Mast Pulley System?

[bootht]

I am thinking about installing some sort of pulley system from my deck to the top of my mast. I will likely use this to hoist a mast light when anchored at night, hoisting a portable solar shower, or other light to mid-weight items. It will not be used to hoist a person. I do not have a backstay and I do have a mast light but it kills my batteries if left on all night.

Does anyone have any ideas or systems that have worked for them? I am contemplating a few options at this point:

1) I may replace my boom topping line with pulleys at the top and bottom. I think this may be the best option since it would still function as a topping line, the line doesn't bare that much weight, it isn't in use during sailing, and is convenient to my cockpit. Plus I could run signal flags up it.

2) I may leave the topping line in place and rig a pulley system along it. This could work but seems redundant.

3) Or I could somehow hook a pulley to the top of my forestay and one to the lower part of my mast. This could work but the pulley system would only go about 3/4 of the way up my mast.

Any preference, concerns, or other ideas?

Tom
1996 Hunter 23.5
JollyMonSing

 

[Steve Dion]

Why not change out your anchor light with a LED?

 

[DannyS]

What Steve said, or install a flag halyard system from the spreaders. Plenty strong enough for a light, solar shower, radar reflector, courtesy flags, etc.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Never have understood putting an anchor light in the worst place to be seen from the water- at the top of the mast.

If you must anchor where ships need to see you, perhaps. But the folks I want seeing the light are the early morning fishermen, and late night dinghy drivers. People low on the water.

I use an LED hung from the forestay about head high, which is, by the way, in accordance with COLREGS

 

[Brian S]

I don't see the need for a separate "hoist line." I have a main halyard of 1/4" Vectran core, which can hoist more than 2x my boat weight If I needed a solar shower bag hoist, I guess that would do the trick. But I want the shower over the cockpit, so that doesn't help. (What does help is the sprayer tank shower from Duckworks Boat Builders Supply: http://www.duckworksbbs.com/gear/shower/index.htm)

As for lighting, I replaced all my bulbs with LED from either http://cruisingsolutions.com for the bi-color festoon, or http://www.doctorled.com for the smaller festoons in the stern and steaming light. And there are cheaper SMD LED lights available off eBay. I certainly put some $$ into my Dr. LEDs and Crusing Solutions bulbs. If anchored out and felt I needed an anchor light (we aren't supposed to anchor out on our lake, so when I'm tucked into a cove, I'm going stealth...), I'd host a small LED battery powered lantern by the main halyard, tied back to the boom end so it doesn't bang the mast, at about 1/3 up the mast. Got one from Walmart that is surprisingly bright. And if I anchored out a lot, I'd get a Bebi Owl or variant, probably with the cord and cigarette lighter plug: http://bebi-electronics.com/owl.html

Just my opinions...

Brian

 

[dscribner]

My mast light has been . . . problematic. Seems that when you step the mast you're supposed to UNPLUG the thing before you lean it so you won't rip the wire apart every time. (we step every time we sail). So, just in case, I have a handy-dandy DIY back up anchor light system. A 3 LED puck light in a Walmart bag tied to the shackle, and a cheap-o HomeDepot rope (not calling it a line . . . it AINT no line!). It will last all night for weeks on 3 double-As. Another option, if you're as cheap . . . thrifty, as I am, you can buy a replacement LED light for the mast for a few buck from Ebay. Certified marine component? I think NOT! But, hey, you're a trailer sailor gunkholing about, not running the TransPac or cruising the Med.

 

[DAVA390]

Led Anchor light?? I just replaced the masttop (actually,all) the exterior lights with conventionals and new lenses, kept the old housings. The mast top bulb is the old long,round bulb with dimples in the ENDS of the bulb for the contacts to rest in. Are you guys saying that a pop in, easy swap LED bulb exists for that housing ?

 

[MrUnix]

Led Anchor light?? [...] The mast top bulb is the old long,round bulb with dimples in the ENDS of the bulb for the contacts to rest in. Are you guys saying that a pop in, easy swap LED bulb exists for that housing ?

You mean something like this?




There are currently replacement LED bulbs for just about any standard automotive/marine incandescent bulb. Do a google search for "Festoon 44mm dimple" and you will turn up a ton of sources.

Cheers,
Brad

 

[Brian S]

Yup.

Make sure you get warm white LEDs if you use it behind a colored lens for the bicolor bow light. The bluer light from a regular white LED won't give you good color through the lens.

Also, there probably should be more actual LED elements in a festoon bulb behind the colored lens. The short festoons Dr. LED makes to fit my Perko stern and steaming light only had 1 LED per 3 sided construction, for a total of 3 LEDs. (Looks like one of those triangular FedEX shipping boxes for rolled paper) Whereas the Cruising Solutions festoon for the Perko bi-color bow light had something like 6 LEDs per each of 4 sides. But the white lights seem plenty bright enough.

Brian

Led Anchor light?? I just replaced the masttop (actually,all) the exterior lights with conventionals and new lenses, kept the old housings. The mast top bulb is the old long,round bulb with dimples in the ENDS of the bulb for the contacts to rest in. Are you guys saying that a pop in, easy swap LED bulb exists for that housing ?

 

[centerline]

Never have understood putting an anchor light in the worst place to be seen from the water- at the top of the mast.

If you must anchor where ships need to see you, perhaps. But the folks I want seeing the light are the early morning fishermen, and late night dinghy drivers. People low on the water.

I use an LED hung from the forestay about head high, which is, by the way, in accordance with COLREGS

the masthead is the ONLY place on the boat that offers 100% unobstructed 360 degree visability....
if the masthead light isnt bright enough to be noticed at 20-50 ft above the water at night, then it probably isnt bright enough to meet minimum requirements, or the approaching boat is close enough to have a visual on the anchored vessel, or the fog is so thick that a light probably wouldnt help anyway if the oncoming boat is approaching from any direction other than the end of the anchored vessel that the light is hanging from.... and even though your method is in accordance with colregs, so is a masthead light.

as for the OP wanting to rig another line to run the masthead light up, or hang the shower bag on while on anchor, why go thru the trouble. at that time you have a main halyard that is not being used for anything other than slatting against the mast, so i would think that would be a great line to use for the purpose.

just sayin', sometimes we need more lines and sometimes we dont...

 

[dscribner]

DAVE!!!

There you are! How're things! Construction business, kitchen project, Mrs.?

Yes, the LEDs have the same fitting as ANYTHING you have. And if you get them off Ebay from some kitchen manufacturing facility, they're wick'd cheap too. I think I paid 5 bucks (shipping included) from my festoon light. I'd venture a guess to say they are polarity sensitive so check that first. Again, they aren't marine certified but some would say that I'm not either. Or, that I'm certifiable. I don't recall.

Don

 

[DAVA390]

Update coming, sit down with a glass of wine.