Retrieving halyard from inside the mast

[Peter]

In one of my all too frequent senior moments I neglected to tie a knot in the free end of the main halyard on my H 18.5 yesterday (first chance to sail this summer due to travel overseas) and accidentally pulled the end up into the mast. I suspect it is two or three feet up, and can not see the end from the base of the mast (where the halyard comes out). I will obviously have to take the mast down, but believe I can do this at a courtesy dock where I dock the boat so that at least I won't have to take the boat out of the water. Anyone willing to admit to experiencing this symptom of senioritis and giving me some suggestions as to how to get the bloomin thing out again? Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.

 

[hp]

Well..

First clear away all women and childrenas it may be neccessary to use a vastamount of expletives, then shinny up the mast attach a thin but heavy lead weight to the halyard and drop it back down inside. Then continue swearing while you fish around with a wire and find the weight. Assuming it fits through the sheave hole you should be back in business.

 

[Stephen Ostrander]

oops

Use a piece of chain-- a dog collar works, or a piece of bicycle chain-- attached to a chase line to drop down inside the mast. Or a box end wrench. It might be cheaper to leave the stick up and send someone up in a bosun chair, either up a gin pole or have the boatyard use a boom.