Halyard issues

[Lucky Day]

While stepping our mast on our h260 to install a new roller furling and tune the shrouds for the first time we accidentally de threaded our main halyard, we had our eyes on to many things I guess and did not see that it was not secured.
We have laid the mast down horizontal in the trailer crutch to try and feed a small lead weight with kite string attached so when we step the mast vertical it lowers down the mast and we would fish it out, we cant seem to get anything past the top pulley to drop down the mast, any suggestions on what to do?

 

[Kermit]

I would think electrician's fish tape could work while the mast is still horizontal. But I'm sure someone else has an even better idea. Good luck!

Kermit

 

[soling42]

A steel fishtape is the simple answer but you may need to pull the mast head which is pretty straight fwd too. When you feed the fishtape down the mast put a small bend in the end to slightly lift the head of the tape and try to feed it straight in and not roll it over which could wrap around another halyard or the mast head light wiring.

It's a really simple job with the mast down and the mast head off. If you don't have a VHF antenna on the mast head, now's a great time to pull one in even if it's for a future add-on.

Good luck, Mike

 

[Lucky Day]

Thanks, that was my plan for today, the mast head is riveted so that part is the last option for now, I will let you know how the fish tape works.

 

[Lucky Day]

Thanks, that was my plan for today, I will let you know how the fish tape works.

 

[Alan]

Try a small length of bicycle chain. It will travel over the sheave and have enough weight to drop the messenger line.

 

[Fly_H23]

Try a small cotton ball tied to a string and a shop vacuum on the other end, works every time.

 

[Deucer]

Have ran new halyards and mastlight cable on our 1998 260. It helps if you pull the jib sheave. That gives you visibility to see what's going on inside the mast. Try running the fishtape up from the base AND drop a weighted line, another fish tape, or a stiff wire from the top of the mast and try to meet at the jib sheave opening. There you can tie a pilot line that you bring in from the masthead onto tape and pull it back through the mast. Once you have the pilot line ran, the rest is easy.

 

[Lucky Day]

Try a small length of bicycle chain. It will travel over the sheave and have enough weight to drop the messenger line.

The chain seemed to be the best option but I now have the piece of chain stuck on something on the back side of the sheave, was it normal size bicycle chain ?

 

[soling42]

If the mast is horizontal(as you said) save yourself some frustration and just simply drill out the rivets in the mast head, pop it off and use a fishtape. Been there, done that, it was by far the simplest solution on this boat with the mast down. Any other situation or boat might be a different fix but I'm going with the scenario you laid out in your OP. The vacuum idea has merit(aside from an unfortunate tangle) for a horizontal mast, and the small lamp chain/weighted line idea is a tried-and-true procedure if the mast is upright.

Good luck, Mike

 

[Kermit]

The chain seemed to be the best option but I now have the piece of chain stuck on something on the back side of the sheave, was it normal size bicycle chain ?

Did you take it off the bicycle first?

 

[Lucky Day]

dohh, thats why its stuck.

 

[Lucky Day]

Halyard threaded

Thanks every one for all the great ideals but in the end the final solution was to drill the rivets and remove the mast head, it took less that five minutes to fish thread the line after it was off, the bicycle chain would have worked but after the mast head was removed we could see one of the links had hooked on a small casting imperfection half way up the sheave channel and that is was what was holding it hard, never did get to try the vacuum because of the stuck chain.

Thanks again

 

[Kermit]

Glad it worked out for you. Always good to see when other people's help helps.