Halyard issue
- Thread starter Sunday Sailor
- Start date
How do you figure that? The bracket is fixed to the front side of the mast and essentially fits its profile.... his halyard is mounted on the side and is obstructed by the mysterious brackets..... I am simply suggesting he convert to a more traditional method for mounting navigation lights.... problem solved.
I didn't think of that ...
But what a dumb idea! Metal to metal rubbing just rubs me wrong
Joe, I thought he said there are 2 brackets, one on each side of the mast with lights. The only thing I can think of would be that the brackets are for spreader lights, except they are mounted on top, he said. In that case, I have no idea why the brackets are there and why there are lights mounted to the brackets. Perhaps he has red and green navigation lights mounted half way up the mast. That would be unconventional for sure.
I still think it makes the most sense to eliminate the brackets and if the halyard needs a stand-off, then fairleads would work sooooo much better than a metal bracket with a groove in it. Rope halyards would be fine with the right fairleads.
so the groove wasn't worn by the wire halyard, instead it's a form of stand-off?
But what a dumb idea! Metal to metal rubbing just rubs me wrong
Joe, I thought he said there are 2 brackets, one on each side of the mast with lights. The only thing I can think of would be that the brackets are for spreader lights, except they are mounted on top, he said
. In that case, I have no idea why the brackets are there and why there are lights mounted to the brackets. Perhaps he has red and green navigation lights mounted half way up the mast. That would be unconventional for sure.I still think it makes the most sense to eliminate the brackets and if the halyard needs a stand-off, then fairleads would work sooooo much better than a metal bracket with a groove in it. Rope halyards would be fine with the right fairleads.
Re: I didn't think of that ...
Yes, I have a bracket on each side of the mast and the main halyard runs down the starboard side and cut a groove in the aluminum.
Do you think it okay to screw a couple of fairleads to the mast?
Yes, I have a bracket on each side of the mast and the main halyard runs down the starboard side and cut a groove in the aluminum.
Do you think it okay to screw a couple of fairleads to the mast?
Not a problem at all, in my opinion. I'm still puzzled by the brackets and what lights are on the brackets.
Joe, Scott... It sounds- and the sketch looks like- it is on the front of the mast. He makes no mention any lights are on the other two brackets, wether for R/G or deck lights. If it's a halyard (and to assume it's the heaving end), it probably goes through a block at the top of the mast, on center, for the jib, and would/could be subject to being against anything that is ANYWHERE down the mast- like a bracket.
Finally, He said it "snagged", so maybe is not an every-day postion of concern- just this one time? But all the same, that looks like alot of wear. As usual, we do not get all the info up front, nor a picture to go by- and thus we get a thousand words.
As an added thought, I can't help but wonder what the welding would do to mast strength if all three are at the same level???
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Nope, Ron ...
(Sunday, you're killing us! You've got to clarify!)
In his other posts, Sunday clearly says that there are 2 brackets on the sides of the mast half way up (later he says just below the spreaders). He says that the bracket that interferes with the halyard is on the starboard side and there is a light mounted to the top of the bracket. He goes on to say "there is the same bracket on the other side for steaming lights". That would be the port side and with that info, I am thoroughly confused. I don't know why a steaming light would be plural, but it could be that Sunday is not familiar with the navigational light terminology or the locations where they can (should) be mounted.
(Sunday, you're killing us! You've got to clarify!)
In his other posts, Sunday clearly says that there are 2 brackets on the sides of the mast half way up (later he says just below the spreaders). He says that the bracket that interferes with the halyard is on the starboard side and there is a light mounted to the top of the bracket. He goes on to say "there is the same bracket on the other side for steaming lights". That would be the port side and with that info, I am thoroughly confused. I don't know why a steaming light would be plural, but it could be that Sunday is not familiar with the navigational light terminology or the locations where they can (should) be mounted.
Okay, that could be. I only read the original and followup post on this page where he says the halyard comes down stbd. Yeah, it's all too foggy, so I give up on this thread. Meanwhile:(Sunday, you're killing us! You've got to clarify!)
In his other posts, Sunday clearly says that there are 2 brackets on the sides of the mast half way up (later he says just below the spreaders). He says that the bracket that interferes with the halyard is on the starboard side and there is a light mounted to the top of the bracket. He goes on to say "there is the same bracket on the other side for steaming lights". That would be the port side and with that info, I am thoroughly confused. I don't know why a steaming light would be plural, but it could be that Sunday is not familiar with the navigational light terminology or the locations where they can (should) be mounted.
ix:.
Sorry about the pic but the mast is still buried in 2 feet of snow at the marina. I apologize for saying steaming light when in fact they are nav lights and I suspect some previous owner put them there (after all this discussion). It is the main halyard that cut into the plate and will snag on it. so I either have to cut off plate or attach fairleads to mast to move halyard away from it.
Yep, I'm totally confused also... if it was a common problem there would be plenty of helpful suggestions... but no one seems to be able to even understand the problem much less figure out what the mysterious brackets are....
Sunday, I'm confused by what you call "navigation lights". Basically, there are four navigation lights on a sailboat.
There is a red light on the port side (normally up forward on the bow). Obviously the light shines forward on the port side to a few points (22.5 degrees) back.
There is a green light on the stbd side, opposite and identical in location and orientation to the red light. These are your red and green "running" lights and many people also refer to them as "bow lights" because they are normally at the pointy end of the bow (if a combination set) or just slightly aft of the bow if they are separate lights. Do you have any bow lights?
There is a white light at the stern which is seen for 135 degrees behind your boat.
These 3 lights are displayed if you are sailing your boat at night.
The fourth light is a white light which faces forward and slightly aft at a total angle of 225 degrees. This light is normally mounted on your mast just above the spreaders. This is called the "steaming" light because it is switched on only when you are underway with your engine providing propulsion.
So when you say the brackets have "navigation lights" we are not clear which navigation lights you are talking about and we don't know why they would be mounted on brackets halfway up the mast. It appears to be an unusual set-up. That's why I have a suspicion that somebody attached the red and green running lights to brackets on the mast (so that they can be seen from a higher perspective).
The anchor light isn't included in this discussion, and it is normally mounted to the very top of the mast, anyway.
There is a red light on the port side (normally up forward on the bow). Obviously the light shines forward on the port side to a few points (22.5 degrees) back.
There is a green light on the stbd side, opposite and identical in location and orientation to the red light. These are your red and green "running" lights and many people also refer to them as "bow lights" because they are normally at the pointy end of the bow (if a combination set) or just slightly aft of the bow if they are separate lights. Do you have any bow lights?
There is a white light at the stern which is seen for 135 degrees behind your boat.
These 3 lights are displayed if you are sailing your boat at night.
The fourth light is a white light which faces forward and slightly aft at a total angle of 225 degrees. This light is normally mounted on your mast just above the spreaders. This is called the "steaming" light because it is switched on only when you are underway with your engine providing propulsion.
So when you say the brackets have "navigation lights" we are not clear which navigation lights you are talking about and we don't know why they would be mounted on brackets halfway up the mast. It appears to be an unusual set-up. That's why I have a suspicion that somebody attached the red and green running lights to brackets on the mast (so that they can be seen from a higher perspective).
The anchor light isn't included in this discussion, and it is normally mounted to the very top of the mast, anyway.
You've got the picture now. The nav lights on the mast were probably added for visibility and since they work and are wired okay, it would seem to make sense to keep them. But I am sure whoever installed them, never foresaw the issue with the halyard.