Mast head

[rivaro]

My main halyard broke and my jib halyard jambed at the line to wire splice. My 18yr old got up there and started asking alot of questions. Does anyone have a sketch or diagram of the masthead or the ability to explain things to a moron how the halyards are run thru the sheaves ? Ever try to get to the mast head without a halyard and no steps. I'm looking for a friend with a cherry picker.
Thanks
rivaro

[RayNWanda]

 There are a pair of sheaves on each side located fore and aft. Each halyard goes over the top of both. It may be easier to fish it through with a piece of wire. A lot of us have done away with the wire to rope halyards and gone to just rope. It works just fine. We are using 7/16" Samson LS on our boat.

How to get up there without halyards? Tell the 18 yr old that's HIS problem!

[rivaro]

Thanks as far as the info goes. As far as the advice I'm 6'3" he's already 6'5" and growing. I may need to find someone smaller to shimmy up that mast.
Thanks again
rivaro

[EdHouston]

Going aloft without a halyard this is a job for someone with advanced rigging techniques and a head for heights.

This just may be your lucky day!

I teach high angle and confined space rescue techniques and I have owned and operated sail boats for many years, currently Hull #110 P 365.

OK here is what you're going to need:

Bosons chair.

Ditty bag.

New halyards. (I have a pad eye at the mast head with a block for a spin halyard you may want to consider setting one also)

Four pieces of line about twelve feet long ¼" or 5/16" make these into prussic cords by tying a double fisherman's or grapevine in the ends to give you an endless loop.

http://www.animatedknots.com/doublefishermans/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Once you have your four prussic cords your ready to go aloft.

Take two of the prussic cords and put them in your ditty bag

Take the other two and tie them around the mast above the goose neck with double prussic hitches.

http://www.animatedknots.com/prusik/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com

Now the upper prussic will be attached to the ring on your boson chair and may need to be shortened (adjusting the fisherman's)

The lower prussic will be a leg or foot loop for climbing.
Picture this your going to sit in the chair and move the lower prussic upwards, your then going to stand in the foot loop while moving the chair prussic upwards, now sit in chair and repeat the process until your reach the spreaders.

At the spreaders you're going to reach in the ditty bag and rig the spare prussics above the spreaders to ascend above.
Now the tricky part pay special attention to detail at this stage transfer from the lower climbing system to the upper a climbing carabineer or two here will make life much safer. (Connect to the new before disconnecting from the old)
Once at the mast head the real work will start rig a halyard and get its downhaul end to the deck and connect the clip to your chair have the deck crew wrap the halyard on the winch and cleat the halyard.

Both sets of sheaves share their axle so un-jamming your jib halyard is going to be a question of tug and pull.

Once your halyards are all connected you can transfer your weight to them for your descent.

Good luck
Where are you located maybe I could help you with the rigging.

Ed

S/V Moonlight Mile

[RayNWanda]

Looks like he's in New Orleans.
I have a damaged masthead here that I can shoot pics of. Now whether I can figure out how to post them is another question. If I can get them posted, at least you will have an idea of what you are up against before you get up there.

[EdHouston]

Hey Ray

I am in Butte MT hope to get out of here by week end I will mail your books back to you when I get back to Houston.

[rivaro]

Thanks to all. I got it done. local contractor with man lift working in the area $50 after hours ,Done.
Thanks again
Roy