Tricks for installing new genoa and spinnaker halyards

[nquigley]

I replaced my very old genoa halyard with a new one today without too much hassle, using a messenger line.
But, my next 2 halyard jobs will be trickier: (i) installing a new spinnaker halyard over an open/empty sheeve (making use of both available spinaker sheeves), and changing the exit slot for the topping lift halyard to let the new spinnaker halyard use a preferred exit slot.
There are lots of You Tube videos about pulling a halyard with a messenger line (or by end-to-end binding to an existing halyard), but I've only found one for installing a new messenger line (Rigging Doctor):

It's quite clever!. I was all set to use a fishing weight on a messenger line, but I'd already realized how tricky it might be to get the weight to, and out of, our rather small exit fittings (being non-magnetic, I'd be trying to hook it out somehow - I can just imagine how much trial and error that might take...).

Does anyone here have additional tricks, or any refinements on the chain+magnet method, that you can offer?
Thanks!

 

[mbacon]

Never tried it, but I've heard of adding a piece of wool or similar light material, then using a vacuum to extract it from the mast exit.

 

[Loren Beach]

I see some errors/problems in the narrator's approach. I know riggers that use the bicycle chain for a weight and alternatively a short thin line with lead weights crimped onto it. Same idea tho -- this allows feeding over each sheave at the top.

Your 80's Ericson or Olson has a double spreader rig, very likely. This makes getting the "path" downwards more tricky.
At the top, there are several sheaves, and the path down with the least chafe will keep the line(s) off of the internal spreader "bars" so that the lines have a straight-as-possible path to the exit plates.
I once helped a rigger feed a new halyard on our spar. He was at the top with a flexible weight, and a light messenger line. I was to fish it out at the exit point with a stiff wire with a hook in the end. Having decided which side of the spar we preferred for a path, we slightly heeled the boat to that side and he lowered the weight. Fishing the end out took some fiddly work with the hook and a flashlight.
The idea of using a "super" magnet sounds pretty good, but it would require careful lowering of the person aloft, incrementally. Worth a try, imo.

Note that the later Ericson's have a lot of line in those masts. We have: main, jib, spinnaker 1, spinnaker 2, and topping lift. Crowded, in there, it is.
Luckily all of our 12 volt and instrument wiring is now inside PVC piping which was replaced during our re-rig a couple years ago.

 

[nquigley]

Thanks, Loren.
I had a first attempt yesterday but I had trouble feeding the chain over the spinnaker sheeve - seemed to be bunching up instead of rolling over and down. But, I had climbed on the main halyard and was reaching up and around the mast with one hand while holding myself close to the mast with my other.
Next time, I’ll add a lead weight on a 3” string to the leading end of the chain to help it get started over the sheeve. Also, I’ll climb on the existing spinnaker halyard so I’ll be on the same side as the sheeve, and I’ll bring my etrier so I can get up to eye-level with the sheeve.
Yup - I do anticipate some fiddliness - guiding the chain in front of the 2 spreader thru-bars, while slowly letting myself down, while not letting the magnet lose connection with the chain. The aft-rake, and especially the aft-angled taper of the top mast section, will conspire to encourage the weight and chain to pull away from the forward face of the mast.
I’ll report back after attempt #2.

 

[bgary]

My approach here: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/thread...reading-main-halyard-e33rh.19832/#post-155799

...or here: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/main-sail-halyard-retrieval.14065/#post-98991

 

[windblown]

We had to re-run our Jib halyard last season after the messenger and halyard pulled apart when we were setting up for winter. I worried all winter about how to get the halyard back over the sheave, down the mast, and back out the right exit slot. It was a lot of extra worry.

The hardest part was getting the halyard to feed over the sheave and drop inside the mast. The technical line was pretty stiff, and it kept wanting to come right back out. We attached a much lighter line (string, really) through the flemish eye on the halyard, and tied several zinc washers (for weight and possible magnetic appeal), then fed that over the sheave with success. We used an old metal hanger with a small loop/bend to retrieve the light line down below. It took maybe ten or fifteen minutes to snag the line and pull it through. Pretty fast for a boat project! Two suggestions before going up the mast: figure out how much of the halyard and lighter line will need to drop inside the mast before it reaches the targeted exit point. Mark that with tape or something on the halyard. Then the person at the top of the mast will know when they've fed enough through. If you're not sure of the distance, the person at the top of the mast can drop the tail down outside the mast to measure and mark it. 2. Choose the right size washers; they have to feed through/over the sheave.

 

[nquigley]

I finally had the right weather and enough time (and motivation) last weekend to try again. I’ve attached a pic of the system I used: end of mouse line woven through about 15” of light steel chain, with a small fishing weight attached to the end; and a strong magnet with a light tether to go around my wrist.
The weighted chain easily fed over the sheeve (stb side spinnaker) and started to pull the chain and line down into the mast.
I trapped the chain part a couple feet down with the magnet. To stop it falling off the mast (only barely had enough attraction to the chain inside to hold it against the mast) I held it to the mast with painters tape. Then, I descended a few feet on my climbing gear, eased the magnet down the mast (listening to the jingle of the chain inside), carefully letting more mouse line up/over the sheeve as it went, retaped the magnet, descended 2-3ft, and then repeated the process for another ~2 feet, etc, etc.
As I was installing a lateral halyard (not the Genoa), I had to carefully guide the chain/line just forward of each spreader root. But as tedious and slow as it was, I got it to the exit slot and easily pulled it out with a small wire hook.

 

[windblown]

I finally had the right weather and enough time (and motivation) last weekend to try again. I’ve attached a pic of the system I used: end of mouse line woven through about 15” of light steel chain, with a small fishing weight attached to the end; and a strong magnet with a light tether to go around my wrist.
The weighted chain easily fed over the sheeve (stb side spinnaker) and started to pull the chain and line down into the mast.
I trapped the chain part a couple feet down with the magnet. To stop it falling off the mast (only barely had enough attraction to the chain inside to hold it against the mast) I held it to the mast with painters tape. Then, I descended a few feet on my climbing gear, eased the magnet down the mast (listening to the jingle of the chain inside), carefully letting more mouse line up/over the sheeve as it went, retaped the magnet, descended 2-3ft, and then repeated the process for another ~2 feet, etc, etc.
As I was installing a lateral halyard (not the Genoa), I had to carefully guide the chain/line just forward of each spreader root. But as tedious and slow as it was, I got it to the exit slot and easily pulled it out with a small wire hook.
View attachment 49434

Well done, McGyver!! You could probably patent this.