Halyard replacement, no halyard.

[Happy Daze]

Does anyone know if a 25.5 is stable enough to go up the mast in a sling? Lets say around 200lbs. person.
I have to install a halyard and don't really want to drop the mast.

 

[Jackdaw]

Do you have two good (recent, not original) halyards in place now; one primary lifting and one as a safety? I would not go if the answer is no.

If you go, prepared for some time up there as you mouse the messenger line down and have someone catch it at the exit.

You boat probably has Lewmar/barient 16s in place now.... get a long winch handle and strong person to crank you up. Full load of wraps on the winch. Have cold beer ready after. They will earn it.

 

[egodsey]

I have a 25.5 and there in no problem sending a guy up the mast in a bosun's chair. In addition to Jackdaw's suggestions (which are excellent) I suggest:
1. Use a bowline to fasten the halyards to the bosun's chair. Do not rely on the shackles on the halyards.
2. It goes much easier if the guy going up the mast can "shinny" up the mast. Then the halyards are only holding him up, not lifting him up.
3. Be aware: rolling and/or pitching is greatly amplified at the top of the mast. The guy going up can't be bothered by heights or motion sickness. And he will appreciate you minimizing activity on the deck while he is aloft.
4. On my mast each of the four halyards exits thru its own block that is an integral part of the base of the mast. It is going to be very tricky to fish the messenger thru/around these exit blocks ... not impossible ... but it will undoubtedly take some time. If I were attempting this I would use light fishing line with a small weight as the messenger. And then I would use a small shop vacuum to suck the messenger out of the mast.
Good luck!
E. Godsey

 

[Steve Dion]

IF you have the old halyard in the mast, you can sew/join the old one to the new one. Put a little tape around the joint and pull it through.

 

[Happy Daze]

Thanks everyone for the replies! You have confirmed my suspicions, way too much trouble. I made a 10' "A" frame attached to toe rails for up front and an adjustable crutch for the transom to lower the mast. I will use the jib and spinnaker halyard for lateral stability. Here's the setup. mainsheet blocks from jib tack plate to A frame, line from A frame to mast just above spreaders. halyards to toe rails.
One more question. Why do they have 4 halyard exits?! I would assume one is for the spinnaker topping lift? I have no topping lift exit block and the boom lift is fixed?
You all have been great!! It's always great to have someone who has "been there and done that" to give advice.

 

[egodsey]

My mast is rigged with four internal halyards ... two main halyards and two jib halyards. Two spare halyards is perhaps a bit much but that's how the mast was rigged. The spinnaker halyard is not inside the mast.

 

[Happy Daze]

Thanks every one! For everyone's information:
I ended up making an "A" frame out of 1-1/2" metal electrical conduit. crushed the ends flat and drilled and rounded the ends. Pulled the boom. Attached the frame with 1/4" line to the toe rail even with the mast. Attached the halyards to the frame and the main sheet assy. to the jib hooks on the boat. used the spinnaker blocks attached to the toe rail even with the mast for lateral stability with a line through one block up to the spreaders around the mast then down to the other block. Once hooked up it took only 10 min to lower the mast! Then I used the frame to support the mast to walk it to the front of the boat. I also built a crutch to support the mast on the aft end. Got the boom all sanded and ready to paint. Next the mast! Did I mention that you have to remove the mast step from the mast extrusion to get to the inside of the mast?