We have a 1986 Hunter 34, purchased last summer. This year the marina added a wind speed instrument for us. Afterwards it was almost impossible to raise and lower the main halyard and it makes a loud squeaking sound. It doesn't have anything to do with the sail. It is hard to raise and lower without the sail attached. The previous owner put a new rope halyard on a few years ago and it is about 7/16 inch. The marina removed the mast to check if they did anything wrong when putting it back together. At first they could find no problem. When you look thro the hole for one of the bolts that holds the cap on the mast, you can see that the halyard rubs against it. It doesn't matter whether or not the halyard is before or behind the bolt, it still rubs against it. They also noticed that the one bolt was polished and worn away where where the halyard had rubbed against it for years. They had switched the bolts around when they put it back together so then it was rubbing against a thicker bolt. When they switched it back and made sure the worn part was facing the halyard, it improved. But it is still hard to raise the sail and the sail is very hard to get down. Has anybody else with a hunter 34 had this problem and what did you do to correct it?
Main Halyard hard to raise & lower
- Thread starter Sailoff
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We had a similar problem on our 1985 Hunter 31. I changed the main halyard to a factory designated 1/2" line. I replaced the original halyard with a Sta-set X halyard. It was find for about a year and then it would no longer allow us to hoist the main without the winch.
My final analysis was that the line must have absorbed moisture and expanded engough to cause binding. We purchased a new halyard one size smaller and everything was fine.
Have you examined changing out the bolts to something a little shorter?
My final analysis was that the line must have absorbed moisture and expanded engough to cause binding. We purchased a new halyard one size smaller and everything was fine.
Have you examined changing out the bolts to something a little shorter?
Steve, thanks for your reply. The bolts go all the way thro the mast to the other side.
We talked about changing to a 3/8 in halyard but hate to spend the money if it isn't going to correct it. Cuz we didn't have this problem last year with the same halyard. It was harder to pull than our previous 25 footer but we just figured it was because it was bigger. When we release the main halyard, the sail doesn't even fall a little.
We talked about changing to a 3/8 in halyard but hate to spend the money if it isn't going to correct it. Cuz we didn't have this problem last year with the same halyard. It was harder to pull than our previous 25 footer but we just figured it was because it was bigger. When we release the main halyard, the sail doesn't even fall a little.
There must be something out of alignment, Sailoff.. 
When I release the halyard, my main collapses pretty much on the boom.. In this shot you can see the bolts..(the right side one is the 34's mast in the pic with two) Are the sheaves free? Binding in rope way? (like twisted on the other stuff inside? ) The yard ought to be able to figure that out by looking down inside with a light and correcting whatever is giving so much friction..
When I release the halyard, my main collapses pretty much on the boom.. In this shot you can see the bolts..(the right side one is the 34's mast in the pic with two) Are the sheaves free? Binding in rope way? (like twisted on the other stuff inside? ) The yard ought to be able to figure that out by looking down inside with a light and correcting whatever is giving so much friction..Attachments
It's obvious that friction is the problem. Downsizing to 3/8" halyard will be a great help but only if there is no other friction issues. Internal halyard wrap is a common problem if any halyard was removed and reinstalled. Likewise the addition of a wiring harness.
There should be no bolts that run interference on the halyard through the mast. The halyard should run free from masthead sheave to mast base sheave.
There should be no bolts that run interference on the halyard through the mast. The halyard should run free from masthead sheave to mast base sheave.
Sheaves rubbing together?
Is it possible that the yard took your sheaves out and when they reassembled them, they forgot to put the plastic spacers between them? When I had mine apart many moons ago, I noticed that if there were not spacers on each side of the individual sheaves they would bind. Also, the bolt that goes through them couldn't be really tight or the cheek plates on the mast would tend to squeeze the sheaves making them hard to turn.
Stand at the base of the mast and with one hand hold the shackle end of the halyard and pull where it comes out the bottom back and forth (sawing motion). Can you tell if with varying amounts of tension the friction changes. It seems like the wheels aren't turning.
BTW the halyard should drop behind the bolts as it goes over the sheave and into the mast.
Allan
Is it possible that the yard took your sheaves out and when they reassembled them, they forgot to put the plastic spacers between them? When I had mine apart many moons ago, I noticed that if there were not spacers on each side of the individual sheaves they would bind. Also, the bolt that goes through them couldn't be really tight or the cheek plates on the mast would tend to squeeze the sheaves making them hard to turn.
Stand at the base of the mast and with one hand hold the shackle end of the halyard and pull where it comes out the bottom back and forth (sawing motion). Can you tell if with varying amounts of tension the friction changes. It seems like the wheels aren't turning.
BTW the halyard should drop behind the bolts as it goes over the sheave and into the mast.
Allan
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There could be an issue with the mast cable from the new wind instrument.
You might ask the yard the following questions - though I doubt you would get truthful answers.
1) Did they manage to run it down in the cable duct or is is just hanging with all the halyards? If so then you are going to have trouble in the future.
2) Did they need to use or remove your main halyard at any time - perhaps to use it as a mouse get the new cable into the mast? If so then it could be twisted around the new cable.
You might be able to check the latter by watching the lower end of the cable where it exits the mast whilst pulling the shackle end of the halyard downwards. If it moves, even slightly, then they are connected.
You might ask the yard the following questions - though I doubt you would get truthful answers.
1) Did they manage to run it down in the cable duct or is is just hanging with all the halyards? If so then you are going to have trouble in the future.
2) Did they need to use or remove your main halyard at any time - perhaps to use it as a mouse get the new cable into the mast? If so then it could be twisted around the new cable.
You might be able to check the latter by watching the lower end of the cable where it exits the mast whilst pulling the shackle end of the halyard downwards. If it moves, even slightly, then they are connected.
You know that I am thinking that there are two sets of sheaves for each halyard. One set where the lines exit the mast head and then a second set towards the middle of the mast head.
Maybe one of you sailors with the same mast head setup has a photo or can remember exactly what this looks like.
Maybe one of you sailors with the same mast head setup has a photo or can remember exactly what this looks like.
The new wiring, like the old wiring, comes down the mast in a separate channel. We could see that when we took the sheaves(?) out at the bottom to look. The main halyard is not in the same channel as the wiring. All the wiring goes thro the deck underneath the mast. It does not come out of the mast, but we have checked for wire entanglement and that does not seem to be the problem either. I don't knkow if they used the main halyard for anything. That is a good question to ask.
As Allan mentioned there are two sets of sheaves in the mast head. The halyard should go over both of those sets, assuming that you have an Isomat Spar.
Binding Sheaves
That mast is probably a Kenyon...at least all the ones I've ever seen on a H34 were except the one in the brochure picture. It also had a backstay adjuster, but I digress. Now it all comes back to me...the sheaves are flat sided so when the through bolt is tightened they jam together. I took mine and chucked them into a lathe. I turned a few thousanths off so only the hubs could contact the side plates. I also put a nylon washer in between them to further reduce the rubbing friction. The details of the bolt escape me now. I know the bottom ones have a pin and a retaining screw. I did the same thing for them with a nylon washer...only allowing the hub to rub, not the entire diameter of the sheave.
Allan
That mast is probably a Kenyon...at least all the ones I've ever seen on a H34 were except the one in the brochure picture. It also had a backstay adjuster, but I digress. Now it all comes back to me...the sheaves are flat sided so when the through bolt is tightened they jam together. I took mine and chucked them into a lathe. I turned a few thousanths off so only the hubs could contact the side plates. I also put a nylon washer in between them to further reduce the rubbing friction. The details of the bolt escape me now. I know the bottom ones have a pin and a retaining screw. I did the same thing for them with a nylon washer...only allowing the hub to rub, not the entire diameter of the sheave.
Allan
The early spars were Kenyon and then they changed to Isomat. I believe that his would be a Isomat.
Our marina is loaning us a 3/8 in line to attach to our 7/16 halyard to pull through and see if that works any better. We may not get to it til Friday.
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