Oday 272 Mast Rigging

agprice22 · Feb 26, 2014

My 272 mast has 2 sheaves in the masthead leading halyards forward of the mast. My PO removed the furler in favor of a racing-favorable tuff-luff rig. I have not rigged the boat yet, as I live in Upstate New York, and I just acquired the boat last Fall. I believe one halyard would be for the jib/furler, and the other might be for a Spinnaker. The block above the deck is probably for a Spinnaker pole (boom) uphaul. I am not sure about the sheave below the masthead. Maybe it also is related to the spinnaker.

I will be interested if someone sheds more light on this.

Anyone with pictures would be great!

Thanks,

Andrew

cbourne200 · Feb 26, 2014

I bought an '87 272 two yrs ago with CDI furler. First furler I had ever used, so did not know that halyard for furler was inbuilt - halyard was a little longer than the furler assemble, with one end at 'top of furler' and other end at deck level. In order to mount jib, had to climb mast and retrieve halyard and attach to to top of jib. THEN other end of halyard cleated off on furler assembly. Also have an internal halyard with snapshackle attached and connects to a bail around front of mast. Suspect this is for spinnaker/hank on jib if I didn't have a furler. Cleats off to a cleat on side of mast. Block below spreaders is for topping lift for spinnaker pole (I assume), as there is a track on forward part of mast. I don't remember an exit hole 2' from top of mast.

Charles

pgiorda · Feb 27, 2014

I still have the CDI furler with it's internal halyard. Been thinking about replacing the line. Haven't gotten around to that yet and luckily it hasn't broken yet. As for a second halyard coming via the mast, I have one and use it for my spinnaker\gennaker once a year. That halyard is routed to the triple clutch on the starboard cabin top.

My boat doesn't have an opening in the front of the mast near the top, nor a block near the spreaders.

Jackdaw · Feb 27, 2014

There for sure will be 2 sheeves at the front of the mast top box, one for the spin and one for the jib.

The upper item in question is likely the factory spinnaker internal topping lift. The lower one looks added on and could be again a topping lift; added by someone that didn't want to bother running twice the line inside the mast to the upper one.

Jackdaw · Feb 27, 2014

jdsevier said:
Thank you all very much, I really appreciate all the great info. Now I need a bosuns chair to rig my missing halyards.

If you do go up in a bosuns chair, you will have to be very careful as it sounds like you have only one halyard. If this is the case, you will have no safety line. If you feel comfortable with that, make SURE your main halyard is in very good condition. Replace it if you are not. Get hoisted up several feet and bounce around; make sure the blocks roll true under your weight. I've had to go up mast several occasion without a safety and never felt totally comfortable.

Jackdaw · Feb 27, 2014

jdsevier said:
Very good point Jackdaw. I havent been up there yet but my 12 year old son has been up there to fix the jib furling when we first purchased the boat. This is one of the main reasons I want to put the other halyards back in place, as a safety line. My main halyard is 1 year old and in great shape. I will for sure be careful.
Ive never deployed a new halyard down the mast, is this a difficult job?

Not hard. You will need a length of very thin strong line; longer than your mast. Tie a weight to one end. A foot-long length of bike chain is best, but a few nuts often work well. You will have to lower this mouse line down the mast, the trick is to find it at the lower opening. Heel the boat slightly to that side, and have a hook made from an old coat hanger handy. A small flashlight helps to peer inside when you think it's close. This will happen right away, or you will mess with it for an hour; never seems to be middle ground!

Once you have it; it's sample matter of connecting the lower end of the halyard to the mouse line and pulling it down and through. The best way to do this is to have flemmish eyes put on the end. If the rigger did not do this, you can make your own. Or just tape it, that can work just as well.

Halyard with Flemmish Eye.

cbourne200 · Feb 27, 2014

pgiorda - what year is your 272? I know maybe even the same year build would have different lines going to clutch on starboard cabin top. Mine is '87, and has main halyard, reefing line, and main traveler occupying the clutch. 'Spinnaker/jib halyard' is tied to a cleat on port side of mast.

Charles

pgiorda · Feb 28, 2014

I have an 87 and no reef line.

I've reefed tying the reef points around the boom. Being able to reef without going onto the cabin during heavy winds sounds like a nice option, and would more beneficial than the 1 time a year I fly the spinnaker / genaker.

venture23 · Mar 3, 2014

Knowing absolutely nothing about sailing other than a 2 day basic keelboat class and youtube, I aquired a few sailboats. O'Day 272 1987 I aquired last April ( 2013). I have the same question about the exit in the front of the mast at the top. I aquired an original 272 owners manual. Nothing said about it.

I am too chicken for the bosun chair, would rather lower the mast like the macgregor sailboats for inspection when that time comes.

My mast has a main halyard 3/8 up through the mast from the stbd side and down the aft masthead through a roller. It has what it calls a "spare" 3/8 entering up the stbd side and exiting the fwd masthead roller, like a jib halyard. Then it has a topping lift 1/4 entering the port side going up and exiting the other aft roller. My jib halyard is in the CDI "ROLLER REEFER" which I upgraded with a new drum from CDI. All the info on it is available through CDI. ITs not looking like rocket science anymore. All the lines still going aft to the cockpit and am color coding as original.

Disassembled the Westerbeke Ten-Two and re-rung it, runs like a top now especially after the previous owner spent $2500 on the fuel system and repairs which were not needed, just low compression from sitting. Hauled the boat, had the bottom paint redone and changed out the propshaft,stuffing box and put a CDI plastic prop on it.

Removed the gooseneck rivets, drilled and tapped, installed 5/16 socket head stainless cap screws, replaced the nylon bushings.

Getting closer to sailing it. I had the sails repaired now looking for a set of used original sails.

Anybody got an extra old set of sails to learn on?

Oday 272 Mast Rigging

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.