.....First loss of a jib halyard. Just got confused and pulled the whole dang thang out. Laughs on me. Mast is down, I've got the rigid fish tape ready, the boat's in a slip and I know where the jib halyard fell out near the top of the mast, but my questions are ... where does the halyard come out at the bottom and what do I attach it to, and how? I've got a Francespar mast on an H23. It looks like it probably comes out of an exit angled starboard/bow. Thanks, Mac
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Chip Tobey
Jib halyard exit plate
I have an '88 h-23 with a Z-Spar mast, but I assume the Francespar rig would be similar. If not, ignore me ... It sounds like you may have spotted it already, but there is an exit plate about 4-1/2 feet up the mast on the starboard side. The jib halyard exits the mast there and is made fast to one of two cleats on the mast. On the Z-spar it is the cleat forward and below the winch.
I have an '88 h-23 with a Z-Spar mast, but I assume the Francespar rig would be similar. If not, ignore me ... It sounds like you may have spotted it already, but there is an exit plate about 4-1/2 feet up the mast on the starboard side. The jib halyard exits the mast there and is made fast to one of two cleats on the mast. On the Z-spar it is the cleat forward and below the winch.
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Bob Zanowicz
Same Problem
I lost my main halyard over the summer. At that time, I temporarily re-rigged it with the halyard outside the mast. Now that the season is over, the mast is down and the boat is on the hard, I need to re-thread the halyard on the inside of the mast. I checked the archives but I couldn't find anything that deals with this particular situation. (once the halyard is lost) thanks Bob
I lost my main halyard over the summer. At that time, I temporarily re-rigged it with the halyard outside the mast. Now that the season is over, the mast is down and the boat is on the hard, I need to re-thread the halyard on the inside of the mast. I checked the archives but I couldn't find anything that deals with this particular situation. (once the halyard is lost) thanks Bob
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Tim Paul
Learning the Hard Way
Last year after raising the mast by myself for the first time (and feeling quite proud about it), I proceeded to pull the main halyard taut. Only the main didn't tighten...it just kept on coming until I realized too late that I'd forgotten to secure the end or put in a stopper knot. Anyway, I lowered the mast and spent a good 3 hours fishing the halyard back down the mast. I used an electrician's fish tape attached to a smaller line (string). Once I got this fished through, I attached the halyard line to the string and pulled it through. I did it without removing the masthead fitting, but did remove the masthead halyard sheave. Anyway, it was a frustrating, time-consuming process punctuated with a fair amount of cursing. I don't have any real great tips but I do remember that a small needle-nose pliers came in handy to grab the line and that I bent the fishtape end up so that it would be easier to reach. Also, I did the process myself which meant leaving the mast on the boat and working from the trailer ladder. If you can get a helper, it might be easier to take the mast off and put it on saw horses or something. Anyway, good luck. I learned the hard way the importance of checking for stopper knots.
Last year after raising the mast by myself for the first time (and feeling quite proud about it), I proceeded to pull the main halyard taut. Only the main didn't tighten...it just kept on coming until I realized too late that I'd forgotten to secure the end or put in a stopper knot. Anyway, I lowered the mast and spent a good 3 hours fishing the halyard back down the mast. I used an electrician's fish tape attached to a smaller line (string). Once I got this fished through, I attached the halyard line to the string and pulled it through. I did it without removing the masthead fitting, but did remove the masthead halyard sheave. Anyway, it was a frustrating, time-consuming process punctuated with a fair amount of cursing. I don't have any real great tips but I do remember that a small needle-nose pliers came in handy to grab the line and that I bent the fishtape end up so that it would be easier to reach. Also, I did the process myself which meant leaving the mast on the boat and working from the trailer ladder. If you can get a helper, it might be easier to take the mast off and put it on saw horses or something. Anyway, good luck. I learned the hard way the importance of checking for stopper knots.
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Randy
me too!
I lost my main halyard. In my case I'd just purchased the 240 and brought it home. When I inspected the boat I found this blue rope wrapped around my right trailer axle and finally discovered what it was the following day. I bought a 35' fish tape and after receiving the new halyard which took 3 weeks to get in found that it only took 10-15 minutes to install the new one. I did take the top mast cap off which probably simplified it.
I lost my main halyard. In my case I'd just purchased the 240 and brought it home. When I inspected the boat I found this blue rope wrapped around my right trailer axle and finally discovered what it was the following day. I bought a 35' fish tape and after receiving the new halyard which took 3 weeks to get in found that it only took 10-15 minutes to install the new one. I did take the top mast cap off which probably simplified it.
A few ideas and pointers
Before you tie the stopper knot into the end of the halyard, first pass it through the legs of the cleat on the mast. If you drop the halyard end accidentally it won't go up the mast. Also, use a red-hot wire (coat hanger is perfect) to melt a hole through the halyard from one side to the other about 1/2" from the end. Use the same wire to melt two grooves in the sides of the halyard from the holes to the end. If you tie some light line through these holes, it's a simple matter to remove the halyard from the mast for extended storage, winter layup or replacement. Some masts have two sheaves at the upper jib halyard exit; use the one below the forestay. The one above the forestay is for the spinnaker halyard. Peter H23 "Raven"
Before you tie the stopper knot into the end of the halyard, first pass it through the legs of the cleat on the mast. If you drop the halyard end accidentally it won't go up the mast. Also, use a red-hot wire (coat hanger is perfect) to melt a hole through the halyard from one side to the other about 1/2" from the end. Use the same wire to melt two grooves in the sides of the halyard from the holes to the end. If you tie some light line through these holes, it's a simple matter to remove the halyard from the mast for extended storage, winter layup or replacement. Some masts have two sheaves at the upper jib halyard exit; use the one below the forestay. The one above the forestay is for the spinnaker halyard. Peter H23 "Raven"
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Mac Bentley
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Mac Bentley
A little warning
I spent $52 for a 50-foot, nylon fish tape at Home Depot. Only kind they had at this store. Spent an hour and a half trying to get it from one halyard exit to the other, from both directions, and could never get it through. Several slices on my fingers from where hole was cut out of mast for exit plates. Marina owner loaned me a steel fish tape and it breezed through first time, without a hitch. I think the nylon fails to relax, or uncurl, and gets caught on anything it can find. Hope I can get my money back, based on deficient product. Mac
I spent $52 for a 50-foot, nylon fish tape at Home Depot. Only kind they had at this store. Spent an hour and a half trying to get it from one halyard exit to the other, from both directions, and could never get it through. Several slices on my fingers from where hole was cut out of mast for exit plates. Marina owner loaned me a steel fish tape and it breezed through first time, without a hitch. I think the nylon fails to relax, or uncurl, and gets caught on anything it can find. Hope I can get my money back, based on deficient product. Mac
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Jim Kolstoe
A cheaper solution
Like most, I have also discovered the pain of not keeping a halyard properly corraled. At the suggestion of a neighbor in the marina, I tied a small wrench (1/4" box) to some nylon cord, fed it in over the sheave at the masthead and then elevated the head of the mast and shook, jiggled and wiggled it so that the wrench slide down to the exit. I don't remember if I used pliers or a bent wire to pull the string out the exit plate, but it was certantly not a high tech approach. Only took a minute or so. It also works with the mast standing if you have a way to get up that high. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
Like most, I have also discovered the pain of not keeping a halyard properly corraled. At the suggestion of a neighbor in the marina, I tied a small wrench (1/4" box) to some nylon cord, fed it in over the sheave at the masthead and then elevated the head of the mast and shook, jiggled and wiggled it so that the wrench slide down to the exit. I don't remember if I used pliers or a bent wire to pull the string out the exit plate, but it was certantly not a high tech approach. Only took a minute or so. It also works with the mast standing if you have a way to get up that high. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo
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Don
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