OK,i know its good seamanship and makes sense to always have the jib halyard on the port side and the main on the starboard so no matter what boat youre on, you know which halyard to grab. i just got my ericson and the halyards are switched, and it seems that when the main is raised, it gets very tough to finish raising the final foot or so,,is it possible that with the halyards on the "wrong" side that the halyard is at more of an angle from the mast on the port side thus pulling the main a bit away from the mast as it is raised? i dont really want to climb the mast or drop it either one but i will if i need to,,,i really need to install a windvane anyway. hmmmmm
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not to worry
My E28 had a main that was difficult the last foot. And the main halyard is on the starboad side (as God intended) What causes the tension is worn slugs; particularly the big one at the top. It would bind in the slot. I had new slugs installed; I'd like to say the problem is gone but i haven't actually sailed her since it got the new slugs. But the sailmaker (Potomac Sails) says that is the solution. They're probably right. I think you should keep the main halyard on the port side; even tho the sailing world will criticize you and make fun. It's your boat. :>) Good luck.
My E28 had a main that was difficult the last foot. And the main halyard is on the starboad side (as God intended) What causes the tension is worn slugs; particularly the big one at the top. It would bind in the slot. I had new slugs installed; I'd like to say the problem is gone but i haven't actually sailed her since it got the new slugs. But the sailmaker (Potomac Sails) says that is the solution. They're probably right. I think you should keep the main halyard on the port side; even tho the sailing world will criticize you and make fun. It's your boat. :>) Good luck.
install that windvane
Install that windvane, and when you do, re-align your halyards and check that the sheaves in the masthead all turn smoothly. It's not uncommon to have wear or grit on the shafts cause a lot of friction. Also, the weight you're lifting is increasing as the sail goes up and at the end you are also lifting the boom, so that will also contribute. Check the slides and track to insure that there are no rough spots. Be sure the main sheet is loose enough that you're not stretching the leach. If you take the mast down, check everything....wiring and all, to reduce future problems. Post a note if you come through Houston, and stop by the boat....
Install that windvane, and when you do, re-align your halyards and check that the sheaves in the masthead all turn smoothly. It's not uncommon to have wear or grit on the shafts cause a lot of friction. Also, the weight you're lifting is increasing as the sail goes up and at the end you are also lifting the boom, so that will also contribute. Check the slides and track to insure that there are no rough spots. Be sure the main sheet is loose enough that you're not stretching the leach. If you take the mast down, check everything....wiring and all, to reduce future problems. Post a note if you come through Houston, and stop by the boat....
Internal or External?
If the halyards are internal and the lead to the winch is fair, there should be no problem. If the halyards are external, with winches on the mast, the only way to get a fair lead is to have the main on starboard and the jib on port. If the halyards are reversed, they run across the side of the mast to wrap onto the winch. The friction against the mast will make the sail hard to hoist. Good news ... external halyards can be swapped from the deck.
Just pull tag lines through the masthead with the halyards, swap them and pull them back through with the tag lines. Randy
If the halyards are internal and the lead to the winch is fair, there should be no problem. If the halyards are external, with winches on the mast, the only way to get a fair lead is to have the main on starboard and the jib on port. If the halyards are reversed, they run across the side of the mast to wrap onto the winch. The friction against the mast will make the sail hard to hoist. Good news ... external halyards can be swapped from the deck.
Just pull tag lines through the masthead with the halyards, swap them and pull them back through with the tag lines. RandyFrom the factory
Bill, If the mast is as it came from the factory, the masthead will have two sheaves forward and two aft built into it. It is always a good idea to remove, clean, and lubricate them whenever the mast is down. The forward one on the port side should carry the jib halyard, which then passes through a hole drilled in the plate that seals off the top of the mast, runs down the mast, and out of a slot on the port side. The main halyard should run over both halyards on the starboard side, exiting forward and running down the front of the mast. There should be a winch on the starboard side of the mast for tensioning the main halyard. Someone has apparently changed the configuration on your boat, and you might want to figure out why before you alter it - for example, did they cut any additional holes in the top plate so as to allow both halyards to run internally? It is a good idea to spray your slugs and the groove in the mast with a dry lube like Boeshield or MacLube periodically - also, clew slug and boom groove - and you will see a big improvement there.
Bill, If the mast is as it came from the factory, the masthead will have two sheaves forward and two aft built into it. It is always a good idea to remove, clean, and lubricate them whenever the mast is down. The forward one on the port side should carry the jib halyard, which then passes through a hole drilled in the plate that seals off the top of the mast, runs down the mast, and out of a slot on the port side. The main halyard should run over both halyards on the starboard side, exiting forward and running down the front of the mast. There should be a winch on the starboard side of the mast for tensioning the main halyard. Someone has apparently changed the configuration on your boat, and you might want to figure out why before you alter it - for example, did they cut any additional holes in the top plate so as to allow both halyards to run internally? It is a good idea to spray your slugs and the groove in the mast with a dry lube like Boeshield or MacLube periodically - also, clew slug and boom groove - and you will see a big improvement there.
Thanks
Thanks for the replies, i forgot to mention the halyards are external. guess ill have to go up the mast or drop it to ck out whats really going on up there. anyone have good info on how to drop the mast since it drops foward, i can slide the boat back in the slip a few feet and then drop the mast foward partially and get to the top of the mast from the dock since the lake i sail in is about 6 foot low! another thing,,,in a square box shape sailbag other than the storm jib i found numerous pieces of sunbrell style cloth strips about 3 or 4 foot by about 12 inches. there are slits along the long axis and it also has small black straps with plastic buckels to strap these strips to something? its the same color and material as all my other sail/tiller covers. i thought it might be handrail covers but i dont have handrails,,the only other thing i can think of is install them on the lifelines for weather covers when sailing in weather. any ideas? i can take pics this weekend of them
Thanks for the replies, i forgot to mention the halyards are external. guess ill have to go up the mast or drop it to ck out whats really going on up there. anyone have good info on how to drop the mast since it drops foward, i can slide the boat back in the slip a few feet and then drop the mast foward partially and get to the top of the mast from the dock since the lake i sail in is about 6 foot low! another thing,,,in a square box shape sailbag other than the storm jib i found numerous pieces of sunbrell style cloth strips about 3 or 4 foot by about 12 inches. there are slits along the long axis and it also has small black straps with plastic buckels to strap these strips to something? its the same color and material as all my other sail/tiller covers. i thought it might be handrail covers but i dont have handrails,,the only other thing i can think of is install them on the lifelines for weather covers when sailing in weather. any ideas? i can take pics this weekend of them
internal?
so bob,,,youre telling me that from the factory the halyards should be internal? ill have to look at the mast close this weekend if thats the case and see whats up cause if im running external halyards when they should be internal,,that might be part of why its bad angles? also, the po had no sailing experiance and the mast was down with a missing spreader when he got it,,he replaced the halyards and spreader with help from friends,,the spreader looks good and tough and the halyards are brand new rope to wire.
so bob,,,youre telling me that from the factory the halyards should be internal? ill have to look at the mast close this weekend if thats the case and see whats up cause if im running external halyards when they should be internal,,that might be part of why its bad angles? also, the po had no sailing experiance and the mast was down with a missing spreader when he got it,,he replaced the halyards and spreader with help from friends,,the spreader looks good and tough and the halyards are brand new rope to wire.
The ones I've seen
So far every Mk 2 E23 I have seen has all rope halyards. From the factory, only the jib halyard ran inside the mast, then out a slot on the left side. In the picture, it is the line angling down beside the mast, passing through the block near the base of the msst, then through the cheek block on the deck and back along side the hatch cover. The main halyard is external and passes over two sheaves at the masthead.
So far every Mk 2 E23 I have seen has all rope halyards. From the factory, only the jib halyard ran inside the mast, then out a slot on the left side. In the picture, it is the line angling down beside the mast, passing through the block near the base of the msst, then through the cheek block on the deck and back along side the hatch cover. The main halyard is external and passes over two sheaves at the masthead.
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