Halyard Stuck in mast

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Is it possible to slide several lengths of ? Diameter PVC tubing glued or screwed together over the remaining halyard and up the mast to the spot its jammed and try pushing up on the tube to see if that helps dislodge the line?
Just a thought.
If it doesn't work you've only lost a few dollars trying.
Cheers,
SV Cloudduster

I like this idea and you can do it with the mast laying down.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Don C L]

IF I am understanding your situation correctly, having had a similar problem, I am inclined to suspect it is snagged on a screw point also. I'd start with a REALLY bright flashlight, and binoculars believe it or not, and try again to see it from the bottom. Next I'd get an electrician's steel fish tape and hopefully that with a fish hook will fit in down from the top. And I'd back out any screws in the mast. Now, if you are so lucky as to snag it and pull it free, then of course you'd pull it out the bottom, cut the fish hook off, and pull the fish tape back out the top.
This is one of those things in the boatyard where six people will look at it and have seven opinions.
Or you could just cut it and live with a little extra weight aloft in there?

[alansmith]

On my mast you are able to remove the sheeves at the hounds and top of mast. Is that possible on your mast? It would provide better access. Also Plummer’s have scopes with long access runs. Might be worth investigating that I agree with some of the guys that the problem is probably a pile nearer the top. What a PITA.

[thunderhoof]

I suggest you remove the spreaders and compression tubes / plates if you can. I assume the mast is horizontal in the yard. Start with the topmost spreader. Probe the lines inside the mast with a small hook. Try to identify the bad halyard by color or by tensioning the each line in turn. With luck you can identify the bad guy and pull it out through the side of the mast, at least enough to straighten out the hockle that is jamming the halyard in place.

[JOHNMARDALL]

Even if you can find a long enough scope to find the halyard, you still have to devise some means of untangling it from whatever it's snagged on and the pulling it out. I suggest abandoning it and pulling a new one, using an electrician's steel fish tape.


Good luck
John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Boat Equipment

[senormechanico]

Where's the sheen marine guy when you need him?
He's always got opinions !

[NevisDog]

Leaving the halyard in there sounds like a bad idea - could jam up every other halyard eventually. Advice already given suggests:
1. remove screws, bolts, compression tubes, anything that may have initiated the jam;
2. raise mast upside down and shake to loosen jam;
3. with mast upended, move all other halliards to get movement started;
4. try to hook any loosened part of rogue halliard with a barb on stiff wire;
5. when all else fails, absolute last resort, remove all halyards leaving only roving lines, cut mast in half (or wherever the jam is located), then reconnect any damaged electrical wiring, sleeve it on the inside and rivet back together - the added weight will be less than the halyard you just removed.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by NevisDog

5. when all else fails, absolute last resort, remove all halyards leaving only roving lines, cut mast in half (or wherever the jam is located), then reconnect any damaged electrical wiring, sleeve it on the inside and rivet back together - the added weight will be less than the halyard you just removed.

Or cut the whole mast lengthwise and pull it out and weld it back together?

[Sailorbob8599]

You say: "Eventually the halyard chaffed through and disappeared down inside the mast." … If it literally fell down inside the mast, it probably ended up in a pile on some obstruction. this means that pulling it from below probably 'knotted' it, making it now impossible to pull through from the bottom meaning, the best way is to try to snag the chafed end & pull it back the way it went down (from the top). Best of luck trying to snag the chafed end.

[hobsonlea]

Originally Posted by gwyn

What is the make of your scope? My scope only has approx 1m.

My endoscope was just a cheapie from aliexpress - here’s one with a 10m option.
AliExpress
http://s.aliexpress.com/e6jia6zi

[ballvalve]

if there are adjacent lines in there feed an adjacent line down low enough so you can still pull it from the top and attach a thin loop of something that can slide up the stuck line (maybe a key ring pushed through the good line) then pull that back up and hope!

[captain465]

Following

[jkleins]

I have to side with the guy who recommended the PVC pipe. Get the smallest pipe available that will fit over the line and push it up from the bottom. The downside is if the halyard runs through a tight conduit then you may not have room for the pipe but you haven’t lost anything.
The other question is what is the harm in just pulling hard? What would break and can you fix it easier then the trouble you are going through trying to remove it? If it is just snagged on a screw or protrusion of the mast you can’t really hurt that. The line will tear or cut. The worst case is if it is knotted above a PVC conduit then you may pull the conduit out. Is that a deal breaker? Only you can decide how much trouble you are willing to undergo to get it out.

[JOHNMARDALL]

Originally Posted by captain465

Following

Two halyards converged in a yellow mast, and I, being but one rigger.....

[senormechanico]

If you can fashion a way to guide a borescope attached to a small diameter rod with the tip of the rod having a hook on it visible in the lower part of the view of the camera, you will be able to guide the camera by video straight to the problem.
By using the hook, with luck you will be able to pick up the stray halyard.
I've successfully used this process in running hose and wiring through some impossible areas in my boat.
I started by using collapsible tent fiberglass rods, gorilla tape and a borescope.
(also good for inspecting wood stove chimneys).