Stuck Halyards

[DougM]

Anybody have a tried and true method for unjamming halyards? We had a lot of wind last winter and as the result I have two of three halyards jammed at the masthead.
The messenger line attached to the main halyard chafed through and was lying on the deck. The jib halyard shackle is jammed between the sheave and the anti rotation fitting on the roller furler. I'm hesitant to yank on it too hard for fear that its messenger line will break.

I have a bosuns chair and could resort to that, but would rather not....because of no secondary halyard to use as a safety line.

 

[jgurley]

I had a vaguely similar problem when I blew out the head of my genoa. Vague because I didn't have a messenger attached and it wasn't stuck, just lost. Anyway, I took the remaining halyard, duct taped a reef hook to it (with a light sheet attached) and by twisting and fiddling with the sheet, got the hook into the empty snap shackle. It was slightly more difficult because the shackle already had a piece of sail in it.

It sounds like you store your halyards "up" for the winter. Never heard of anyone actually doing it...but I've never sailed in seasonal climates.

 

[Cwoody]

I replaced my Jib and main halyard and added a spin halyard this spring. I do not have a bosuns chair (yet) so I Hired a rigging company to do the work. Cost me a couple hours labor but got it done quick. Did not even have to be there.

cw