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Notes from a learning experience

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/04/2005 : 09:44:25

Note to self: Next time the jib is removed from the furler when prepping for a hurricane, don't pull the sailhead connector thingie all the way back up the forestay.

Next note to self: When attempting to haul someone up in a bosun's chair to retrieve the sailhead connector thingie, don't use a halyard line that is smaller in diameter than the "cleat" on the self-tailing winch. It will not hold.

Additional note to self: During bosun's chair operation, don't allow the tailing end of the halyard to get wrapped on the winch inside of the extremely taut portion going to the base of the mast, thus making it almost impossible to release the line from the winch, leaving the bosun's chair occupant forever in the halfway up position.

Final recommendation to self: Leave the damn boat in "hurricane-prep" condition until after hurricane season, THEN worry about how to get the sailhead connector thingie back down the forestay.

Steve Madden
'87 WK #5668 "Lorica"
Fort Myers, FL

Edited by - on

Jonathan Cuff
Navigator

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Cayman Island
173 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2005 : 15:59:50

Lightnup

I haven't experienced any of your first two mishaps, but the third happened to me after 'Ivan' last year. While hauling my mate up the mast a tremendous knot formed around the winch, and when it came time to let him down there was an awkward silence from the cockpit!!

Eventually I persuaded him to hang on to the mast (the rope was still jammed in the Lewmar clutch) and I managed to get some slack to work the knot loose.

All a little embarrassing!!

Cheers Jonathan

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2005 : 17:47:16

That's EXACTLY what happened here, and it was a b*tch trying to get some slack to undo the knot. Glad I'm not the only one to have done this...or at least to have admitted doing it.

Thanks for the confession.

Steve

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DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 08/07/2005 : 22:06:23

Now I KNOW I'm not going up in one of those things to see if my steaming light bulb needs replacing!!!

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ronrryan
Admiral

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USA
561 Posts

Response Posted - 08/07/2005 : 22:50:10

It is SO easy to get a bad wrap and happens to everyone sooner or later. If you look aloft, you ain't looking at the winch; if you look at the winch you ain't looking aloft, etc. We need that third eye in the middle of the forehead. Fair winds, ron srsk Orion sw fl

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Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 08/08/2005 : 22:40:10

Think I've found a solution to my dilemma that doesn't involve a bosun's chair. In the slip next to mine is a 30' Hunter with "mast-steps" (foot supports, for lack of a better name) mounted on both sides of the mast going all the way up, making a mast climb quite easy.

If I bring the shackle end of my main halyard with me and climb the Hunter's mast, I "should" be able to pull my mast toward me while the Hunter heels toward my boat and, meeting in the middle, I can free my stuck jib halyard. I figure I'll have to release the dock lines on the far side of each boat to allow them to rise while the near-side toerails will drop while heeling. But I will still have to have an outboard line on each boat to keep them from being pulled against the finger dock that runs between the two boats. Any potential flaws in my plan that anyone can point out would be appreciated before I make an ass of myself.

Steve

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/09/2005 : 00:05:46

"Any potential flaws in my plan that anyone can point out... "

You may find that it takes quite a bit of effort to bring the masthead over far enough to get 'contact' with the Hunter. I don't think you'l be able to apply that much pull when up the mast.

We used to heel a San Juan 7.7 (26') across a slip in order to clean the bottom before each regatta. Two or three good sized people were needed yarding on the halyard to heel it over beyond the first 15 degrees or so... and it was really a pretty tender boat (crew ballasted).

IMHO: The whole enterprise sounds a bit risky... I'd lower the rig.

I've lowered the mast on mine in the slip a couple times and with a single reasonably competent helper I'm very confident that I could go to mast down in 20 minutes or so. Back up and ready to sail in another 20. With two competent helpers... real piece of cake.

Detach mainsheet from transom and vang from mast base.
Remove boom and set in cabin (leave covered main on)
Close sliding hatch
Remove rudder and install crutch (I have a mast-up model)
Mark turnbuckle threads with sharpie to avoid needing to re-tune the rig.
Rig line from halyard around pulpit to primary winch (having a block is nice)
Note: Take at least 3 wraps on the winch or it won't hold.
Slack entire rig
Remove pins from forward lowers
Remove pins from uppers.
Take up forward tension on winch.
Remove pin from forestay.
One person belays winch, one person guides mast down.

When the mast is down far enough so that the 'deck person' is holding the mast on their shoulder the other abandons the winch and helps finish lowering'guiding the mast all the way down to the crutch. Note: the hard part while holding the mast is stepping down to make the transition from cabintop to cockpit.

Reverse above process to raise mast.

I'm 52 with a bad back... and have done this in the past with my 12 year old son on the winch. All that said, based on recent mast-raising comments from others here, sounds like I may still be a bit stronger than average.

At the next mast raising it will be my turn on the winch... my son is now 6'-2", 200 lbs... and playing football. Knew having kids might pay off someday ;>)

Edited by - on

ddlyle
Captain

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302 Posts

Response Posted - 08/09/2005 : 00:17:41

The last time I got my line caught in my winch (not self-tailing) I was in a hurry and didn't think it would be that tight.
Doh!
But I was able to use another winch (bigger) to pull the line out of the first winch.
I was fortunate that they were in a good position to each other.

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PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 08/09/2005 : 09:44:24

Had a nasty riding turn on jib sheet winch while tacking in some nasty slop last weekend. Attached another line with a Rolling Hitch around the sheet and ran it to another winch (had to run it across from starboard sheet to port winch) to solve the problem. Took up some slack and undid the turn.

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