mast cable problem ,,,help.:)

[chip50]

on top of my mast, 1 cable is out side of the pulley,on one side and its stuck,,,,any ideas as to how to free it...i'v tried swinging the cable extremely hard many times and cannot free it....its between the pully and mount....i messed up pulling on it first because i couln't see that it was out side the pulley.its the one that raises the main sail.? stumpped chip

 

[Shadowfax]

When you say cable, I assume you mean halyard. If so, it sounds like you have jammed the halyard between the sheave [the round thing that the halyard should ride in] and the side of the mast or another sheave. You don’t say if the halyard is rope or wire, but that should not make that much of a difference. When you go back up the mast you will see a “pin” that goes through the sheave acting like an axel. If you cannot physically pull the halyard out between the pin and the sheave, then you will have to remove the pin. Removing the pin depends on what sort of fitting all this sits in. It may be as easy as driving the pin out, or removing the fitting and seeing how it comes apart. It should not be difficult, as they are designed to come apart. When putting it all back together check for worn or distorted parts and make sure the halyard hasn’t suffered.

Good luck

 

[NateHanson]

Sounds like it's time for a trip up the mast. Might as well do a complete inspection while you're up there. Closely check all fittings for small cracks or corrosion. Run a rag along all shouds to look for broken wires in the cable. Check that all bolts, nuts, screws on the mast are tight. Replace bulbs. Lubricate the sail track with McLube. I like to do this once a year if I haven't taken the mast down for storage in between.

Use two halyards for safety, and a good bosuns chair. Your legs will be numb by the time you're done. That's how you know you've been thorough enough.

 

[CaptnNero]

Don't forget the messenger !

Hey Chip50,

If it will make you feel any better, I'm overdue for a trip up the mast myself. I still need to swap the bulb in the Davis anchor light that I mounted way up there last year when I upgraded all of the light fixtures up there. I meant to have the 0.3 amp bulb in the new Davis but left the 0.1 amp one in it.

Something I highly (no pun intended) recommend for the trip up is to take along a messenger line with a weight on it so you can send it down to your deck level helper to fetch you the things you'll inevitably need when you see what's really going on up there.

Good luck and have a nice climb. The view of the marina will be terrific.

Sounds like it's time for a trip up the mast. Might as well do a complete inspection while you're up there. Closely check all fittings for small cracks or corrosion. Run a rag along all shouds to look for broken wires in the cable. Check that all bolts, nuts, screws on the mast are tight. Replace bulbs. Lubricate the sail track with McLube. I like to do this once a year if I haven't taken the mast down for storage in between.

Use two halyards for safety, and a good bosuns chair. Your legs will be numb by the time you're done. That's how you know you've been thorough enough.