In-mast Furling/Main sail head/ H340 HELP

[Soul Surfer]

So the webbing on the top of my main sail broke last week while sailing. Yesturday I picked up my repaired sail and could not figure out how to lower the piece that the head of the sail attachs to. Sorry I do not know the proper terminology, but any help would be great. I am dying to get back on the water to break more things.

Thank You!

 

[Jim Seamans]

Sorry to report, but someone has to go up the mast to retrieve it. You can use the topping lift line and use the spinnaker line for back up. Hook the thing and bring it down with you as lower. Good Luck.

 

[Soul Surfer]

Thanks Jim! thats exactly what I needed to hear. Looks like I'll be finding someone to hoist me up today.

 

[Jon Bastien]

I had exactly the same thing happen last fall. Yep, someone has to go up the mast...

When it happened to me, the 'fat' part of the loop spliced into the end of the halyard got jammed on the sheave at the top of the mast; I had to run a line through the shackle and put most of my body weight on it to get it un-jammed. Once un-jammed, it slid freely to deck level.

At the time, I did not have a spare halyard that went to the top of the mast installed; I had to ride the jib halyard 7/8ths of the way up, retrieve the messenger that was in place for the topping lift, and run the topping lift back to the deck before I could get to the top. It's nerve-wracking to go up without a safety line, but now I won't have to do that again!

Finally, I had my mother on board that day... and she described the day as 'an adventure!'. Then she told me that her definition of 'adventure' is 'any situation where telling the story afterwards is a whole lot more fun than going through the experience'...

 

[Cool_Change]

We had the same thing happen on our 340 too! The loft that I had the repair done at (thankfully while I waited) said it looked like UV damage on the strap. An going to take the sails to him this winter and have all inspected / replaced as the others (ie at the foot) don't look far behind...he said however that there is much less load there.

To retrieve the halyard our daughter (much lighter than i am) went up the mast. I used the spinnaker halyard and then she had a coat hanger (try and find a metal coat hanger in a marina!) to reach up and hook it with. Could have used the topping lift but was unsure of its strength and much smaller line.