Main and Jib Halyards keep getting stuck!

[shan0220]

Hi! I have a 1978 Catalina 27' that I have had for a year now. Last year the jib halyard got stuck at the top of the mast early in the season. I sailed around the san juans the rest of the season until October and it was uneventful as far as halyards go. This year, however, the main halyard has gotten stuck three times so far on top of the mast. 2 days ago I raised it about halfway before it got stuck. At first it looked like it was just wrapped around where the lazy jack attaches to the mast. But it is clearly having an issue again at the top. The sheaves are not corroded and they turn. Does anyone know why this could be happening?

Thanks in advance,
Shannon

 

[caguy]

Miine has an 1/8" cable for the halyard with a winch. Are you using rope or cable? Do you have the right size line or sheaves?

 

[shan0220]

I will be checking that on Thursday morning when I go up. The last owner said he always kept the main halyard attached to the portside handrail (instead of on the mast where I have it). He kept the jib halyard on the starboard side. I have that on the mast as well. I am wondering if he did it so they don't have a potential to cross, but I always hold the halyards out at arms' length before attaching them to the sails to make sure they are not crossed. the halyards go from cable (attached to the sails) to rope (where they end in the clutches in the cockpit). I am unsure how much cable to rope there is on each one.

 

[Johnb]

I used to have a problem on my previous boat with the halyard slipping off the sheave. I made up some guides to prevent that and the problem went away.

As far as the mainsail is concerned if the track that the slugs run in is dirty or corroded, that can really jam things up. Once the slugs get pulled out of alignment by an obstruction and more than one does that they can be nigh impossible to move. Clean and apply a dry lubricant.

Are the halyards internal or external?

Is the problem alleviated by pulling the sail down a bit and then raising it again

 

[Winkfish]

The PO probably kept them on the rails to keep them from banging against the mast (there was a thread about halyard noise not long ago). Sounds like the sheaves might be worn enough for the halyards to jump the track and get jammed, but you won't know for sure until you go up top. Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[JoeWhite]

The jib and main halyards may need to replaced

 

[Chris Patterson]

Yep. Somehow the cable is running afoul of the sheave it seems. When you hold the halyards tight down, on both sides of the mast, will they run smooth through the sheaves? Or tend to do it when the boat is getting thrashed around a little, causing the cable to run slack? John has got the right idea. There might even be a guide pin missing on the masthead, that used to hold the cable fair.
Something to look for..

 

[RichH]

A possibility is that if the halyards have a spliced tapered eye, that tapering has become 'fatter' over the years and is becoming jammed in the 'throat' (total opening) of the sheave. Since the 'tapered' section of a splice is quite gradual, its quite easy to get this tapered section jammed in the sheave if the taper exceeds the width of the sheave opening area in the mast.

If the full diameter of splice is larger than an unspliced section then it could be the cause.

How to check if youre in doubt: wrap the splice with a single wrap of thin masking tape; dont 'overlap' the wrap. Attach a messenger rope to the shackle and raise the halyard fully ... but dont jam it into the sheave. Lower the messenger and halyard and carefully scrutinize the masking tape for 'rubs' (from the 'throat' of the sheave).

Usually such a 'thickened' (caused by 'hysterisis' of repetitively stress loading) splice section should be replaced; however, you can sometimes temporarily reduce its diameter by soaking it in HOT (less than 180°) water, pulling a LARGE strain on the rope, and let it dry/cool thoroughly.
Old 'rope' should not be spliced, only 'new'. If your splice has 'thickened'; and, you dont want to buy a new halyard with a spliced eye with shackle already installed, simply cut the spliced eye off and consider to apply a "Jeanneau Halyard knot".
Warning - once you have placed a 'halyard knot' against a shackel, you never use this shackle/knot to raise a 'human body' up the mast; use a looped figure-8 or figure-9 for attaching 'humans' to a halyard.
http://www.jeanneau-owners2.com/hintsandtips/id137.htm

 

[Steve Dion]

You may want to consider having someone go up the mast and inspect the sheaves.

I can be that the line has absorbed moisture and swelled up or the sheaves are cracked/broken. Regardless, this can be a disaster waiting to happen in the right conditions.

 

[rgranger]

This used to happen to me on a Cornonado 25' I used to own. My issue was I had a piece of aluminum that slipped between the main and jib sheet sheaves of the chicken head (see attached pic for what a chicken head is). That piece of aluminum had gotten worn and it allowed the cable to slip off of the sheaves. I used the old piece as a template and cut a new one.