Need help with 1983 Hunter 31 Mast

[davejet]

I finally got a MastMate and climbed to the top of my mast.

I purchased the 1983 Hunter 31 a little over a year ago.

I knew there was rope stuck in the mast.
I also knew the main halyard was outside of the mast and not running through it.

I climbed the mast and at the top there was cap with the anchor light on it.
I was able to prior of the cap but could not move it much, because I think the anchor light wiring was holding it in place I was afraid to pull on it to hard.

I look inside I was hoping the rope stuck in the mast was stuck with a knot or something at the top. No luck did not see the rope. Would of be better if I could removed the entire cap.


Questions.
Any suggestions on how to safely remove the cap without damaging the anchor light?

any suggestions on how to get the rope out. I was thinking that maybe I should goto home depot and get the wire for fishing electrical wires at least 50 ft since my mast is 47 ft and goto the top and send it to the bottom and hopefuly out where the rope is coming out of the bottom of the mast and hook it the rope and tape it and try to pull it up the mast.
What do you think?

Finally about putting the main halyard down inside the mast. I was think of using a cord with an lead fishing weight and dropping it down inside the mast. When I get it out of mast at the bottom, then attaching the end of the halyard at the top of the mast to the cord at the top and then pulling it from the bottom where the weight is down and out the bottom of the mast.
What do you think?

Again I am new at this and would love suggestions.

 

[kloudie1]

You are on the right track, Dave. Folks do use a weighted string to drop without removing the mast cap. If you pull the sheave axle at the mast base, you may be able to see enough to get the messenger string and pull a halyard through. I don't understand how you got the cap loose without removing the mast support stays??
Some folks have cut a small access port in the side of the mast to be able to work with the mast wiring; That may be an option to get access to the halyards inside. Is that the standard mast that was supplied with the boat?

 

[kloudie1]

Check out post #22 in this link.. http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=926035&highlight=mast
There is a lot of great info on the site.. Sometimes hard to search, but usually ya can find a lot of good stuff.. The 31 from that era is very much like the 34 from the same time period..

 

[Steve Dion]

Dave:

Actually this would be an excellent time to drop the mast and replace sheaves, lines and wiring as needed. The yard would normally charge around $150 - 200 or so but you can make sure that everything on a 30 year old mast is in good working order. It is a lot easier and safer to do it on a bench.