Replacing halyards on a stepped mast
Harold Robbins writes:"but if you attach shackle-end to shackle-end won't the result be a backward halyard? Shouldn't it be attached bitter-end to shackle-end and pulled through?"Response:Yes, that is correct. It is also why the shackle must be removed from the existing halyard; else when the line is pulled through, the shackle on the existing halyard wll not come around the masthead sheave.To preserve a spliced shackle on the existing halyard, attach a messenger to its bitter end; pull the messenger through; detach the messenger from the existing halyard; attach the bitter end of the new halyard to the messenger; the messenger pulls the new halyard through the masthead sheave.