Jammed pole topping lift

[skunther]

I was hoisting my Dinghy on the fore deck using the pole topping lift as my attachment point, and the pole topping lift is now somehow jammed it seems at the block up the mast. I can neither get it to out or come in. Has anybody experienced this before? I’m not sure what to do. The load was at a slightly outboard angle from the topping lift block, so it’s possible that it jammed in the sheave up there. I have only tugged on it (hard) by hand. I suppose I could try using a winch on the outgoing side.

 

[dlochner]

It probably jumped the sheave and is jammed between the sheave and the mast. Pulling on it will only make it worse. Someone will have to go up there to free it.

It is better to use the spin halyard to hoist the dinghy since it can swivel and take a side load and won't jam.

 

[skunther]

I’ll add it to my “up the mast” list. Any tips on freeing it?

 

[jssailem]

It all depends on how the jam was made. It could be the sheave or the line frayed between the sheave and the mast. Until you can see the jam, it is all a SWAG.

 

[dlochner]

I’ll add it to my “up the mast” list. Any tips on freeing it?

If you are lucky, a good sharp upward pull may free it. If you are unlucky get comfortable and use a marlin spike or screwdriver to work the halyard out of the space it is jammed in. Good luck!

 

[kloudie1]

You might try pulling it upward on the forward side by putting it through a jib halyard shackle then securing the lower end of the topping lift. Next pull up using the halyard. Be sure to put a "pull down" line on the shackle as well so you can bring the halyard back to deck. Pull up with the halyard above the mast exit and down on the front part of the topping lift . Might work. Good luck.

 

[jssailem]

I like @kloudie1's idea. I would think about trading the shackle for a block. It could reduce the friction and provide a better application of the force needed to free the jam.

on the messenger line to haul back down and recover the block when the jam is free.

 

[rgranger]

I also like @kloudie1 's idea!

But before you try that.... you might get lucky with a "whip" snap of the halyard. If you have ever popped a whip before, you know the motion I'm talking about... but it will need to be verticle so the "loop" will travel up to the sheeve and ... you might get lucky. Probably not but it only takes 5 seconds so... worth a try.

 

[skunther]

You might try pulling it upward on the forward side by putting it through a jib halyard shackle then securing the lower end of the topping lift. Next pull up using the halyard. Be sure to put a "pull down" line on the shackle as well so you can bring the halyard back to deck. Pull up with the halyard above the mast exit and down on the front part of the topping lift . Might work. Good luck.

I tried this, with a fair bit of force. The topping lift is pulled up and over a loop of line attached to the spin halyard (with a retrieval line attached to the halyard, of course), and the other end of the topping left is secured at the deck. I put the spin halyard on a winch and cranked on it fairly hard - I don’t feel comfortable applying more force at this point. Then I bowed and shook on the section of the topping lift attached to the deck to try to pry it up out of the mast exit, but with no luck. Just leaving it loaded as is for now, hoping that time, tension and the elements might help free it.