Mast top lanyard install

[Brian D]

Going to have two lanyards installed at the top of my mast (see image). The bare cable is backstay and white wirerope is topping lift.

How would you recommend the two lanyards be attached? Drill new holes and mount parts or use existing hardware already up there and just hang hardware off of them?

These will be non-load bearing lanyards and will only be used to raise a dipole for 20 meters, and also an alternate backstay antenna. These antennas are in the future even though the 20 meter dipole is tuned and has been used on the boat before.

Open to suggestions before I have to work done at the boat yard.

Thanks

 

[Brian D]

I had this thread in the SSB forum and got no replies, so I thought I would try here in AAS!

 

[lehighsail]

Not on topic, but how did you get the picture?

 

[Brian D]

HiRes DSLR dockside with telephoto.

 

[Gunni]

I would simply shackle a block to one of the existing stay/pins and run a continuous loop dacron line around it and back down to a tensioned block on the stern, attach a clip that your antennae can connect to and run it up (and down). You are the radio guy, but I suppose the backstay deck turnbuckle is your preferred lower location. Maybe use the topping lift top pin to keep the antenna from wrapping the backstay, and binding.

 

[Brian D]

Thanks Gunni. I have already done a test hoist using my halyard and there was no issue with the antenna wrapping around the backstay. I had a picture of the antenna during testing but must have lost it.

I was thinking along the same lines of using the existing pins in the masthead. Need to photograph that portion of the head to see what is there.

 

[Terry Cox]

Without knowing what the mast head cap looks like, or how it is attached, me thinks mounting an aluminum bar to the cap that would extend out on either side by two to three inches makes a good lanyard attach point. Me also thinks mounting a small pulley on each bar side looping the lanyard through it would allow you to raise and lower whatever mounts.

Our lower spreaders have that pulley with a lanyard, which I use on one side for courtesy flags and the other for a radar reflector. Me thinks the cap bar becomes basically a small spreader. Very versatile, me thinks.

Me thinks aluminum bar would be more compatible with the head cap, which I assume is also of the same material.

 

[Mark Maulden]

I like Terry's idea. If you put the feedpoint of a dipole on the current pin, the forward element would be against the mast...

 

[Brian D]

Terry, I think that would require welding which I am not inclined to do, or even have done. I would be nice to have something like that for additional lights or VHF antennas, but not at this time.

Mark, the dipole is 1/16 insulated wire rope on a Budwig HQ-1 insulator. That is crimped to the wire rope. So it is done and ready to use, just need a better way to raise the antenna or keep it up semi-permanent without having to use the halyard.

I think the shackle is probably the better choice. Fast and easy. Just need to figure out what parts to get. All will be stainless steel and the blocks will support up to 1/4 dia. rope.

 

[Ken Cross]

It seems to me that the mast has little stress on it at the upper end. Drilling and tapping mounting holes should be no problem.
Other options:
Install a spare halyard.
Having said that I always thought an insulator at each end of a backstay could make a great antenna. That assumes your tuner had enough inductance to match it up and the insulators are strong enough.

Ken

 

[Brian D]

Ken, an alternate backstay is basically the same thing except no need to cut up the backstay and add insulators. I too thought about drilling but Gunni mentioned shackles on the pins. I need to look and see what size pins are up there. Quick photo with a hires DSLR and knowing the size of the backstay wire will yield the size of the pins. Then, just need shackles that will fit over the pins.