Rookie needs some help

Stu Jackson · May 27, 2012

You could

1. go up the mast on the other halyard and pull the other halyard back down - but you need a bosun's chair to do that

2. drop the mast - I remember that on our C22 it was a one man job if you're careful and have a stern crutch for the mast to put into the rudder gudgeons

3. try a Google on "halyard grabber" - I recall some recent posts, either here or on perhaps the C25 Forum about a skipper who built a halyard grabber from some PVC pipe.

With your boat, dropping th mast would seem to be the easiest.

sinnettc · May 27, 2012

I agree with Stu, drop the mast. C22's not got enough weight down low to offset your weight at the top of the mast.

Bilbo · May 27, 2012

Climbing the mast isn't a good option on this boat. One could bring the mast down to a dock by using a winch and tipping the boat but dropping the mast is the easiest. It's a one man operation for a strong person but as Stu mentions, use a stern crutch.

OldCat · May 27, 2012

pat5884 said:
So I bought my '82 Catlina 22 about 1 year ago. Never sailed or owned a boat so I am still figuring things out. Long story short, I went to put the sails back on this year and my jib halyard is at the top of the mast....

How do I get it back? Take the mast down?

Hoist someone up in a bosun's chair? Is my boat big enough to hoist an adult male up there?

Any advice? Thanks, Pat

I watched a guy do this using a long pole with fishhooks on it. It was a frustrating & time consuming job to snag the halyard - but eventually he did grab it and was able to pull the halyard down.

Worth a try...

OC

Ken · May 27, 2012

You can buy what you need right here at the store. I've seen this used and was simply amazed at how fast getting the halyard down was.

jfrench · May 27, 2012

I've learned to stow my halyards by looping the free end through the shackle where the sail attaches so the halyard make a giant loop up, then back down the mast. By holding the free end and hoisting the shackle (same as raising the sail), the extra halyard line is folded in half by the shackle and raised up along the outside of the mast. Once all the extra line is taunt against the mast, I cleat off the free end that I have been holding. The halyard is now stored entirely on the mast, it's nice and tight so it doesn't rattle, and best of all... the shackle end is attached and controllable.

I have all-line halyards. I am not sure this works with wire/line systems. I've attached a very poor illustration to show the path of the halyard.

Chris Patterson · May 27, 2012

I concur with everyone else. With two people, lowering the mast is just too easy. I've been up 2200ft. radio towers, and wouldn't trust going up that little mast, unless it was just an emergency.

txtowman · May 27, 2012

"I concur with everyone else. With two people, lowering the mast is just too easy. I've been up 2200ft. radio towers, and wouldn't trust going up that little mast, unless it was just an emergency"

Really? I used to build and repair broadcast antennas and towers.
Small world!

CaptGregg · May 27, 2012

Chris Patterson said:
I concur with everyone else. With two people, lowering the mast is just too easy. I've been up 2200ft. radio towers, and wouldn't trust going up that little mast, unless it was just an emergency.

Last position I held was Tech Support for a VHF covert operations equipment supply company, we furnished covert audio/video transmission, repeating and reception equipment for government and law enforcement. Too bad the sales department refused to learn their equipment before attempting to sell it. Drove us into the ground. The lead technician at the plant didn't raise the towers but had to climb them in the end (or ride a single man elevator up) to install the equipment and pictures he took (which made the tower appear to bend in the middle) just assured me that I was not about to climb such a edifice since I'm afraid of heights anyway and that's the reason for making my gin pole and mast cradle.

My hat's off to you guys for climbing those towers but personally, I think you guys are bonkers! LOL O well, someone's gotta do it. I won't climb a mast, I've tried to get past this phobia and each time I froze solid, couldn't move up or down; therefore, I'll lower it, do what I got to do and raise it with my home made gin pole. It's ugly but it's functional. If I choose to upgrade to a bigger boat with a larger mast, I'll look into raising and lowering it when the time comes.

Bilbo · May 28, 2012

As an aid to prevention, May I suggest adding a Jib downhaul. The Jib downhaul is primarily used when you lower the foresail more quickly and efficiently and to keep the sail down low on the deck when the winds are blowing. Otherwise, the foresail has a tendency to want the climb the forestay. The expense involves at bare minimum is a lightweight line, a small sheave at the bow stem fitting and if one wishes a few fairleads to lead this line back to the cabin top ...if one wishes. The secondary advantage of attaching this downhaul line to the Jib halyard shackle is obvious in this case.

Chris Patterson · May 28, 2012

Pat, I'm now mad at you. I swear, I read this post this morning, went out on the docks later just to mess around with the boat for awhile, and my jib halyard was up the pole. I'm dead serious. What's your exact address anyway? Ha, just kidding about that last one, but standing on the dock looking up at that shackle, I about laughed.
I've got a trick I'm gonna try though, involves just using the main halyard, with a small hook tie wrapped to it. Just for yucks and giggles, before I use a pole like you did.
Or drop the accursed mast...

Bilbo · May 28, 2012

hmmm. Ya got a good aim with casting a treble hook on a fishing pole?

jfrench · May 28, 2012

<<and my jib halyard was up the pole. >>

Maybe that's the sailor kid's version of cow-tipping. Steal a few of Dad's beers, stay up too late on a Saturday night and sneak on board unattended boats to run halyard lines up the mast!

Chris Patterson · May 29, 2012

Hmm. Wonder why this was moved? It was in relation to the 22..

Gwilliston · May 29, 2012

The mast on a 22 is very easy to lower. 10-15 minutes and you are done!

jwandling · May 29, 2012

pat5884 said:
So I bought my '82 Catlina 22 about 1 year ago. Never sailed or owned a boat so I am still figuring things out. Long story short, I went to put the sails back on this year and my jib halyard is at the top of the mast....

How do I get it back? Take the mast down?

Hoist someone up in a bosun's chair? Is my boat big enough to hoist an adult male up there?

Any advice? Thanks, Pat

If you have an adult male around, have him help you take down the mast. Not only will you be able to get the halyard, but you should be able to inspect the standing and running rigging. A boat this old might be ready for some repair or replacement in those areas. Should not be too hard a job. Your boat is probably big enough to haul an adult male up the mast, depends more on how much adult male you are hauling and who is doing the hauling.

bffatcat · May 29, 2012

another option

Get a kid that weights under 50 lbs and hoist him up in a bosuns chair

jtm · May 29, 2012

take the mast down its no big deal on a 22 more importantly , it sounds like you have no idea the condition/reliability of the other halyard- don't send a little kid up there.

Rookie needs some help

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