Halyard Loss

[John Marrone]

Yes, I assume it is like running a ground, you will at one point run aground and pull the main sail halyard through the mast interior.
Well, we did it and what we thought would be an all day affair.
Lowered the mast, bought a 50' Electricians "Fish Tape" and had the process completed in less than 30 minutes
Thought to share this escapade for those who have not yet hauled the main sail halyard out of the mast lower interior sheave.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Or you could just tie a knot on the end???

 

[John Marrone]

Yes, I assume it is like running a ground, you will at one point run aground and pull the main sail halyard through the mast interior.
Well, we did it and what we thought would be an all day affair.
Lowered the mast, bought a 50' Electricians "Fish Tape" and had the process completed in less than 30 minutes
Thought to share this escapade for those who have not yet hauled the main sail halyard out of the mast lower interior sheave.

No Knot at the end of the line. I hade to pass it through the clutch first while repairing something which at this time I cannot recall..........................

 

[Leeward Rail]

Like @Don S/V ILLusion says, a stopper knot is the thing.

You got good practice for when you need to install new cables or line, I guess.

I was pulling new wiring, attached to the old wiring, when some previous idiots idea of a cable splice (twisted wires and electrical tape) came apart in the mast. Got to experience the joy of fishing a new cable.

Amazingly, without the crappy splice, the steaming light was actually bright and didn't randomly cut out anymore. Hehe.

Just don't let others in the marina/harbour know you have a fish tape and the skills to use it effectively. Sssh.

 

[John Marrone]

Thanks for the "Heads Up"

 

[Joe]

That happened to me with a trailered boat, also. Embarrassing, but fortunately no one but my 12 year old saw it. No fish tape, long way from a store, just launching off the deserted beach.... so we fashioned a plumb line out of some fishing gear I happened to bring along in case the wind died. Put the mast on a slant, shook it a bit to let the weight work its way down, and snagged the end through the exit blog with a hook I made from a piece of solder. Easy peasy! A good day with my son was saved.... dad goes from goat to hero.

If I'd had a fish tape, it might have been easier. Then again, looking like "Magyver" to your 12 year old felt pretty good also. It also re enforced the "stopper knot" caution.

 

[Jacktar]

Yep a simple figure eight knot on each line can save you a world of hurt.

 

[danstanford]

We lost one of our spin halyards last season because dump the spin halyard can be taken literally when someone is in the middle of a broach!
I could not make a fish tape go through the mast despite multiple attempts so I used fishing line sewn to the side of the other halyard and used it to get the fishing line down to the outlet. I then used the fishing line to fish the missing halyard back up the mast.
Some poking about with a hooked wire on both ends but the problem was solved in about 30 minutes total.