crossed halyards in aluminum mast??

sheardc · #1 (**permalink**) 05-10-2007

Hello, I'm new to sailnet, but not to boating. I looked thru the foru,s trying to find advice on how to fix a croosed halyard line routed in a aluminum mast. My '90 Beneteau F235 WK has a main, jib and spinnaker halyards along with a spinnaker pole lift and one electrical light cable inside the mast. one of the halyards seems crossed or wrapped around something in the mast as it will not run freely.

Any thoughts about how to clear this problem? The mast is about 30' long and I already have the mast base removed, but cannot see up far enough to tell what is interfering with the halyard.

Giulietta · #2 (**permalink**) 05-10-2007

Is the mast down?

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 05-10-2007

This is probably going to be a pain to fix... you're probably going to have to pull the halyard out and then re-reeve it... which is going to suck. Probably worth checking the masthead sheave and exit plates to make sure that they're not damaged or binding the halyard up in some way before yanking the halyard and trying to re-reeve it.

captlar · #4 (**permalink**) 05-10-2007

I assume you mean the halyard does not run free when mast is upright. If the mast is in the rack, you may not even have a problem once the mast is in the boat. I have replaced many halyards in the rack and often they will not run freely.
If you have the mast base removed, I assume the stick is not in. Just attach a string to one of the halyards that is running free, pull it through and fish it over (thin wire) to appropriate plate and sheave. Attach (or reattach existing if in good shape) new halyard and all done. Not so bad. Good excuse to skip work for a day.

sailingdog · #5 (**permalink**) 05-10-2007

Was the halyard ever working with the mast up? If not, why not? Didn't the previous owner sail the boat?? Or did he just replace the running rigging before you bought it??

CaptLar is correct....often the rigging won't run freely when the mast is down, since the wiring conduit and other halyards and such are being pulled in the wrong direction...

Sailormann · #6 (**permalink**) 05-10-2007

If the mast is up, and the halyard was running freely prior to this - it is probably a case of the halyard having jumped out of the sheave, as it is pretty well impossible for them to become twisted once the mast is up...