Re-Running In-Boom reefing lines.

[OregonCoaster]

I have a boat on which I need to re-run reefing lines that travel through the boom. Unfortunately I have no "guidelines" to pull them through. Same goes for a new halyard I want to add.

How does one go about pulling lines through a boom and/or mast without guidelines already in place?

Many thanks all!

[Paul Annapolis]

It should be pretty easy in most cases but your post is a wee bit confusing because you write of guidelines. Just use smaller diameter "messenger" cord and pull that through tied or taped with the existing reeflines and then pull the new line through with the messengers. This of course assumes there are already older reef lines in place that you are upgrading or replacing. If they are not--that will be a challenge, but shame on the person who removed old running rigging without replacing a messenger cord. You refer to "guidelines" but perhaps you are referring to messenger cords. What kind of boat/spars/length of boom do you have?. If it is small and light enough simply remove the boom and allow gravity to help...which may nor may not work--perhaps monofilament with a lead weight and then go to bigger cord and then to the new rigging. There may be other tricks such as using a very long fishing pole to help you thread the lines through. Hopefully instead of twenty others reposting the same thing, someone with a better idea will help out. Let us know!

[HeywoodJ]

Our boat has the luxury of a full-battened main. The lowest batten is close enough to the length of the boom, when we has to re-run lines we pulled them all out and then used the batten to push the new lines through the boom. The whole reason we were doing it, and didn't pull messengers through when the old lines came out, was that the last person in there had crossed up several of the lines.

If you don't have battens, you can get an "electrical fish stick (or rod) set" at your favorite box store, these are fiberglass rods that you can put together (somewhat like tent poles) to push something through. Another option is to shoot a spear gun down the boom trailing a string, but that is harder to control if it needs to go over/under/through any internal components.

[team karst]

plumbers snake is how i did mine. solo job.

[OregonCoaster]

Hi All,

Sorry, yes "messenger cords" was what I was trying to get at when I said "guidelines".

In this case there were messenger cords in place, however two of them got fouled up and are no longer there. So I'm trying to put a line through with no messenger cord of any kind. Boat is a Gulf 32 so pretty heavy boom for just me and I'm trying to do this with everything in place.

On that note, what's the best method people have found to attach a messenger cord to a line? Tape? Knot?

Finally, there are some messenger cords going up the mast but a couple of them got fouled up around the radar dome and are stuck. The halyards I have in place are spliced to cable and I've had one rigger say he won't use a bosun's chair on a spliced cable halyard. What say the group? Is it safe to use that halyard to go up the mast?

Thank you All! Very much appreciate your knowledge on all this!

[djousset]

I just did this last summer and it was a bit of a bear. We ran rigid wire to snag the lines that were buried in the boom, and used tape on messenger lines. The tape worked well. The toughest part was pulling the lines across the pulleys where they exited the boom. It took some time. With patience (and an occasional swear word), it can be done.

[Orion Jim]

Originally Posted by team karst

plumbers snake is how i did mine. solo job.

A simple task when properly equipped.

[Geoff54]

Usually the easiest thing is an electrical fish tape like this
https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-56331-Optimized-Housing/dp/B081TVR4N7

Or if you have a reasonably straight access, the semi-rigid rod type, which is easier to push through.
https://www.amazon.com/Noodler-Fiberglass-Electrical-Connectable-Transparent/dp/B07WGDYJ4G

Both available from most hardware stores, etc. or online.

Can you remove the sheaves to gain more room?

There was a real tangle inside the boom of my boat when I got it and I had to drill out the rivets on the fitting that attaches to the goose neck so that I could separate it from the extrusion to get reasonable access. Not too difficult and then re rivet it.

[OregonCoaster]

Electrical fish tape looks promising. Will give it a try and report back!

[JBP]

An alternative is to use magnets. Get two "super" magnets you can buy at any hardware store. Tie/glue/tape one to a long thread (sail repair thread works great) and put it inside the boom. Use the other magnet on the outside to slide the inner magnet along the side of the boom. Pull it out the far end with a crochet hook or a bit of bent wire. As a bonus, this guarantees no wraps or tangles inside the boom.

Use the thread itself as a messenger if it's strong enough, or use it to pull a stronger one.

[s/v Jedi]

There are many methods:

- a shop vac at one end and feeding in light wool thread at the other end. In the age of cassette tape that was what we used.

- a sail batten. To the comment above about using the lowest sail batten: buy one extra and store it inside the boom as a spare orfor tasks like this.

- a proper electrical fish tape

- for masts, a length of bicycle chain tied to paracord and dropped from above is the choice of pro’s. A long zip tie is used to retrieve it at the bottom end: form it into a loop and insert loop into the slot while holding both ends outside, drop the chain through the loop and pull it out.

- the rigger is correct. Simply pull paracord through the mast using the old halyard, then pull a new halyard through.

[MicHughV]

I used a small diameter pvc tube....you can buy it in small pieces and fit them together to whatever lenght you need.....you can attach your line to outside tip, or you can even put your line inside and run tube and line together as one...

[s/v Jedi]

Suddenly I realized another brilliant way, which we used to do with fiber optic cables through ducting installed by directional drilling under roads etc.: fireworks arrows! Just tie a small twine to it and send it through the boom!

I mean, what can go wrong?!

[Emouchet]

I have been using some electrical fish tape. There was one end of the boom where it was making sense to enter the fish, and I could retrieve it easily at the other end.

[Siberian Sea]

I had to do this once too and I used a length of rigging wire. I taped the reefing line to the end I pushed through from the mast side. Once the line was pushed through the boom I used a large straightened fish hook to get ahold of the line to pull it up over the boom end shives. As you get each reefing line through pull and secure then very tight so as you push the next line through there is no chance of getting it twisted over the ones already through. Many marinas will have a thin fiberglass rod much like a thin sail batten you might borrow. This will work just the same.