Extra sheave in my mast - what's it for?

[CapitalistSailor]

I bought a Beneteau 311 last year. Last weekend while inspecting my mast while it was out of the boat, I discovered an extra sheave on the mast. it is located on the front of the mast about 20" below the forestay connection and the jib halyard. I thought at first that the extra sheave was intended for a spinnaker pole uphaul, but the sheave seems much too high for that. Does anyone know what this extra sheave is intended for?

I bought the boat with the mast in place, and this sheave would have been well hidden by the roller furled jib. I looked around for some other Beneteaus to see if they had something similar, but it's too early in the season. (The ice finally melted enough to put in the docks just two weeks ago, so there are few boats launched so far this season.)

Neither the owner's manual nor the mast manufacturer's drawings show this extra sheave.

 

[Ron20324]

On my B323, that is where the lazy bag or lazy jack line comes out. Then LJ goes to each side, then down via an eye/block somewhere above the spreaders.

 

[CapitalistSailor]

On my B323, that is where the lazy bag or lazy jack line comes out. Then LJ goes to each side, then down via an eye/block somewhere above the spreaders.

Ron,

Thanks for the quick response. I would never have guessed that. Why is this line run up so high, rather than down near the spreaders? And how does the other end of the line exit the mast and get tied off?

My lazy jacks now are tied off to padeyes on either side of the mast, a little below the spreaders. The lengths are not adjustable, but I tied some loops in the boom ends of the lines line so that I could loosen the lazy jacks for sailing, and tighten them when the main is in the StackPak. This arrangement is not the best, but it is how the boat was rigged when I bought it.

 

[Ron20324]

DO you mean the sheave way at the left side of this pic?

It's past my bedtime and not thinking straight. You're right. My lazy bag DID attach to those eyes on each side of the mast. I took the two lines off the eyes, attached them to a single line that goes through that sheave, down to an exit on the mast port side, then back to the cabin top. I'll correct spelling errors in the morning

 

[Jackdaw]

I bought a Beneteau 311 last year. Last weekend while inspecting my mast while it was out of the boat, I discovered an extra sheave on the mast. it is located on the front of the mast about 20" below the forestay connection and the jib halyard. I thought at first that the extra sheave was intended for a spinnaker pole uphaul, but the sheave seems much too high for that. Does anyone know what this extra sheave is intended for?

I bought the boat with the mast in place, and this sheave would have been well hidden by the roller furled jib. I looked around for some other Beneteaus to see if they had something similar, but it's too early in the season. .

It IS your spinnaker topping lift. On many Beneteaus this is very high on the mast; the extra height makes gybing easier. On our First 36.7, the topping lift is almost as long as the spin halyard. You can see how high in this sistership pic

 

[CapitalistSailor]

Jackdaw,

Thank you for the response and picture.

In the picture it looks like the spinnaker pole uphaul is attached near the outboard end of the pole, rather than in the middle to a harness. Is that right? The detail in the picture is a little hard to see on my screen.

Ron, yes, that's the sheave I mean. Mine is a little different type, but the functionality looks to be the same.

 

[Jackdaw]

Jackdaw,

Thank you for the response and picture.

In the picture it looks like the spinnaker pole uphaul is attached near the outboard end of the pole, rather than in the middle to a harness. Is that right? The detail in the picture is a little hard to see on my screen.

Yes, quite possible if they dip-pole gbye the pole on that boat.

 

[DougM]

The sheave in question is definitely intended to be for the spinnaker pole topping lift. If you look closely at the second picture it's possible to determine that the topping lift is attached to the center of the bridle on the spinnaker pole. The angle of the photograph makes it appear that the pole is shorter than it really is.

 

[Ron20324]

I'll take ya'lls word for it, though that exit block fitting is not flared out like the halyard exit. Seems to me it would wear the topping lift line? Or, maybe it just won't be used for a TL- like I didn't.

I did add a pole topping lift using the OEM exit fitting like in the picture. I located it below the steaming light.

 

[CapitalistSailor]

Thank you all for your excellent replies.

I'll move on to my next question about how the jib halyard should be rigged.