Halyard guides inside mast?

Dec 12, 2017
6
Beneteau 32 Kaneohe, HI
Weld in Boxes at the base of the mast are generally held in with a spring pin, where the pin can simply be tapped out from other side from the flat with a punch.
In this case maybe just need to pry out considering other end is on the inside of the mast . Good luck Eddie
It would be nice if I can do that. Perhaps I just haven't applied enough force to it yet. Going back this weekend, will try more persuasion...
 

DougM

.
Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
If that shaft is secured inside the mast with a cotter pin or a clip, it seems like the mast would still have to come down in order th change it. Something has to secure that shaft end.
 

SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
Maybe the jacket is now jammed where that line is surrounded was running behind or around or in-between something (e.g. wires, another halyard, brace, whatever).

Your other possibility is that the jacket snagged something is possible --- but I would thing you could free that with some back and forth action.

As others have said: Forcing it, especially without know what's in there isn't a good idea.

The hose clamp and the "line smootz" on the exit block is very weird.

There are fiberoptic plumbing tools that might provide some in-sights? My guess: The rig should come down, the lines were not lead fairly through the spar. IF mess-up the electronics, you'll just be compounding a bad situation.
 
Dec 12, 2017
6
Beneteau 32 Kaneohe, HI
Thank you all for your thoughts on this. Fist of all, Eddie (Sailermaned) was right - once the tension was off all the various lines & halyards, determined use of a screwdriver under the head of the pin got it to move! There is a clever little spring inside the axle pin that prevents it from shaking out - plus there was a certain amount of salt buildup that was keeping it from moving. But mystery solved! Thank you again.
The stuck halyard itself is a different problem. It seems to me the line is the original boom topping lift - it's the lightest of all the lines in the mast, 3/8" or perhaps less. The problem started so long ago, nobody, including the owner, can remember what was what or what happened. But what happened to me yesterday was that the halyard finally parted somewhere in the middle of the mast, leaving the messenger stuck inside somehow. I had removed that weird hose-clamp thingy from the end of the messenger and spliced an extension on, in case i could get the halyard moving. Then I started hauling on the two ends, harder and harder until - bang! - the line broke and it came spilling out of the masthead - and then it got stuck again. :-( Now there's nothing for it but to send some pretty 70-lb deck wench up the pole to look at the masthead for me (I don't think the winch is made that can haul my 200-plus pounds up there!). Then later, a plumber's drain camera maybe, to find out what the messenger is stuck on. <sigh>
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,989
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
@Rustiferion one idea that has been suggested is to use a small diameter fiberglass fish to push your messenger line through the mast. I have not done this with a mast up but with the mast on the hard the system has worked well. I was able to assure that the halyard had a fair lead and no sharps to create chafe.
I understand some folk have used a light messenger line with a fishing weight to drop their line down through the mast.
No easy answers. Ingenuity is a needed skill when working on a boat.
 
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