Should I climb the mast or step it.Messenger line broke

[jssailem]

@Kingjim91
The CDI Furler Flexible FF1
Description
The Cruising Design (CDI) FF1 furler provides one of the most inexpensive, effective ways to get more use from your boat while increasing safety. From your cockpit in a matter of minutes you can furl or reef your jib, genoa or staysail with ease—a great boon for small boat owners since the smaller the boat, the more difficult the foredeck work.
The CDI Flexible Furler one piece, PVC single groove luff extrusion is stiff in torsion for better reefing and furling but flexible in other directions for easy handling when raising and lowering the mast — a great choice for trailerables and other boats where the mast is frequently raised and lowered. There are no joints to bend or break as with non-flexing metal extrusions which must be made in sections for shipment purposes.
The CDI flexible furler also features an internal halyard which makes it possible to raise and lower sails while underway. This halyard eliminates the halyard loads from the bearings making reefing easier. It also eliminates halyard wraps and those troublesome halyard swivels. The tack fitting is a simple lashing that won't fall overboard (unlike a pin or shackle). A durable one-piece furling drum keeps the furling line in place.
And, the price is right! Although the CDI Flexible Furler is not designed to accommodate racing headsail changes, it is designed to meet the needs of the majority of boat owners. And it does not cost a fortune to buy, install or maintain.
The CDI Flexible Furler — a very durable system for boats that are trailered. Great where the mast is stepped frequently — forestay comes down with extrusion in place!

 

[shemandr]

Please don't send a kid up there - yours or anyone else's. As for a buddy, think of how your life might change if there were a serious injury. If someone is going to go up the mast it has to be someone who is insured to do that. And I'm guessing that pros wouldn't do it.

 

[Apex]

Set a ladder on deck, you cab easily reach the spreaders.

 

[Timm R Oday25]

As a fellow owner of a 25 foot sailboat that also has a CDI furler ,perhaps this will help .I've also used an extension ladder that was raised to the spreader . Once raised ,I tied it off very securely . I then used my harness to keep myself from leaving the ladder .
The other option that hasn't been brought up follows . Use your mainsail halyard and attach it to a bow cleat . Very securely .

Now ease up your backstay ,if you have one . Unpin the forestay and dissasemble the forestay and extrusion . The extrusion will make every effort to slide forward and dissappear into the water , It will help greatly if you have someone helping . Now lay the extrusion on the dock and lube ,clean out the track on both sides of the extrusion . This might be a great time to replace the messenger line .
Tape or zip tie the messenger line or the black plastic feeder to the bottom of the extrusion .
Feed the forestay back through the top of the extrusion until it reappears under the drum . It will seem frustrating until you get the hang of it . It's easier than it seems . I've done this multiple times .I hope this helps

 

[Leeward Rail]

Why not try to go up the mast halfway and use a 10' pvc pipe

Set a ladder on deck, you cab easily reach the spreaders.

Or you could simply lower mast like a TRAILERABLE sailboat is designed for.

Why spend money and time making some makeshift system, when you could have the mast down in no time ?
Then check riggings, lights, Windex etc. as a bonus..

If the internal halyard for the CDI furler was worn enough to break, then other things likely need servicing.

 

[RKMCCORKLE]

S I was able to snag the halyard line and broken messenger line today with the Docu hook and 20ft pole but when I hoisted the new sail with the pennant at the top my internal halyard line was shortI'm thinking with this smaller sail I might need to replace the internal halyard line with more length? Can I use the method of sewing new to old and pull thru?

 

[RKMCCORKLE]

Or you could simply lower mast like a TRAILERABLE sailboat is designed for.

Why spend money and time making some makeshift system, when you could have the mast down in no time ?
Then check riggings, lights, Windex etc. as a bonus..

If the internal halyard for the CDI furler was worn enough to break, then other things likely need servicing.

I've replaced all the rigging with new and the line didn't break,the messenger line broke

 

[RKMCCORKLE]

I've replaced all the rigging with new and the line didn't break,the messenger line broke

But I managed to snag it today

 

[JoeWhite]

Yes, you can replace the old line by tying to the new line. Pull about 6" of the core out and cut it. Do this for both ends of old and new line. Then fold the outside of the line with no core on itself and wipe and sew so it does not unravel. Then run a thick line through the opening of the fold several times as if it is a chain link and pull throug all its length.

 

[NYSail]

Looks like great finger piers... why not find a guy with a 50 foot ladder and prop it up and go up. Simple

 

[Leeward Rail]

the line didn't break,the messenger line broke

Doesn't matter which line. It's a trailer boat. You could have the mast down in 15 minutes. No need to buy or make things, or reinvent the wheel, and you get used to doing what should be normal job.

Glad to hear you snagged it.

 

[RKMCCORKLE]

Doesn't matter which line. It's a trailer boat. You could have the mast down in 15 minutes. No need to buy or make things, or reinvent the wheel, and you get used to doing what should be normal job.

Glad to hear you snagged it.

It's a trailerless boat that I'm trying to get out of a slip

 

[dlochner]

It's a trailerless boat that I'm trying to get out of a slip

It may be a trailerless boat, but it is a trailerable sailboat.

 

[RKMCCORKLE]

It may be a trailerless boat, but it is a trailerable sailboat.

That's true

 

[jssailem]

It is true. Some owners do not want to remove there mast to work on it.
It really is the safest method. A catch is with the mast down the deferred maintenance and failing parts all become obvious. So it sometimes times feels to have more problems than you originally considered.

This is a good thing. Not bad. You will fix these issues. This will make you boat function better. It will also stop the gradual deterioration and failure that occurs as a boat ages. My rigger conservatively estimated that 50% of the sailboats in the marina (2300 boat) have a failing part on their mast.

 

[Leeward Rail]

It's a trailerless boat that I'm trying to get out of a slip

Yes. You said that at the start of the thread. A trailerable sailboat, by definition has a mast that is easy to raise and lower, on both land and water. Usually by 2 but often by 1 person.

As opposed to a mast that is 50 feet tall, needs a crane, and is usually climbed for that reason.