1985 Hunter 23 halyard question

[taichi]

Hello all - looking for a knowledgable H23 owner who can help with this puzzle - have stepped my mast a few times now very easily by attaching the jib halyard to the bow cleat and then using the mast wich to raise it - my little 125 lb girlfirnd cranks on the winch and I stay underneath of it and guide it right up. The jib halryard comes out of the mast just above the winch on the mast - I had a friend out sailing the other day and he pointed out to me that the halyard are run backword, that it should really be the main halyard that comes out above the mast winch. I must concede that it does make more sense that way but then I couln't so easily use that winch to step the mast. I did download the 32 page owners manual from Hunter and in it it says to attach a spare block to the bow and run a line back to a cockpit winch to step the mast - I guess that would make sense too.
Any thoughts? If the Halyards are backward how tough will it be to switch them? can I drop the mast and fish them out the top? - even with the fractional rig? or is there a better way?

Thanks

 

[Kermit]

The picture attached shows that my main and jib halyards are the same as yours. The winch is on the port side with the jib halyard running straight down to it. My main halyard on the starboard side and is run to the cockpit with winch and compression cleat next to the companionway cover. Works very well for us. The PO had that done. I have no idea how much trouble it was for him to raise the main before running the halyard aft. I can tell you we tried the official Hunter way of running the jib halyard aft to raise the mast. Didn't work out too well. I really think that what you are doing ain't broke so don't even think about fixin' it.

I'm IMPRESSED that the 2 of y'all can step the mast by yourselves. We bought our boat hoping to trailer it around SC and try out different lakes. Stepping and unstepping is our Achilles' Heel. To the point that I hope to never unstep the mast again. Unless of course y'all are planning a visit to SC and would like to show us how you do it. (There's a churn of strawberry ice cream in it for you. Peach ice cream if you come right now.)

Hope this help!

Kermit

 

[isaksp00]

My H23 has the jib halyard exit up higher, and the main lower down, as yours. Mine has a roller furler, so use of the jib halyard is infrequent. I don't know whether the prior owner, or the yard that installed his furler, switched the exits from the factory setup.

I don't know that there is a "right" way - seems to me it depends on usage and preference. There may of course be a factory default way. If you like it as-is, don't worry about comments, or that it "makes sense" the other way. In what way does the reverse arrangement make more sense?

 

[spenc]

click on the Owner Modification search button and type in Mark Major then click "mast raising system". Ive used this system(very cheap to build) for a few years. It will allow you to raise the mast safely by yourself, your girlfriend can just watch.

 

[taichi]

Thanks

Thanks for the reply - that is interesting. Yea stepping it this way is really easy and with the swept back shrouds it really has no where to go but up.

 

[taichi]

Thanks

Thanks for the info - but this works very well and is simple

 

[taichi]

Thanks

Makes more sense to me because then you would be using the winch to raise the main - especially for that last few feet. My boat has a roller furling jib so I would never need it to raise a jib - I've had boats with hank on jibs and never needed a winch to raise those either but definately could use a winch on occasion to get the main up all the way.

 

[taichi]

Thanks all for the replies - still thinking that I'd like the main halyard to exit over that winch. I guess that next time the mast is down I will see if I can figure out how to switch them out the opposite exit holes. When I first bought the boat we did raise the mast by running a line back to a cockpit winch and it went fine. I think the trick it to keep the shrouds loose enough to give but not so loose that it lets the mast go off to the side. I've done it this way on my last boat - A Mull Ranger 26 that had a taller mast even - stepping the Hunter 23 mast is a piece of cake.
Very sorry though that this thread had to turn into yet another discussion on stepping the mast - really wanted to know about leading my halyards...

 

[Kermit]

Very sorry though that this thread had to turn into yet another discussion on stepping the mast - really wanted to know about leading my halyards...

I guess I'm the one who turned it into a mast-stepping thread. Sure didn't mean to. Good luck with your modification.

Kermit

p.s. The offer for ice cream is still open if you're ever in SC. This goes to Mark Major or anyone else who would like to help mend my Achilles' Heel.

K