Improvisation is Key

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jsa
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Improvisation is Key

Post by jsa »

My wife and I had a fun day on the water earlier in light 4-5 kt winds. We were very anxious to return to our vessel after learning of some pretty severe storms that passed through the area two evenings ago. We were even more anxious because we had just secured her to a new mooring that we had installed ourselves only hours before the storms came. The screw had been set the day before. Winds were gusting well over 30 and sustained well above 20 for a while. We trusted our work and waited out returning to the boat for a day, knowing this would be a common occurrence.

There must have been some substantial wind. As we arrived today, we first notice that the old, abandoned gas stations's pump shelter was a nothing more than a warped piece of metal. We pulled into the club to see several downed limbs. A Hobie 20 was flipped on the beach, its comptip shattered, but mast salvageable.

Other than that there was no damage to any other boats, including our new gal on the mooring. The water is warm, so I swam out to our boat.

Our mooring is the closest to open water and unfortunately our outboard is not working at the moment. (another discussion perhaps) The wind was pushing us toward open water, so I released the boat from the mooring and drifted outward in the very light winds.

I went to raise the main and realized.... the main halyard had come loose in the storm and run free of the mast. It was just piled up on the deck. Not the first of many rookie mistakes I'm sure. I must have not secured it well enough. I was angry with myself as this became apparent, alone on the boat, trying to get her to the dock to pick up my wife to which I would have to admit my rookieness. I used the spin halyard in reverse by tying a bowline to the head of the mainsail and hoisting her up. It gave me what I needed to dock the boat.

We went out for a nice sail; however, I still have a main halyard coiled up in my cabin.

My question of the day.... is there anyway I can run this thing through the top of the mast without dropping it? Can I pull one of my lightweight friends up to the top of the mast using a halyard and a full trapeeze harness? I don't have a bosun chair, but I could set up several fail-safes and hoist em up with couple of extra hands helping me out.

Do any of you use some sort of mast climber system to reach the top of the mast? Can this be done on this boat? I'm open to any and all suggestions on how to re-run the halyard. If dropping the mast is the best solution, I am OK with that as well. What can I do to prevent this in the future?

I usually tie the working end of the halyard with a bowline to an eye on the front the mast. It must have come loose in all of the wind.
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EmergencyExit
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Post by EmergencyExit »

(No laughing allowed) - The last time I had to do that on EE at the dock by myself (main halyard came loose from sail and pulled the shackle to the top), I brought my extension ladder from home. Tied the jib halyard to the top rung, placed the foot of the ladder against the rear of the forward hatch so it wouldn't slip, extended the ladder, tightened the jib halyard that was tied to the top rung for safety, and up I went. Grabbed the shackle, and climbed back down with it, collapsed the ladder, and neatened up. Only took a few minutes total.

Yes, I am a redneck. But I'm a high functioning redneck.
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CaptainScott
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Post by CaptainScott »

Been there! LOL!
We can have 15' tides here. I floated Lady Jo once into a haulout area where the crane would normally lift boats. It was a minus tide. I had a buddy hold the boat and took the jib halyard with me with a long line attached.
Walked up the ramp to where the crane would be, pulled the jib halyard which dragged lady jo against the haul out side, Lots of fenders.

Then I proceeded to pull the the halyard the best I could heeling Lady Jo and the top of the mast towards me. Tied her off, grabbed a boat hook and barely snagged the main halyard and pulled it out!

LOL!

Yeah, no laughing! Land lubbers must have ad a good giggle trying to figure out what I was doing!


Maybe a bridge near by for you?
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Capt. Bondo
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Post by Capt. Bondo »

Thats like duc taping the whisker pole to the pole trim saw to cut/trim the branches that were growing into the top of the mast, rigging and windex.
Thank god no one saw me, but it worked 8)
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Reality
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Post by Reality »

my tool for retrieving halyard - a coat hook bent to snag it taped to a fishing rod taped to a tree trimming pole. It worked.
jsa
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Post by jsa »

I'm willing to give it a try. My problem is that is it ran completely free of the mast. It's not stuck at the top. I've got to run it through the sheave again.

I tried to walk out a halyard into shallow water and roll the boat, but it became quickly apparent that wasn't going to work. It did make for a fun swing ride back toward the boat though.

Unfortunately there are no bridges on the lake.... well, fortunately I suppose. I may just have to drop the mast. I'll probably add a wind indicator while I'm at it. I'm going to wait until she is out of the water for the winter though. Luckily, there was a halyard in place for a spin that I don't have. At least that is the assumption I have come to. So, I have two halyards still. I'll just have to use a bowline on the headboard for the time being.

.... I think the outboard issue will be the first thing to tackle.

Any thoughts? Prop stopped turning when switching to reverse at lowest revs. Motor will still start first pull, revs up, water pump working. The prop will now spin by hand even if in gear. Shear pin? Spun hub? Outboards are new to me.
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EmergencyExit
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Post by EmergencyExit »

jsa wrote:.... I think the outboard issue will be the first thing to tackle.

Any thoughts? Prop stopped turning when switching to reverse at lowest revs. Motor will still start first pull, revs up, water pump working. The prop will now spin by hand even if in gear. Shear pin? Spun hub? Outboards are new to me.
If its a Sailor outboard by Chrysler, it probably has a shear pin going thru the black spin on cone behind the prop.

If you shift into Forward and Reverse but don't feel any resistance on the shifter or don't hear a gearcase 'clunk' it may be a problem in there as well...
jsa
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Post by jsa »

Thanks EE,

I'm heading to the lake tomorrow, so I'll take the prop off and take a look. I've seen a couple of videos on how to replace the shear pin.

Luckily, there is still resistance when moving the gears and I can still hear a clunk.

It's a late 80's Evinrude 6hp two stroke.
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