[C38] Up the mast without a backstay? (Was BindingHalyards/Masthead)

[Tom T.]

Hi Russ,

I think the mast would hold you without the back stay with no problems but I have tried it and I found that if I use my spare jib halyard as a makeshift back stay, it keeps the mast from swaying.  Just a little tension is all it needs to stabilize the mast for an easier assault on that @#$% halyard you are trying to free.  I hate a swaying mast when I'm trying to work up there.

Tom Troncalli


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Duff, Russ (R.W.) 
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Sent: 7/14/2008 12:44:57 PM 
Subject: [C38] Up the mast without a back stay? (Was BindingHalyards/Masthead)


Well, I went up the mast yesterday to try to find out why my halyards were binding. I double-checked everything before going up and found only the main halyard was jammed; not also the jib as I previously thought. Isn’t it great when a job gets simpler? I then went up the mast and once at the masthead I saw that the problem was just that the halyard had jumped out of the sheave and was between it and the center divider (no dead animals down inside somewhere!). Nothin’ like an easy fix! Well, I gave up almost two hours later with the halyard still in the same position, and after having used three different sized screwdrivers that were sent up by bucket, and using various attachments on my Leatherman. There is just too much stuff hanging off of the aft end of the masthead (namely the topping lift and back stay toggle) to get anything in there effectively and pry the wire out. So, I am planning to head up there again and remove the topping lift and back stay so that I can have full access. I am also going to bring a piece of steel a little bigger than a metal ruler which should enable being able to push the wire into position. My question to everyone is, is it ok to go up our masts without the back stay connected (would there be enough support from the aft lower shrouds), or should a temporary stay be rigged from somewhere above one of the sets of spreaders before removing the back stay and going up?  Thanks.
Sincerely,
Russ Duff
Catalina 38, Hull #112
"AVANTURA"
Lake Erie
Grosse Ile, Michigan
RDUFF AT VISTEON DOT COM
AVANTURA AT COMCAST DOT NET
 



From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org [mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of Russ and Karleen Duff
Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2008 1:36 AM
To: 'Catalina 38 Listserve'
Subject: [C38] Binding Halyards/Masthead
 
I finally got the motor put back together and running, and now I have a problem with my main and jib halyards; they are both badly binding. I have no idea what could be causing this except that either the halyard sheaves are frozen, or maybe one, or both, of the lines have come off-track (they were fine at haul out at the end of the season). I am planning to go up the mast tomorrow to inspect things and hope for an easy fix.  If it isn’t, and I need to dig deeper inside, how does the masthead come off? Can it be removed with the mast up? I wouldn’t think so because aren’t the fore and aft stays connected to it?  If it can’t come off, is there any way to access the sheaves while it is on? This s_cks, I finally get the motor fixed, and now it’s something else (I guess that’s what you get with a 27 year old boat). Any advice would be appreciated. 
 
 
Sincerely,
Russ Duff
Catalina 38, Hull #112
"AVANTURA"
Lake Erie
Grosse Ile, Michigan
AVANTURA AT COMCAST DOT NET
 
  
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