Holes in your mast and filling with water...

[groundhog]

My boat has all external halyards...
Two sheves for the jib halyard and two sheves for the main halyard.
They go up the one side of the mast and down the other...

I need to add another jib halyard and was discussing this with another guy here at the marina. When I mentioned running lines inside the mast, he exclaims that he would never do this because water could get in the mast if it ever dipped into the water, and it would get heavy and then the mast wont come up or some such thing and .......

Is this a valid concern?

groundhog

[FSMike]

If your neighbor is concerned that you might have to put holes in your mast thereby allowing water to enter, he should realize those same holes will allow water to depart.
Don't worry about it. The naval architects put internal halyards on boats constantly and they're not concerned.

[hellosailor]

Groundhog, what kind of boat and mast do you have? A Laser? a Beneteau 35? Deck stepped? Keel stepped?

The water may be insignificant compared to the righting motion of the boat. Or, it may be very easy to run out the bottom of the mast.

Of course, you might remind him that gentlemen simply do not dip their mastheads in the water. That's almost as tasteless as showing up at the tennis courts not wearing whites, and carrying those colored tennis balls.

[groundhog]

Lol..
I have an albin vega, 27 ft pocket cruiser....
8ft beam is somewhat narrow.
30 ft mast.
5000 lbs
maybe 2000 lbs in the keel? cant remember..
groundhog

[hellosailor]

ouplaweep holes in the mast. Don't worry about water getting in. Worry about hatchboards and such first.

[ottos]

You shouldn't have a worry. Now if you had my boat....

.

[Irunbird]

Originally Posted by ottos

You shouldn't have a worry. Now if you had my boat....

.

ha-haaa! First time I singlehanded a Hobie 14 (without the owner, an old buddy of mine) I had the main cleated and got broadsided by a gust and went right over. Darned thing turtled on me before I could even inhale... Those boats are a ton of fun, though!

[jimgo]

Isn't the track for the sail a "hole" in the mast into which water can pour if you're blown over? So, the boat already has a BIG hole in the mast, and one that you probably don't want to patch/fill.