[C38] Binding Halyards/Masthead

[Kerry Grimes]

Russ

I've had mine apart before and it really isn't that difficult, until 
your 50 feet in the air hanging from a rope. I find it hard to believe 
that the halyard came off track so that leaves the sheave stuck or 
gummed up. To take it apart you will need a Phillips screwdriver to 
remove the cover and a hammer and drift to remove the pin. The pin is 
approximately 5/8 or larger diameter (its been 5 years). As you slowly 
remove the pin you can pull each sheave as they become loose from the 
pin. There is a piece of aluminum between each sheave to prevent the 
line from crossing over. I myself would not take it apart. I would soak 
the sheave bearing and shaft in WD40 and then spin the sheaves while 
spraying it in more WD40 until the sheaves are once again loose and 
spinning freely. This will clean them out. Then clean the WD40 away with 
water. The sheaves have a bronze self lubricating bearing in them and 
only require the occasional cleaning. I don't know what the WD40 will do 
to your line so try to keep it away from them. I've used the WD40 in 
this manner in the past because it is water soluble or will dry on its 
own in a couple of days. If you try to lubricate the bearing back into 
life the lubricant stays at the sheave attracting every piece of dust 
into the bearing causing it to gum up quickly. The WD40 cleans out the 
dirt and gum then when its washed away there is nothing to attract the 
dirt or gum back into the sheave bearing.

What ever you do, good luck
If you drop parts into the mast Lefell still has all the parts you need.

Kerry Grimes
Littlebreeze
San Francisco



Russ and Karleen Duff wrote:
>
> 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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