Pull new line in boom 1994 Hunter 23.5

[Bob Fry]

I just bought a 1994 Hunter 23.5, have sailed / raced 1 time so far (had it a week). I want to get the running rigging right. There already is a out haul in the (Z SPAR) boom, but no reef line. I need to pull a new reefing line. Is there a easy way to do this? The fellow I bought it from was using the lazy jacks to hold the boom up. I will also be adding a topping lift.

 

[rgranger]

They sell flexible fiberglass "lines" in the electrical section of lowes that is used for fishing electric wires

 

[rgranger]

If that does not seem right try two pieces of pvc pipe joined together

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

If you will go to the boat information and pull up Hunter, click on 23.5 and then click onto down loads for reference to the owners manual. There is an exploded view of the boom as related to the 19, 23.5 and 26. As a former dealer I use to take the boom if I recall correctly when replacing those lines by inverting or turning upside down with the end of the boom held up by it's end while on a ladder, I fed that line down by gravity. when at the other end, I would grab it either by hand or long nose pliers and then feed it thru the turning block. Once done I would put a temporary knot in it and then run it thru the rear boom block. It has been some time since doing that. The manual has a specific section on the 23.5. I remember the day picking up the first one with my daughter and then on the way home to Virginia, I stopped by to pick up some Beneteau literature when their offices was in Charlotte, NC. and the whole office poured out to see that boat which I allowed them as they were not going in that direction with small boats.

 

[isaksp00]

If you don't use a wire fish tape, and do the vertical boom approach, use thin but strong line as a messenger and tie a weight to the end you lower into the boom. Say, a few small washers or fishing weight. Pull that out with a hook and use the messenger to then pull through the proper line, e.g. your reeling line.

 

[cheezbal6]

I just did this yesterday on my 23.5. I used the electrician fish tape (25 foot off Amazon). I pushed it down from the gooseneck to the other end of the boom ensuring it wrapped around the rollers for the line. I had to curl the end with pliers to get it to feed correctly. I then taped a thin and strong string to the end and pulled it back through. Again, make sure the string when you pull the fish tap back stays around the rollers. I then taped the line to the string at the end of the boom furthest from the gooseneck. I pulled it thought then. It is hard to get it around the gooseneck rollers when pulling. Duct tape was my friend to make sure I could pull hard enough and not loose the line.

I had the largest smile on my face after messing around for 2 hours and finally doing the technique above to get it pulled.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Great feed back. Thank you all

 

[GGordonWoody]

For future reference, I used an 11 ft. piece of 12AWG Romex I had laying around. I slit the jacket and pulled out the white conductor, then Gorilla taped it IN SERIES with the new 5/16" line. I used a 12" piece of tape, 6" on the wire, and 6" on the new line. I fed it from the mast end. It's flexible enough to get past the cam/jam cleat and stiff enough to get to the other end, and poke through the wasp nests that are always in there. It must be skinny enough to slip past the jam cleat, so roll it tight around the line.

 

[DJN51]

Sew new line to outhaull line with fishing line pull thru retie to outhaull pull back thru .Done

 

[pateco]

For future reference, I used an 11 ft. piece of 12AWG Romex I had laying around. I slit the jacket and pulled out the white conductor, then Gorilla taped it IN SERIES with the new 5/16" line. I used a 12" piece of tape, 6" on the wire, and 6" on the new line. I fed it from the mast end. It's flexible enough to get past the cam/jam cleat and stiff enough to get to the other end, and poke through the wasp nests that are always in there. It must be skinny enough to slip past the jam cleat, so roll it tight around the line.

When I reinstalled missing reef lines on my 31, I used a fish tape and pull string. However at some point a bird had built a hell of a nest inside my boom. Took me almost an hour to clear it out with the fish tape, shop vac and needle nose pliers. I still get feathers out the mast end when I pull in the reefing line.