Mast Hysteria

[Domknotty]

Ok, so I have been led to believe my mast will hold my 210lb frame and I'm going to go up, 30 foot and fix the wind vane, replace the top mast lite and inspect my rigging (FIRST TIME) but i'm not an idiot. I will have help with me and I will be using my rock climbers harness to make the climb. Got a couple questions, before I go up, I want to replace the halyards, the jib slipped out with the previous owner and it is a spliced steel cable and rope...huh>? never seen something like that before. The main sail has rope all the way. Both run inside the mast.

So first, how do I make replacing those lines before I climb easier, do I just tape the old to the new and just pull? What about the hybrid, can I go with just rope and what size is recommended.

Ok, I trust I will have new ropes and I make the climb, using the wench and going slowly. This boat has wood spars, I would guess the spars hold a lot of weight, how old is dangerous. I work with wood so I understand it a little, what type of wood was generally used?

Hopefully spars will be good, I make it to the top, hooray, now what should I expect to see? I have seen the top of a 22 foot balboa but it did not have the top light. Any special tools or tricks would be helpful.

Back on deck. Anything else I should do saving the face that I will NOT leave any tools hanging from the stays.

Thanks for your help, I'm excited about taking her out.

Bill & Jess
"Our Alibi"
'71 Ranger 26

[mbetter]

You must have a pretty strong wench.

[Domknotty]

Originally Posted by mbetter

You must have a pretty strong wench.

Aye lad I do, her name is Helga, she's from Russia, lol, thanks for catching my blunder.

[Sanduskysailor]

There are lot of methods to run new halyards. I'd get all rope halyards. If you are not racing low stretch polyster should do the trick in 3/8". Online sources like RW rope warehouse of Cajun trading have Novatec XLE braid which should fit the bill. Don't forget Sailnet for StaSetX.

The method that works best for me is to use 3M 355 electrical tape. Butt the rope ends together and and tape about 3 inches either side of the butt. 355 tape really stretches so you can make a tight wrap. The next step is to spiral wrap from 1 foot on one side of the splice to one foot on the other side of the splice. Make the wraps like you would see on a baseball grip and leave a little gap between wraps. Repeat the spiral wrapping process from the other end wrapping so that the wrap cross the first wraps. Test it by pulling hard on both ropes. You will be amazed at how much force the butt splice will resist. This method keeps the two ropes somewhat flexible so they go around the sheave pretty easily. It shouldn't take you more than 10 minutes each to wrap and run each halyard. The hardest part is getting all the tape off the new halyard. (not that hard).

Good luck.

[mitiempo]

Sandusky has it right I think.

I don't think a Ranger 26 ever had wood spars when it left the factory - or am I wrong?

[puddinlegs]

Originally Posted by mitiempo

Sandusky has it right I think.

I don't think a Ranger 26 ever had wood spars when it left the factory - or am I wrong?

You're correct. Makes one wonder what that OP is really dealing with.

[TropicCat]

While I would agree that rope halyards are preferable to a rope/wire spliced halyard, the original poster may face other challenges converting them to all rope halyards.

I would suggest a look at the sheaves before you buy the line. There is the possibility they will only have narrow grooves for the wire now installed on the boat. If that's the case, your new all rope halyards will not fit them.

[BubbleheadMd]

TropicCat is correct. If you run rope halyards on sheaves made for wire, the sheaves will "pinch" the rope, and they will fail much sooner. Sheaves are very cheap and they should be replaced with the proper groove.

I just went through this myself, this past February.

Edit: The exception to this rule, is that if you buy expensive, hi-tech line like Dyneema or Amsteel that is about the same diameter as the wire halyard, you can use the same sheaves. Usually, to make it tolerable on your hands, you strip the cover back on part of the line and leave the cover on the part that you'll be handling.

[XPatriot]

I understand it it advisable to sew each end of the old and new halyard butted up together. I'd think that would be better than double or triple wrapping them together with electrical tape.

Electrical tape for me has an uncanny ability to bind on anything it is pulled against, start unwrapping, expose the sticky stuff, bind more, unwrap more, more sticky stuff.....

I could go on.