Jammed Wire/rope Main Halyard On A C27

[Anonymous 121765]

My friend has a mid '70's C27 w/o'board in the well. He has a jammed wire/rope(AARGH) halyard I believed that lifted off the sheave & is jammed sitting on the shaft between the sheave hub & the mast crane.

I tried a few attempts of up-whipping the line from FWD & AFT(deck wise) with no luck. His boat is lacks in upkeep & maintenance of which he overlooks alot. His head W/R halyard is maybe 3/8" & I assume original @ almost 40 years old.

I use a Mast Climber for work aloft on my boat that serves me well albeit, more physically challenging to go up. The beauty of this bosun, allows me to stand higher than the masthead ,instead of having to reach up for work atop.

He went up on his boat once, so I could take pics to send his friends. This time I tailed the head halyard as a safety backup. This time however, only one halyard to use now, I feel is NOT safe.

Has anyone come up with a way to free this halyard to pop back into the sheave from the deck? This problem however, will be a good reason for him to change to a rope halyard.

CR

 

[woodster]

My friend has a mid '70's C27 w/o'board in the well. He has a jammed wire/rope(AARGH) halyard I believed that lifted off the sheave & is jammed sitting on the shaft between the sheave hub & the mast crane.

I tried a few attempts of up-whipping the line from FWD & AFT(deck wise) with no luck. His boat is lacks in upkeep & maintenance of which he overlooks alot. His head W/R halyard is maybe 3/8" & I assume original @ almost 40 years old.

I use a Mast Climber for work aloft on my boat that serves me well albeit, more physically challenging to go up. The beauty of this bosun, allows me to stand higher than the masthead ,instead of having to reach up for work atop.

He went up on his boat once, so I could take pics to send his friends. This time I tailed the head halyard as a safety backup. This time however, only one halyard to use now, I feel is NOT safe.

Has anyone come up with a way to free this halyard to pop back into the sheave from the deck? This problem however, will be a good reason for him to change to a rope halyard.

CR

i would not trust the old halyards that old ...best to replace all the running rigging in that mast ...there was a sailor on the west coast that died from a fall about 2 years ago at 75 years young ...its just not worth it ...drop the mast and re rig for a couple of hundred dollars ...lot cheaper than $10,000 funeral.....or crippled up for the rest of your life...

 

[jrowan]

I don't subscribe to the meladrama of the death or dismemberment scenario, therwise I would not be a sailor as we all encounter risk on a daily basis. But that said, I think you're a nce guy Ron, but I would not risk your health for the sake of someone who does not take proper care of their boat, like you do. Make him pay for a yard to send a rigger up the mast, or better yet make him risk his neck to do it, if he wants to sail her again.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

JR,

Thanks for the feel-good pal. The friend I spoke about is 76 years old & in better shape than I. He's a fascinating guy with a life that should be immortalized in print. I keep at him to allow me to write his memoirs but so far, he keeps saying no.

That being said, he's on a fixed income so he counts his nickels & dimes. I can help him out with the halyards though. My question was if anyone in a similar situation, was able to loosen the halyard & maybe be lucky enough to pop it back into the sheave.

His main halyard goes half way up thus far. I'll see if I can find an angle of pull to get it up higher, then it might work as a safety. But HE wants to scale the aluminum mountain as he calls it.

Sail on pal.

CR

 

[philwsailz]

Use a model rocket. Secure the bitter end of the halyard to the rocket. Aim skyward and fire it off! The rocket should get high enough that the angle makes it easier to free the halyard from the sheave.

I am kidding of course about the rocket, but what devices can we use to replicate the ability to tug from an angle that is more vertical?

 

[Anonymous 121765]

PHIL,

I love the rocket idea, maybe NASA can help me.

The line is not the biggest problem however, safety is utmost. I won't be going up, Frank will. We'll see how it turns out this week. I talked about my idea in my earlier post, I will try this first.

BUT man, I do luv the rocket idea!

CR