Spare shave in the mast?

JosefR

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Sep 18, 2016
127
Catalina 30 Gulfport, Mississippi
I wanna add a hoisting line for the deck of my 30 mkii TRBS. The guy who installed my new roller furler said he thinks there's a spare sheave in the mast. Anyone know if this is correct? If so, is it easy as it looks to drop a new line in, or is it hard as it sounds? I was just gonna add a tang and pulley under the restrainer, but people are telling me it's be easier to go internal. I can't imagine how it's easier, no telling what's in the way...plus a second pulley at the base would give more advantage.
 
Nov 7, 2012
678
1978 Catalina 30 Wilbur-by-the-Sea
Yup, 4 sheaves at the top of the mast, 2 forward and 2 aft. I cut a 4th window in our mast when we had it down and used the 2nd on aft for a topping lift. It will end up being a just a spare Halyard when I finally get the boom vang installed.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,002
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Adding a turning block at the mast base will not give you more purchase advantage.

Get your binoculars out and see if you can see the unused sheave next to the one that has a halyard.... or scoot up there yourself and have a look see. If you're talking about another jib halyard (one facing the fore deck) then it is likely your Catalina 30 has a masthead similar to this C270 drawing on the right. Mine doesn't have the boom topping lift sheave next to the main halyard... but it could be easily added. There are two jib halyards sheaves, as you can see. So it behooves you to inspect your boat more closely. One thing you might look for is an exit block for the missing halyard..... that would be a good clue.


BTW, a foredeck topping lift is a handy addition for lifting stuff around the foredeck, holding up whisker or spinnaker poles, launching and retrieving your tender...... I would just run it externally. Attach a "mast hound" or "eye strap"

somewhere between spreaders and masthead then clip on the appropriate block (don't use a pulley, they aren't marine quality). If you want to add 2:1 purchase, use a single block w/becket up top and a single block and shackle at the load end. A horn cleat on the mast to secure and store the tail.... the line runs up to the single w/becket then down to the single then back up to the becket where it terminates. The load clips to the single block.
 
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JosefR

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Sep 18, 2016
127
Catalina 30 Gulfport, Mississippi
Adding a turning block at the mast base will not give you more purchase advantage.

If you want to add 2:1 purchase, use a single block w/becket up top and a single block and shackle at the load end. the line runs up to the single w/becket then down to the single then back up to the becket where it terminates. The load clips to the single block.
Maybe I don't know the proper terminology, but I've confused myself about which end I'm pulling on...so good, less crap to attach to the mast.
 
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JosefR

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Sep 18, 2016
127
Catalina 30 Gulfport, Mississippi
Attach a "mast hound" or "eye strap"

somewhere between spreaders and masthead then clip on the appropriate block (don't use a pulley, they aren't marine quality).
You're saying to do what I asked about, except with a hound. What's wrong with a tang? Stronger, maybe, by spreading the weight?
 
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