Re-installing internal halyards

[nodachi]

Hey Clark,

"Since the head can be unbolted, you'll have no need to leave a pull string in the mast fo some possible future use."

Excellent point and I'm glad you brought that out. I'd thought the same thing but I thought maybe I was missing something, but right. You remove the masthead cap and properly re-install the halyards and it's a done deal. And I was also concerned about the possibility of the halyards twisting around one another when snaking them up the mast - which is down right now to answer your question - but I'd think there'd be less chance of fouling them up if the masthead cap is removed and you can see what you're doing and where they're being installed.

I'd like to jump on this project this weekend, probably Saturday. A guy I work with has some extra equipment - fenders, PFD'S, lines - he wants to get rid of so I'll head out to Fairfax and check that out and then come home and put the wrenches to the side of my mast, but those look like bolts that should turn so if Murphy doesn't show up everything should work.

 

[nodachi]

Again, I can't say it enough, but I truly appreciate the help everyone has given me. :neutral:

I used to visit this site while dreaming of my boat and I'd read the posts and I'd ask questions about potential boats and the advice was invaluable and that along with reading a lot of books definitely resulted in steering me clear :naughty: of romances I had no business getting involved with but finding the right boat.

So thank you again for sharing the insights you've gained from your experiences and count on reading what the results are going to be, because hey!!! I have to get Adventure ready for next season and I can't sail her if I can't get my sails up!!!

 

[nodachi]

Hey all!!!

Sorry I didn't install the halyards on the 15th as promised but I had to work on my final all this weekend. That said, I received an email from Hunter Marine saying: "...I do not have any drawings available for this mast but looking these pictures I believe removing these two bolts would allow you to remove the casting with the pulleys from the mast."

:dance:

So GeorgeH260, you were right. If I remove those 2 bolts the masthead should come off and I can re-install the halyards.

Thank you all VERY, VERY MUCH!!!

Now I have another question: A neighbor just gave me a winch. Couldn't it be used as a mast raising system of some kind?

 

[George H260]

When you get to be 70 maybe you'll want some kind of mechanical assist, but with this little boat, my thought is that with a helper you could just push it up by hand.

Sometimes simple is better

 

[nodachi]

Good morning!!!!

Man, it sure felt good to have some time to myself to do what I wanted to do rather than hitting those books!!!

So I worked on the masthead yesterday evening and those 2 bolts did indeed hold it in place and opened up, giving access to the sheaves. (I was going to upload the pictures showing the opened masthead cavity, but haven't put them into my computer yet and I wanted to get back.) Anyway I then ran my 2 snakes into the mast from the bottom but they never came out the head at the top

Okay, so while I was pulling them out they became disconnected thereby leaving one snake inside. :naughty: BUT it's only about a foot in and I see some screws at the base so I figure I can also remove the base and reach the snake that's inside the mast.


"with this little boat, my thought is that with a helper you could just push it up by hand."

In his book "A Sea Vagabond's World", Bernard Moitessier also emphasized the importance of simplicity in sailing and I've found that to be true, but this is a practical consideration George: What helper?


One of the reasons I selected the 22 is because it's easily "single-handed". Why let a lack of crew prevent me from sailing? :dance:

 

[nodachi]

Here are pictures of the masthead removed. As I said, those 2 bolts held it in place. It's a PITA getting the screws loose from the base :cussing: but whatever...

 

[nodachi]

Almost a year ago now I first posted this question about re-installing those halyards. It being my first boat that problem haunted me for some time.

In hindsight and with the knowledge that gradually comes over you with boat ownership, I understand more clearly now what I thought I understood clearly then as far as some of the suggestions offered.

The solution finally turned out to be quite simple but again, it was only "the knowledge that gradually comes over you with boat ownership". The solution to your problem(s) may be different but I'm sharing this story in the hopes it will encourage or help other new boat owners.

The keys to re-installing internal halyards are:
1. gaining accessibility to the inside of the mast.
2. getting the halyard to traverse the inside of the mast.

Home Depot sold me 3 or 4 small plumbing snakes they didn't want, so I duct taped them end to end and they were longer than my mast. Good. :dance:

I then taped the bottom end of the halyard to the end of the snake. This is important. In other words, the end of the halyard not having the shackle that would attach to the sail, is what I attached to the snake. Ok?

I then removed the mast head and ran the snakes with the halyard attached, completely through the mast head sheaves until the shackle was reached which is where it's supposed to be - at the top of the mast at the mast head. Then I removed the bottom of the mast. Then I fed the snake down through the mast towards the bottom of the mast. It rattled easily through the mast to the foot. I went to the foot and gently pulled the snake through which in turn pulled the attached halyard through the mast and leaving the shackle at the top of the mast where it was supposed to be. I did the same with the other halyard, ran the halyards through the sheaves of the mast assembly at the bottom and re-attached the shoe to the mast. Both halyards fully re-installed and quite easily.

I've decided to keep my snakes for future occasions.

I read a word of warning here somewhere about re-installing internal halyards: "don't or you'll regret it".

That can be very true and it can become an annoyance.

I originally couldn't get my mast foot off - which turned into another project in itself because the heads of the 3 screws keeping the cast step in the mast broke off from age and corrosion. I couldn't drill them out and no machine shop wanted to bother with them but by chance I bumped into a marine repairman on the highway and he came to my home to extract the screws but when I went to the store he instead simply broke it out with a hammer, leaving me with a partially broken cast step with headless screws still stuck in it.

But if you can remove your mast head and mast foot assembly you're half way there.