I have Hull #24 of a 1979 Hunter 36 That is having internal halyard issues. Mice made internal nests in my mast and when the mast was stepped out came the Halyards. Now I am trying the "snake" a lead line down the mast (mast is on down on the deck) and I am running to blocking from the mast head about the upper pin. I removed the through mast bolt but could not remove the tube that secured the tangs. Are these through tubes attached? I put vice grips on the tubes, hammered to no avail. Ate these tubes screwed (threaded) together. How can I "easily" run trace lines for new halyards?
standing Rigging issue
- Thread starter David Fisher
- Start date
When I re-rigged my 79 H30C, I tilted the mast at one end and put a medium sized, lead fishing weight on a long string to drop in the high end. Assuming that the cross bar is the only obstruction, the weight should fall through to the other end. You now have a messenger line
(or two, or three?) to run the new halyards.
Be aware of which side of the cross bar you want the internal halyard(s) to lay before you tilt the mast.
(or two, or three?) to run the new halyards.
Be aware of which side of the cross bar you want the internal halyard(s) to lay before you tilt the mast.
I'm not sure about the tube but my initial reaction was that maybe they are compression posts. They would be to keep the mast extrusion from deforming as the bolts that retain the tangs are tightened.
As to re-running the halyards I think a lot of us would Rx a plumbers snake. I've used a section of 1X19 vinyl covered wire to run a messenger line and hence the halyard. You can sorta control the path of the line by turning the mast so that gravity is working for you.
One time I was having a horrible time running a halyard until I discovered that a sponge had been put up the mast (To keep the halyards from banging). Once I got that out it was easy.
As to re-running the halyards I think a lot of us would Rx a plumbers snake. I've used a section of 1X19 vinyl covered wire to run a messenger line and hence the halyard. You can sorta control the path of the line by turning the mast so that gravity is working for you.
One time I was having a horrible time running a halyard until I discovered that a sponge had been put up the mast (To keep the halyards from banging). Once I got that out it was easy.
IF the mast IS on the hard and IF there is internal conduit for wiring, you should have a straight forth ability to remove the mast head to facilitate halyard replacement.. With the mast head removed you'll also have a great opportunity to inspect and replace the sheaves.. If you have at least one halyard intact it'll save a step. Thread all the new halyards over the sheaves. Gather them together in a bundle and tape together with duct tape. Use that intact halyard to pull the bundle towards the step. This is a 2 person op.. One pulls while the other feeds and keeps tension to prevent twisting.. If your mast has exits for halyards you'll need to feed paracord into the exits to feed toward the step with the bundle. The trick is to capture the the cord.. Fish hooks actually work.. Once everything is at the step it is simple a matter of attaching the cord to the appropriate halyard, pull the halyard back up the mast while keeping pace with the cord.. When at the exit, pull the halyard thru.. Repeat for other exits...
Thank you for your response, however my mast head is welded on my mast so no removal. The mast is on the hard but small plumbers snake jams on the through bolt for the upper mast stays. It could be that a mouse/mise nest is still in the mast stuck around the uppers bolt assembly - see the attached jpg in posting. I took the bolt out but could not remove the compression sleave. My question is how do I remove the compression sleave? Any wisdom. I hit it with a hammer while putting vice grips on both sides and could not loosen the sleave. HHEEELLPPP
Thanks for your attention and follow through but I posted on Cherbini Hunters, got a response that needed expansion and responded with this---
Thank you for your response, however my mast head is welded on my mast so no removal. The mast is on the hard but small plumbers snake jams on the through bolt for the upper mast stays. It could be that a mouse/mise nest is still in the mast stuck around the uppers bolt assembly - see the attached jpg in posting. I took the bolt out but could not remove the compression sleave. My question is how do I remove the compression sleave? Any wisdom. I hit it with a hammer while putting vice grips on both sides and could not loosen the sleave. HHEEELLPPP
It's possible the sleeve is corroded enough that you cannot remove it without damaging the mast. You need to consider how much effort it will be to repair/replace the sleeve before you resort to brute force. That said, if you place a socket or tube larger than the sleeve on one side, a socket or pin exactly the size of the pin on the other, and use a very large clamp, you should be able to force one side loose. Reverse the contraption to do the other side.
Another option is to find a new compression tube or bushing with a larger outside diameter and drill out the old tube.
Another option is to find a new compression tube or bushing with a larger outside diameter and drill out the old tube.
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Goal: You want to clean out the mast and run Halyards through the mast.
TO do this you do not need to remove the compression sleeve designed to keep the side wall of the mast extrusion from collapsing.
Junk in mast:
You can tip the mast up on one end and deliver strong pressure water into the mast so that any obstructions that the critters may have left, flows out the open end of the mast. You should be able to shine a light in the mast and see the inside from the open end. A bright light is needed.
Mast Compression tubes.
They are designed smooth to allow your halyards to pass over them. For what you are trying to do, removing them is wasting your time, unless they are somehow broken. That is a different problem.
Running Halyards:
Your image shows the mast on it's side as you are working on the tang. Rotate the mast 90 degrees. Use the exit boxes at the mast base to guide your next step. (you need to choose the orientation of the mast based on which halyard you are running. You can run the halyard or you can run a messenger line which ever is easier.) Based on the halyard that is using the exit box, the halyard will pass to one side or the other (front side or stern side of the mast). Using a long extension fiberglass rod or electricians fish, pass the halyard from the mast head to the base. It will ride the inside of the mast tube and slip by all of the compression sleeves which are in the middle of the mast. One either the front or stern of the mast you have a conduit for the electrical wires. This should be attached to the mast most often with rivets but sometimes screws. Just avoid the conduit. You may need to again rotate the mast on the saw horse supports to give your fish a clean area of the mast to slide on and avoid conduit.
Good luck. It is not an impossible task.
The Rig-Rite website has a lot of information on Kenyon spars and associated parts. It sounds like what you are describing is a "compression tube". According to the website, its just an aluminum tube, so maybe its corroded in place (remember - its in 'galvanic' contact with the SS bolt and tangs. Masts can be very frustrating to work on, especially when working solo. A good electrician's fish can be a godsend...
