There should be one on the other side. Then you can take the masthead for repair.

I would leave the halyards in the mast so that you do not have to rerun them. If the halyards have shackles you will have to run messenger lines because the halyards will have to come all the way out.

 

[BlueRunner]

Actually the halyard does run on the outside of the mast. The only place it's inside is at the top of the mast, running through the 2 plastic sheaves. I'm going to try to find a pin wrench that will fit the 2 holes and then try to unscrew the pins.

And yes, there are 2 rivets holding the masthead in place. Since the mast is presently NOT stepped, I do have good access to the masthead.

Thanks for the link to the pinhead wrench.

 

[heliBartek]

I had a similar problem with those pulleys on my 170. Here's what I would try before drilling or removing anything out.

Remove the main halyard line and first try tapping, lightly, side of the sheave housing with a small hammer. Sometimes dust and dirt get trapped in between the pulleys inside the casting - see if anything falls out. After that soak the sheaves in WD40 fluid, let them sit in it for a day or two. Make sure to put lots of it on. Once finished try giving them a spin. If still no luck you may have to grab the edge of a sheave with a pair of smooth jaw pliers and force it to rotate - be careful not to damage pulley edges as they will start destroying your halyard line.

Sometimes those pesky little center axle pins get corroded and jam the sheaves up. Looking at the pictures you posted the sheave housing appears a little "frosty" which in turn makes me think that there may be some internal corrosion. Hence my suggestion of WD40 - that stuff really works miracles, the trick is to let it sit on the component for a while. That way it has a chance to properly penetrate any problem areas. Good luck

Cheers

 

[Ed Schenck]

Took a minute for that halyard thing to sink in. I thought there were two halyards, one for the main and one for the jib. Duh, that is the same one just going across the top. So there are two sheaves that it runs on making it even more important that they both spin freely. Finally I understand. And you get some good ideas from "Bartek" that could save you a lot of grief if they work.

 

[heliBartek]

Anyone else had this problem and if so, how did you free up the plastic wheels? I was considering taking the mast cap off and going the "noodle" route, but I don't see any holes that water could enter the mast on a knock down except at the base.

One final thought on you first post Blade Runner.

The whole, where water enters the mast upon capsizing, is actually on the inside of the mast cap/pulley block housing.

I'm told that the last few model years of the h170 had that problem fixed right from the factory by going to a slightly different style of a block. However my boat is an 05' and it still had the hole in the casting.

It may be worth taking a flashlight and having a good look underneath the sheaves, inside the housing, to see if there's a sqare hole in the bottom of the mast cap. If you see one I'd higly recommend sealing the top of your mast. Its amazing how fast the mast fills up with water thru that seemingly small hole.

Cheers

 

[BlueRunner]

Hey heliBarkek...

Thanks for the tip on freeing up my mast head pulleys. I'm going to give it a try.

Re Lake Manitoba, that's quite a lake. I took a gander at it with Google Earth. Long enough to probably never get to the end with a day sailer like the H17. Makes my dinky lake look more like a garden pond (1 mile wide and 10 miles long).

 

[heliBartek]

Lake Manitoba is always good for steady supply of wind but it can turn on you pretty quick. You constantly have to keep a close eye on the weather. One thing's for sure - that lake has taught me few valuable lessons about sailing.

 

[Clark]

heliBartek has a good procedure but I'd suggest using SailKote or even a silicon lube instead of WD40. WD40 will leave a sticky, dirt attracting film that could create later the problem you are solving.

 

[cephius (Dave)]

WD40 is a corrosive agent over time. I'd recommend a standard penetrating oil to free them, then a light weight oil to lube them.

 

[heliBartek]

WD40 is a corrosive agent over time. I'd recommend a standard penetrating oil to free them, then a light weight oil to lube them.

Cephius - you may want to check your facts before saying that WD-40 is a corrosive agent...?!?!?

It's one of the best penetrating oils out there, as well as cheapest. I've used it with great success over the years in a wide variety of applications, marine and otherwise.

Cheers