Interal halyards

[wchevron]

i'm thinking of running my main halyard internally in my mast. currently the external halyard is raised with a winch located on the mast. if i run the halyard internally, about how far off the deck should i exit the mast. i'm going to run the halyard back to a new winch located on the cabintop near the cockpit and abandon the winch on the mast.

[sailingfool]

The halyard should exit through shivs located in the aft side of the mast just above deck level. Since you are asking I assume your mast does not have an open halyard exit engineered into the mast, and thus I suggest you abandon trying to make this external hayards, internal. When you finally figure out what you need to do, you will say forgetaboutit.

[davidpm]

Originally Posted by wchevron

i'm thinking of running my main halyard internally in my mast.

Why? You want to raise the main from the cockpit?

Sounds like you are committed if you already put in the winch.

[sailingdog]

It depends on where the turning blocks for the halyards being led aft are located. IF they're attached to the mast foot, having the exit slot just above them would make sense. If they're mounted on the cabin top, you probably want the exit slots a bit higher up so the line leads fair to the blocks.

Originally Posted by wchevron

i'm thinking of running my main halyard internally in my mast. currently the external halyard is raised with a winch located on the mast. if i run the halyard internally, about how far off the deck should i exit the mast. i'm going to run the halyard back to a new winch located on the cabintop near the cockpit and abandon the winch on the mast.

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by davidpm

Why? You want to raise the main from the cockpit?

Sounds like you are committed if you already put in the winch.

Its called single handling. And actually its a more convenient area to raise it with limited or less knowledgeable crew. On al my boats the main and everything else is led aft with an option for racing to put the spinnaker up by the mast but still on deck.. The mast area is a tricky place to be in certain conditions and having it led aft relieves some of the issues that can occur.....

[wchevron]

sailingfool. maybe i'm being a bit naive but it looks like i have to cut out a slot in the mast, install the mast sheave and thread the halyard through it. i know it's easier said than done but am i missing something? do i have to secure the wiring going up the mast so it doesn't interfere with the halyard being raised and lowered?

david pm. i'm installing mid boom traveler this winter and need the winch for the mainsheet so i figured while i'm at it, maybe i should run the halyard back.

sd. i was thinking of putting the turning blocks on the cabin top but that's still up in the air. it depends on how i run the mainsheet from the traveler to the mast. they normally seem to be mounted on a block attached to a mast plate but i'm wondering if i could install a turning block on the cabin top, run it to the deck organizer, and then aft to the cabin top. i'm thinking if i have to install a mast plate for the mainsheet, i might as well attached a block for the main halyard as well.

[sailingdog]

Hopefully, the wiring in the mast is secured in a conduit... if not, it really should be.

As for the turning block, it can be done either way. IIRC, Craigtoo modified his boat to have the blocks on the cabin top, where I used plates bolted to the mast step instead.

BTW, why do you need a winch for the mainsheet on a catalina 30???

[sailingfool]

Originally Posted by wchevron

sailingfool. maybe i'm being a bit naive but it looks like i have to cut out a slot in the mast, install the mast sheave and thread the halyard through it. i know it's easier said than done but am i missing something? do i have to secure the wiring going up the mast so it doesn't interfere with the halyard being raised and lowered?

david pm. i'm installing mid boom traveler this winter and need the winch for the mainsheet so i figured while i'm at it, maybe i should run the halyard back.

sd. i was thinking of putting the turning blocks on the cabin top but that's still up in the air. it depends on how i run the mainsheet from the traveler to the mast. they normally seem to be mounted on a block attached to a mast plate but i'm wondering if i could install a turning block on the cabin top, run it to the deck organizer, and then aft to the cabin top. i'm thinking if i have to install a mast plate for the mainsheet, i might as well attached a block for the main halyard as well.

The mast exit block fitting needs to be quite robust, here's mine. I think it would be very hard to DIY something equivalent.

I think it important that the main halyard exit the mast through a turning block to avoid introducing friction and chafe to the process.

You can/should use a fitting at the base of the mast for the block that turns the mainsheet aft, it will be easier to setup and more robust than a block mounted on the deck. Mine is the Garhauer block in the bottom corner of the picture.

[sailingdog]

You don't need to have an exit sheave to lead halyards aft. It can be done with exit slots and properly mounted/located turning blocks on deck. Using a mast exit sheave limits the location and direction you can run the halyards aft to.

[jbondy]

There are at least two ways to go. One is an exit sheave, such as this one from Scaheffer (there are doubles, also). Or an exit plate, this one also from Schaeffer) that would then go to a deck or mast plate mounted turning block.