I have a Seaward 17 with an oversized mast. My main has a bolt rope that likes to get stuck about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up. It feeds find for the first 10 feet, then binds up. I've been able to raise it fully only a couple of times with humgous effort. I've cleaned the track, and tried several lubes with no success. Can the size of the halyard make a difference? I'm currently using 3/8 nylon and an appropriately sized top sheeve.
Difficult time raising the main
- Thread starter Dhamil6490
- Start date
It might help to tension your topping lift and raise your boom a bit when you are trying to raise the main.
I would lower the mast and try sliding the bolt rope up and down by hand, if it is easy enough to lower it. That will isolate it from halyard issues. Do you have 3 strand twisted nylon for the halyard? If so, that may be too stretchy. I'd switch to braided and see if it works.
Also, you may want to move this from inside this forum, since it is for Hunter boats specifically.
Also, you may want to move this from inside this forum, since it is for Hunter boats specifically.
1/4 inch or 6mm would be an appropriate size halyard, 3/8 may be part of the issue. Slides would be better too, if your sail has grommets as well as bolt rope.
Possible issues.
Dirty mast track.
Oversized bolt rope.
Bolt rope cover is loose and bunches up.
The mast isn't straight.
Stretchy nylon, use Dacron or polyester line, 5/16" is probably a good size. ¼" would work too, but is a little harder to handle.
Dirty mast track.
Oversized bolt rope.
Bolt rope cover is loose and bunches up.
The mast isn't straight.
Stretchy nylon, use Dacron or polyester line, 5/16" is probably a good size. ¼" would work too, but is a little harder to handle.
Thanks for all the advice. Lowering the mast would be a big problem. I'll try changing the halyard first.
Also, does anyone have experience changing a sheeve in the mast foot?
Also, does anyone have experience changing a sheeve in the mast foot?
@Dhamil6490 do your halyards run inside or outside of your mast?
Most challenges happen at the top f the mast where the halyard inters the mast, runs over a sheave and turns down ward. The diameter of the halyard needs to match the width of the sheave. If to big then the halyard binds on the sheave and you begin to get chafe. Halyard chafe can cause your apparent "binding" of the sail as you attempt to raise it.
Note that to some extent all sails get to drag as they near the top of the mast. Some more than others. You can just try to reduce all friction points to manage this.
Some of the usual Friction points.
Better to use a low stretch type of line for a halyard. Stay set is one such choice. Nylon is not preferred. Some boats even have a line/wire spliced rope.
Most challenges happen at the top f the mast where the halyard inters the mast, runs over a sheave and turns down ward. The diameter of the halyard needs to match the width of the sheave. If to big then the halyard binds on the sheave and you begin to get chafe. Halyard chafe can cause your apparent "binding" of the sail as you attempt to raise it.
Note that to some extent all sails get to drag as they near the top of the mast. Some more than others. You can just try to reduce all friction points to manage this.
Some of the usual Friction points.
- Sail luff bolt rope or sliders
- Sail track or bolt rope channel
- Bolt rope entrance to mast channel
- Halyard block or sheave at mast top
- Internal Mast chafe points where Halyard runs inside of mast
- Exit fitting and Sheave at mast base.
- Block at mast base.
Better to use a low stretch type of line for a halyard. Stay set is one such choice. Nylon is not preferred. Some boats even have a line/wire spliced rope.
seaward 17 mainsails can be problematic and fussy because most of them have 6 or 7 full battens. (IMO as a sailmaker, 7 full battens on a slow, 17 foot monohull are just asking for trouble and not of any value but that’s a discussion for another day.)
Let’s see a picture of the luff and slide or bolt rope at the front of the battens. Then we can advise you better.
How many full battens on your sail?
Pic below is a seaward 23
Judy
Semi retired sailmaker
Let’s see a picture of the luff and slide or bolt rope at the front of the battens. Then we can advise you better.
How many full battens on your sail?
Pic below is a seaward 23
Judy
Semi retired sailmaker
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You mention oversized mast are you speaking of the carbon fiber mast? If I remember correctly that mast had a block at the head board to give a 2:1 purchase to get that sail up.
No. It's an aluminum mast, definitely not the carbon fiber original. It's 25 feet tall with a bolt rope track. I'll get pics this weekend.
Thanks. I've lubed everything with Sailcoat and WD 40. New sheeve at the mast top. Looking for Sta-set.
Hi,
I didn't mean to say that I recommend removing the full battens. That probably won't work well unless you reshape the leech of the sail.
Let's diagnose what's wrong with your mainsail and fix it.
How old is your mainsail?
Does it have slides or a bolt rope on the luff?
I'd ask to see a picture of it while sailing upwind, but I guess you can't get it hoisted, right?
Next time you order a new mainsail for your 17, remember that 3 or 4 full battens generate a lot less friction during hoisting and dousing, and perform just as well, if not better, than the 6 batten version. (The picture I posted is a Seaward 23 mainsail that we built, with just 4 full battens rather than the oem 7 full battens.)
Judy
Semi-Retired Sailmaker
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Hi, Judy. Correction: it has 5 full battens. The age of the sail is unknown. When I bought the boat, it hadn't been sailed in 3 years and it had been stored outside with no cover. The main was packed in a bag and folded neatly. It was stored in a garage, but unused in 3 years. The apparent condition of the main is good. It has no holes or other damage, and it looks like nylon but I don't know for sure. The bolt rope shows a lot of wear, but seems solid and intact. Some photos attached.
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HI, @Dhamil6490
those pics of the headboard are useful, but I still need to see what the bolt rope looks like and the batten end boxes at the luff look like. Please take several pictures of the luff showing bolt rope and batten boxes. Please put A small ruler in the picture so I can get a sense of the dimensions.
Also pictures of the top two battens when they are inserted into the mast. Hoist them above the feeder area so I can check for clearance between the batten box and the bolt rope.
Also a couple of pics of the bolt rope so I can assess its condition please
All photos high resolution please.
The sailcloth looks like polyester to me. There’s no way it would be nylon.
That current halyard line looks pretty stretchy to me. Maybe when you get a low stretch line like Sta Set it will work a lot better. If you have not looked at the techniques for using old halyard to pull new (eg stitching them together or using an untwisted large paper clip plus tape) there are threads on this site somewhere.
Here are some photos. The broken sheeve is on the left side of the foot. I couldn't get a good closeup. Also included a photo of the foot when it was off the mast.
