replacing forestay without lowering mast

[Emerald]

---- of note, I also posted this on the SailJazz mail list, not sure where we have all gone.... please forgive the redundancy --------


OK, I'll say right up front that I am not scared of heights and have gone up the mast on various boats more times than I care to remember. So, with fears put aside, I am seriously considering whether I can replace the forestay without taking down my mast (mast is deck stepped). I am cutter rigged, so I have the staysail stay that goes about 2/3 up the mast. I am thinking that between the staysail's stay, and running a halyard from mast head to bowsprit, I could disconnect the bottom of the forestay, and then go up the chair and disconnect the top and not have the whole thing come down on me. This mast also has 8 shrouds (4 per side) as well. Any thoughts on this from people who have done this or seen it done? Yes, I know, just pay someone, but my reality is that I may not be able to do the replacement at all if I have to pay someone or pay to take the mast down - just that extra few boat bucks I don't have in the budget, but the budget does have enough in it to have someone make up a new forestay if I do the install. If you want to check out my rig, check this url:


http://home.comcast.net/independence31


-David
Independence 31
Emerald

 

[wurzner]

Update the Mast

David,

I would NOT disconnect the headstay prior to going up the mast. I would climb the mast, veryify the halyard integrity at the sheave prior to relying on it. Then secure the halyard and then remove the forestay. Once your positioned up the mast, the load on the forestay would be minimal and the staysail wire would likely be sufficient. None the less, this is how I would do it not that I have any experiance. As a climber, I can say I have a great fear of the sudden deceleration that comes at the end of a fall. 9.8 meters per second squared is pretty quick!

Shaun

 

[u079721]

Possible

In Brion Toss's instructional video on techniques for going up the mast he shows how to replace either the backstay or perhaps it was just the clevis pin at the backstay. At any rate he went up first, and then did the work from the masthead. Pretty sure the mast was keel stepped though. Anyway, sounds as if it should be possible, but I would want the replacment ready to go while up there. So I would suggest someone go up the mast with one end of a measuring tape and have a loft make up the replacement before doing the work. And Brion's video would be worth the $20 as well.

 

[windjunkee]

We recently installed a hydraulic backstay adjustor on "Voice Of Reason". In the process, we had to remove the backstay so it could be cut down. We secured the main halyard to the transom rail, then I went up and just removed the pin, tied the backstay off and lowered it to the deck. When putting it back on, I just did the reverse.

Any thoughts about going up? I find it easiest for me and the person grinding me up to go up the headstay, rather than just being pulled straight up the mast. That way I can help by pulling myself up.

Jim McCone
Voice of Reason E-32

 

[NateHanson]

Any thoughts about going up? I find it easiest for me and the person grinding me up to go up the headstay, rather than just being pulled straight up the mast. That way I can help by pulling myself up.

Jim McCone
Voice of Reason E-32

I find it easiest to go up at the mast for the same reason - I can climb at the mast. Actually I've climbed to the spreaders on a 50' boat without a halyard, just using the lower shrouds, and my feet on the mast. So I think i can be most helpful to the winch grinder if I go up at the mast.

Also, if you're going up the forestay, and you lose your grip, you're going to hit the mast pretty darn hard, so be careful. Probably best to tie your harness off to the headstay if you want to go up that way.

 

[Seth]

U Can Do It!

This should not be a big problem-especially since you have the inner forestay.

Since you will need a helper to haul you up-it does make sense to lkeave the HS intact until you are up and can inspect everything. If all is well, you can have your helper pull the pin at the bottom, then tie the HS to your chair BEFORE you pull the pin!! Then pull the pin and bring the HS down with you-while you helper feeds the bottom part of the HS in whatever direction it needs to go so as not to kink or bind. This assumes you don't have a spare halyard up there. If you do, you can use that to lower the HS.

You can do it-just use the usual precautions!

Cheers,
S