# Retrieving Main Halyard from top of Mast?



## CapnSantiago

Okay, I’m embarrassed but…went out for my first sail of the season after working most every winter weekend on the boat. Everything went great, light (5-10-15 knots) wind, clear/sunny skies, 70’s, cruising around for about 5 hours. Coming back to the slip about ready to lower the sails and “pop” I look up and see the mainsail shackle has let loose of the main and it slacks and begins to fall. I had already started the motor so I just rounded up and lowered the sail and motored on in. At the slip I notice the main halyard/shackle remains at the top of the mast and the shackle is open. I’m wondering, did it fail, or did I fail to properly fasten it…well, it’s an “over-center” design with a “pull pin” similar to what you see on a snap shackle (sorry, I don’t know all the terminology here)…it held for 4-5 hours, why did it suddenly let loose. Well, it was evening/dinner time so off to the cabin to take care of that and slept on it overnight. I have a bosun’s chair (never been used), but no line to climb…the tail of the main halyard is run through mast so no exposed line to ride (probably wouldn’t be to smart to rely on the shackle/knot at the head for tension anyway)…the headsail is on a roller furling, so unless I want to dismantle all that I can’t use the headsail halyard…not too fond of heights anyway, so I can I do this from the deck?. 

Next morning made a run to Home Depot and got 3-10’ sections of ¾” rigid EMT (I was going to use PVC, but an in-store test proved the PVC too flexible) with connectors, duck taped a bent coat hanger to it and went “air fishing” for my halyard. Actually touched the halyard/shackle a couple of times but didn’t hook it and between the 30’ height, weight of pipe (it’s bending and twisting under its own weight…especially at the connectors which I had drilled through for a more secure connection), wind, and gentle rocking boat it was quite difficult to control. A neighbor suggests a net or something to snag it. I have some fishnet for a storage hammock I haven’t yet installed so I cut a wad of it and attach it to the pole. I got it up there again (no jokes please) and brushed it a couple of times before the wind caught it and bent it way over until it bent and broke and fell into the open slip beside me (I made sure it fell that way, if any, instead of onto the boat the other side of me…I hope my slip neighbor doesn’t read this). So, 20’ of the pole and the fishnet were sacrificed to the lake gods and I called it quite.

So now for the question(s)…How do I get my main halyard back down? Why did the shackle let go? Is the shackle I have the proper hardware for the halyard? How do I keep this from ever happening again?

At a previous lake they had a pole with ladder rungs along side the dock for climbing and retrieving for this very scenario. At my marina they have a pole for mast stepping with winches but I do not believe they are for public use. So, short of paying marina service fro retrieving my halyard what are my options? I know an inspection of the shackle after retrieval will be required to answer some of the questions. To assure this doesn’t happen again I could tie a retrieving line to it but don’t really want that flogging around. Alternatively I could tie some weight to it to overcome the counterbalanced weight of the line…I wonder how much weight it would take?


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## erps

Do you have a head sail you can drop and go up on that halyard?


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## Stillraining

Like Ray said....If you trust you jib halyard...unfurl and drop your jib and ascend using your chair ( If its not fractional rigged ) sounds like your using the wrong shackle...should not be a snap shackle..


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## sailortjk1

I would like previously sugessted, simply unfurl and drop the Genny and go up after it. Its not that difficult to do.
But, didn't Alex have a way of doing this with out going up?
Seems I remember this question coming up before.


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## L02314564

I got this from Sail Magazine.com, Cruising Tips - October 2005. Hope it helps. I used a Coat Hanger for the stiff line mentioned in the article with great success. Good Luck

Halyard retrieval

Losing a halyard up the mast is always a big pain in the rear, but if the mast in question has a spare halyard on it, there’s a good chance you can bring the lost halyard back to the deck without leaving the deck yourself. Take a spare line, preferably an older one that is slightly stiff from a little too much exposure to salt and sun, and make a noose with a slip knot at the end of it. Then take your spare halyard’s snapshackle and clasp the shackle around the standing part of your retrieval line just below the noose you made (the slip knot must be big enough that it does not slide through the snapshackle). The noose should be opened as wide as possible without going limp. 
Next use the spare halyard to hoist the noose aloft into close proximity with the end of the lost halyard. By twitching your end of the spare halyard and the retrieval line with a bit of creative body English, you should eventually be able to get the noose around the end of the lost halyard. Then all you need do is yank on the retrieval line to close the noose. Pull the retrieval line back down to the deck and both the spare halyard and the lost halyard will come down with it.

Ed
SV Other Woman
1976 Catalina 27 # 2684


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## TSOJOURNER

You might be able to use your topping lift to go up the mast.


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## btrayfors

Faced with the same problem on my Catalina 22 some years ago, I solved it by using the jib halyard. I tied a spare line to the the shackle of the jib halyard and belayed the line. Then, using the jib halyard as it passed through the sheave atop the mast, and came down the aft side, I stood on the cabin top and began whipping the jib halyard in circles. 

Took only about 5 minutes before I had snagged the shackle on the main halyard; then, it was a simple matter to untie the spare line I'd tied to the jib halyard, and pull the main halyard down using the jib halyard.

Actually wrote a little piece about this for my yacht club 

Bill


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## Stillraining

Heres a picture of a proper main sail Head board shackle.


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## sailingdog

On several of the boats I have sailed on, including mine... whoever loses the halyard up the mast has to recover it... and they have to buy a round for the rest of the boat's crew.


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## CapnSantiago

Thanks for the alternative suggestions. This will fill in some of the above questions.

It is a masthead rig not fractional.
The headsail is rigged with a roller furling that I would have to dismantle to use the halyard.
I do not have a topping lift...I have a Hi/Lo Reefer (yes, I know..and it says it in big red letters on the side of the boom) in-boom roller for the main.
My shackle (as came with the boat) does not look like the Head Board Shackle picture above...it looks more like a snap shackle with the plunger pin (maybe I can get the PO that installed the wrong shackle to go up and get it...although I didn't know enough to know it was wrong...all this time I just thought it was more "convenient"...the crew I had that day didn't drink, but I sure did especially after this special event)

So I guess I'll be dismantling the headsail roller furling (can I get some help with how to do that?...I'm sure I can get it apart/down, but are there any tricks to reinstalling/adjusting it?) one way or another. I like and understand the concept of the "twitchy noose/spare line" concept since it keeps me from going up there. Although with my in-boom furler the mainsail luff runs in a track that stands off the mast 3-4" and stops short of the top of the mast 6-12" so the two (headsail & mainsail halyards) don't meet up...maybe I can use the concept and make something work.

So thanks for the input so far, but I'm still open to more if it keeps my feet on the deck.


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## Stillraining

No need to disassemble it...There is a luff grove in the foil the sail will pull down...


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## sailingdog

I'd second Stillraining... there shouldn't be a need to disassemble the roller furling unit, unless it is one of the strange internal halyard ones...like CDI IIRC. IN that case, you couldn't use the jib halyard to go aloft anyways.


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## camaraderie

CapnSantiago...are you SURE you have to dismantle the furling gear? How do you get the headsail down if you want to change headsails or remove it for the winter? I would unroll the headsail...loosen the halyard and try to haul the sail down...usually the halyard will come down with the top furling swivel and the sail.


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## sailortjk1

I don't understand that statement as well.


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## Watermelon

That reminds me of the time when my in-Laws, my better half, and I were out sailing in the Bay. We were ghosting along then noticed we were running low on time before dark, so we had to fire up the iron genny. Of course, we dropped the sail, but forgot to tie off the other end of it. Effectively, we had the shackle side, but not the part that cleats off (the other end). Fortunately, I was clever enough to leave a loop on the end of it (which normally stays on the cleat, but must have slipped off), so we went fishing with the extra-long-extendable boat hook strapped to the emergency paddle, thus extending it another 5 feet, with my better half (lighter than me and taller than me) hoisted on my Father in-law's shoulders (also taller than me). 

In retrospect, I should have taken pictures.

Anyway, moral of the story is, don't worry, other people have been there too.  And we fished it back using the method you stated (except no coat hanger, just a boat hook).


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## Stillraining

I wish you had pictures too...


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## Faster

What sort of furler is it? Odd that you need to "dismantle it" to get the halyard free.... If it's the type that has the internal halyard on the furler then you'll have a lot of difficulty using that halyard to hoist anyone up to the top.

You may want to ask around the marina, see if anyone (preferably a young, fit racing bowman - oops person) is willing to climb up there for you.


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## CapnSantiago

Aha, well now you know my limited knowledge of the headsail roller furling assembly. I have never changed headsails...had really not ever considered that you could. I "assumed" the whole assembly had to come down. I'll have to take a look this weekend, but I bet it works just as Stillraining, Cam and Sailortjk1 outline. At least that simplifies things. So if I can just get the "twirley-loop" trick to work (or go up the mast as a last resort) I'll be back on the water...with a new PROPER headboard shackle (and back-up retriever system) of course.

Thanks guys...great input.


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## NOLAsailing

You shouldn't have to "dismantle" the furler. Just unfurl the sail, release the jib halyard, and pull the jib down. 

When you tie onto your bosun's chair, use a bowline - not a shackle. That's good practice anyway and it seems like your luck with shackles is prety thin this week anyway.

I assume you only have one jib halyard and no spinnaker halyard? If so, go aloft with a tether and, when you get above the spreaders, secure it around the mast and back to your chair as a measure of safety.


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## NOLAsailing

Oh look - a whole other page! Apologies for any redundancies in my prior post. 

To add something new - I was swapping my main halyard about a month ago and I did not tie off the messenger line. I had cut quite a bit of the messenger line off recently to use as emergency light air spin trims and it was shorter than it was the last time I used it to swap a halyard.

When the main halyard exited the top of the mast it dropped to the deck, pulling the messenger line with it. It was a horrible thing watching the end of the messenger disappear into the mast. 

I have a fractional rig on my boat and, if there's no main halyard, there's no getting to the top. Fortunately, there was some messenger line left towards the top of the mast and I was able to fish it out of the jib halyard sheave box between the sheaves and then feed it back down.

The point is - everybody loses halyards one way or another. This will be a good experience and, I bet, you'll check the shackle carefully from now on and this won't happen when you would otherwise be enjoying a nice sail.


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## artbyjody

Here is what I devised to do the same after it happened twice to me - and I didn't want to fork another $50 because of my lack of judgment and fear of heights...

Materials needed:

Boathook
Duct Tape
length of rope 5 foot longer than your mast
Metal Coat hanger / or other suitable piece of metal
The other unstuck halyard.

See illustration - instructions follow:










With your contraption now made - hoist the halyard up while remaining in control of the rope that is used as a guide of force or further denoted as guide rope. It is meant to control the leverage and position of the boat hook so to allow positioning of the grappling agent (the twisted prongs of the coat hanger contraption)

Get it as far up as you can and use the rope and halyard to jam the three prong coat hangar "grappling agent" into the shackles of the stuck halyard.

It will take repeated tries but using the guide rope to adjust angle of boat hook and grappling tool, and the halyard and you may find positioning yourself at various points on the vessel you can create enough force that you will feel the shackle of the stuck halyard catch...when you do - pull down on the guide rope..

Using this technique - in about 15 minutes you can get it down - sometimes bending further together the prongs of the coat hanger contraption if you feel the shackle of the stuck halyard connecting but slipping off...Important to note the prongs are twisted as they will resist the pulling straight of the coat hangar when pulling down....

For additional safety - attach a down haul to the halyard being used to raise the boat hook in case you did not tape securely...and secure the down haul to a cleat...

Process I devised works - and provides amazing entertainment to passerbys who will not believe you did not have to climb the mast to get it down...

To prevent this event from ever happening again - attach down hauls to all your halyards (smaller diameter)... a PITA as its more line you have tend with getting whatever sail up and down - but piece of mind - priceless...


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## NOLAsailing

> To prevent this event from ever happening again - attach down hauls to all your halyards (smaller diameter)... a PITA as its more line you have tend with getting whatever sail up and down - but piece of mind - priceless...


I can't imagine losing halyards occurs often enough to justify this. If it does, fix the problem (bad shackles? forgetful owner?) instead of rigging messenger lines on each of the halyards.


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## northoceanbeach

I just lost mine yesterday. So I have a question. I have a fractionally riged sloop, a cal 20. Can I use the jib halyard to go up and retrieve it in a chair? I don't mind going up at all, I never have, this may be a good opportunity to try. I also have a topping lift, that one is connected all the way to the top. I don't want to put any unnecessary pressure and hurt anything.

THey need a better system for this. I was raising my main when I lost it. Whoever had this boat before rigged the snap shackle so it's about 7 feet up the mast and you have to get on your tippy toes to get it and it won't come down any further. To make matters worse, he installed a deck light on the fore side of the mast and sometimes when you take the main down the wire gets wrapped around the light and I was there trying to swing it around, lost it and up and away it went.


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## NOLAsailing

We'll, you need a longer halyard for sure. It should come down so you can easily attach it at boom height and, really, it should be long enough to secure to the end of the boom so the halyard, when you're at port or at anchor, does not bang against the mast.

Don't go up on the topping lift, though you can use is as a safetly line if you must. Go up on the jib halyard and try to hook the main halyard with a boat hook. Or, if you have a friend with a taller rig, go up that and pull yourself - carefully, over to grab your halyard. 

The proper shackle for a mainsail is not a snap shackle - you're looking for something called a headboard shackle.


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## northoceanbeach

Oh, well mine is just above the spreader bars, not all the way to the top, so not using the jib halyard on a fractionally rigged sloop is not about not hurting the rigging, it's about not being able to get high enough?


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## Birdface

Depending on location you may find a bridge or dock with enough clearance at a specific tide to bring the boat up to. 

Hop off, run up to the bridge overpass and grab the shackle back.

Depends where you live, we have ONE spot this works at during low tide where I am, but fortunately I have a 5' tall wife who's not afraid of heights


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## witzgall

I just re-did the rigging on our fractional sloop. I made up the topping lift to be the same diameter line as the main halyard, as it is the only other line going to the top of the mast. This way, I can use it as a spare, and also to retrieve the primary if needed.

Chris


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## CapnSantiago

Artbyjody I love it...that looks like a workable solution. Thanks for all the effort you put into it with the sketch and all. I'll try it out and come back with a full report.


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## thekeip

I also agree with Jodi. You weren't far from success in your first attempts. Look at it this way: If you had designed your grapple so that if you were lucky, and had that grapple in such a position that the remotest accident would cause a snag,all you have to do is be patient...the snag will happen by 'accident'.
Howard Keiper


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## SimonV

northoceanbeach said:


> Oh, well mine is just above the spreader bars, not all the way to the top, so not using the jib halyard on a fractionally rigged sloop is not about not hurting the rigging, it's about not being able to get high enough?


If the shakle is at the spreaders use the topping lift, take it close to the mast and spin it like a skipping rope it will twist around the halyard and you can pull it down without leaving the deck.


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## sailingdog

Maybe Jody is just a bit klutzier than the rest of us.  The rule on my boat is that the halyards aren't ever let go unless the terminal end is secured. This is enforced by a draconian policy of whoever lets the halyard goe up the mast, has to go up to get it...  and they owe the rest of the crew a round at dinner. By the way, as an incentive... to not repeat their mistake, we've left crew up for a few extra minutes... since the bosun's chair is controlled from the deck. 



NOLAsailing said:


> To prevent this event from ever happening again - attach down hauls to all your halyards (smaller diameter)... a PITA as its more line you have tend with getting whatever sail up and down - but piece of mind - priceless...
> 
> 
> 
> I can't imagine losing halyards occurs often enough to justify this. If it does, fix the problem (bad shackles? forgetful owner?) instead of rigging messenger lines on each of the halyards.
Click to expand...


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## beej67

Santiago - 

I recommend getting a bosun's chair or some other way of getting up your mast, and using this experience as a way to learn how to get up there. You sound like a fairly newer boat owner, and I can say with authority that new boat owners need to learn to get comfortable going to the tops of their mast for any number of reasons, from changing your anchor light bulb to fixing stuff that fouls up. This is a nice, easy, safe time to figure that out, instead of when your anchor light burns out at anchor in the bay and a thunderstorm is approaching. (true story)

I use a mast ladder mostly, but in order to get that to work you really need to use your main halyard since it slides up the sail tracks. Get a bosun's chair and a friend.


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## TSOJOURNER

It can happen to anyone, any time, but the most creative loss of a halyard was from a tree! Friend of mine coming into the marina under engine power, sails down, got too close to a tree. A branch caught his main halyard, jerked just hard enough to pull it free from the clip where he secured it, and the shackle went up the mast. Since the tree ate the halyard, following Sailing Dog's rule, how do you get a tree to go up the mast for retreival? It won't fit the bosun's chair!


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## sailingdog

Rtd-

Then it would be the fault of the guy at the helm... since he was the closest human cause to the problem... he'd have to go up the mast and buy the round of drinks.


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## CapnSantiago

Beej - Yea, This is my first big (to me) boat and I just got it last summer. Previous boats had removable masts that came down to you and trailered. I have a bosuns chair (unused) that climbs using your legs. Now that I know I can use the headsail halyard off the roller furling I guess I'll have to man-up. I have a steaming light out below the spreaders that I got the chair for. And I'm sure the mast head could use some inspection and lubrication. To say I'm "uncomfortable" going up there is an under statement.

For the posts that are focused on who's at fault here I'll accept all of the responsibility but only part of the blame. If you follow the first few posts you will see where the PO installed a snap shackle instead of a proper head board shackle. Maybe I should find and send him/her up there for it. I can see from the deck that the snap has opened (presumably from the sail loads it wasn't designed for). I will also accept the blame for not knowing it was the wrong hardware, and I will replace it with the proper hardware upon retrieval.

Hey, it'll be a story to tell the grandchildren someday.


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## L02314564

Bob has a rather ingenious way of retreiving his lost halyards without having to climb the mast. I can't post the link because I dont have enough posts but you can find it on his website about his modifications to his 1977 Catalina 27, "Escape", # 2835. You can find it by googling "C27 Modifications"


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## sailingdog

Just remember, when using a halyard to go aloft, TIE THE HALYARD to the bosun's chair. Don't trust a shackle.


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## mjrogers

Here is the link mentioned above by L02314564
Halyard Retreiver.htm


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## beej67

> To say I'm "uncomfortable" going up there is an under statement.


Hehe. It's definitely freaky your first time, fairly creepy your 2nd and 3rd, and extra creepy when you go up at choppy anchorage and your boat's swaying so much you're over the water as often as not, but it's all stuff we have to do as boat owners, and after a while it gets to be pretty fun. (my opinion) Especially when you're around less experienced boaters who stare up at you slackjawed. (the first time one does this, ask him to bring you a beer)

Some advice: Bring everything you might possibly need in your pockets or a fanny pack or something - it's a major PITA to come back down, then go back up again. Also, bring a camera. Take some pictures while you're up there, both of your masthead to help you familiarize yourself with your boat, and of the view.

I like to use a mast ladder:









Flexible, portable mast climbing ladder made of nylon webbing which attaches to any sail tra

with a lineman's belt:










and a lanyard:










...but the mast ladder doesn't do you any good if your main halyard's already up the mast, since it goes up your sail track, so you're probably stuck with the bosuns chair this time around one way or another anyway.

One thing I did, also, was install some aluminum folding steps at the top of my mast the last time I had it out on the hard. Like these:


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## sailingdog

Having a messenger line or spare halyard at the mast is a good way for your crew to send stuff you forgot up the mast.


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## beej67

If he had a spare halyard he wouldn't have this problem.


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## sailingdog

Yes he would...it'd just be easier to fix. 



beej67 said:


> If he had a spare halyard he wouldn't have this problem.


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## tonybinTX

What beej67 refers to is called an etrier (ay tree ay) in rock climbing/mountain rescue circles and can be found in climbing stores. ala rei Black Diamond Six-Step Etrier from REI.com


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## wescarroll

Use a sail slide as a guide to guide your tube from your earlier attempt. Seize them or tape or make a loop to hold the top of your pole and bend a hook out of coat hanger or similar wire. That is how I have tackled similar situations, with varying degrees of success.


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## craigtoo

CapnSantiago said:


> Hey, it'll be a story to tell the grandchildren someday.


Trust me... You'll have much better stories than this one if you keep that boat...!

SD...
I can't believe I've been suckered all these years. The rule on Dad's boat growing up.... "Youngest goes up.... he's the lightest..."

Older brother drops a Halyard? Craig's goin' up.

Mom pulls the wrong line and pulls the halyard out of brothers hand? Craig's goin' up...

"Oh.. well that's not a good way to douse the chute hmmmm??? " Craig's goin' up.

New Rule on Saoirse. You lose a Halyard.. YOU'RE GOIN' UP! YOU'RE BUYIN' BEER. It's good to be the captain.

My boat has a 53' mast. Haven't been up yet. I know it's coming though....



craig


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## merttan

I retrieved the halyard once... Right in the middle of the sea... Just climb up... Oh, the sweet feeling of height while swinging around at 20feet... :S As lots mentioned you can retrieve it by head sail halyard but it takes awhile until you can actually catch the missing halyard in the loop... 
I would say tie up the boat really stiff when it's calm, climb up with a extra line and hook it up then climb down. A bosuns chair would be really helpful if you have one...


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## TSOJOURNER

Well, I'm a chicken.... found a fellow that climbs a mast... went up, retrieved my halyard and fixed a mast light at the same time...... think it was 190 ... believe me, I will take much better care of the halyard......


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## beej67

tonybinTX said:


> What beej67 refers to is called an etrier (ay tree ay) in rock climbing/mountain rescue circles and can be found in climbing stores. ala rei Black Diamond Six-Step Etrier from REI.com


Yeah, I figured there were different names for them outside the powerline industry.  I come from a construction background. Granddaddy was a foreman on a lineman crew for Virginia Power.


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## MABON01

How about just using gaffs (climbing gear in the tree and utility business); they would work great on a wood mast, though hell to get a bite on an aluminum one.


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## SawWhet

*Main Halyard from top of mast*

I have done this twice (lost the main halyard) First time at anchor second under way.Both halyards run through the mast head. I used the jib halyard 
I attached a light line to halyard and waded a ball of duct tape--sticky side up on to the jib halyard where the light line was attached ,hoisted up mast and the tape actually stuck to the main halyard shackle-lowew away.
Worked great
The next time iused a similar set up except I fasened a coar hanger to retreaving line ,this also worked


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## SimonV

MABON01 said:


> How about just using gaffs (climbing gear in the tree and utility business); they would work great on a wood mast, though hell to get a bite on an aluminum one.


You could just put Magnets in your shoes, that would help.


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## Stillraining

Must be a Southern Hemisphere Phenomena...


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## luckytexan

I seen a guy with the same problem at the marina one day and he was fishing for it with a long pole. What size boat do you have? this was a C22 or 25 and we just walked it down to a double slip that was empty tied it up loose and tossed a rope thru the spreaders, I pulled on the rope and brought the mast close enough to snag it with a boat hook. 
Might have been tough if the swing keel wasn't up but maybe not. I had a heck of a lot of leverage with the rope. Just a thought! Sometimes the simple plan ya know?


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## sailingdog

Simon-

Aluminum isn't magnetic...  Might help on a steel mast... 


SimonV said:


> You could just put Magnets in your shoes, that would help.


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## TSOJOURNER

hate to tell you, you own a boat and you should get comfortable with going up and down the halyards to do regular maintenance. I've had this problem before and 90% of the time it's human error. The only way to not have this happen in the future is to install another halyard for backup or do regular maintenance on your halyards. IE check the knots for fraying,shackles from rusting. Salt water is your enemy in this situation. GOOD LUCK!


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## JohnBoelte

So, did the OP ever get his halyard down?


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## sailingdog

I doubt it...probably got scared off by all the horror stories.


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## TSOJOURNER

Just two days ago I was swapping out my main halyard and right as I was about to attach the new wire to the lead wire the lead slipped out of my hand and was pulled all the way to the top of the mast. I was so pissed off that I just spit on my hands and free climbed the 35 feet up until I was able to grab the halyard with my teeth and slide back down. Once I got back to the deck and realized what I had just done my knees felt very weak and shaky. I realized some people at the marina had been watching and I pretended that it was no big deal, but I was actually pretty shakey and went down in the cabin ASAP to calm down. Not going to win the safety award, but hey, I got it.


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## BDFletch

I was lucky, rear stay to top of mast helped me turn a dream into reality!!!

Our 28' Alerion Express has a ~40' mast, fixed keel and was initially rigged with portable davit at the boat ramp. When sailing last week the main sail came down (failed shackle or install error) leaving the halyard at the top of the mast. Thought about using a chair lift but the jib is on a roller furling so that was going to be a lot of work and being fractional rigged reaching the top of the mast was still going to be challenge. No ladder telephone poles were at the ramp and the marina never called back about allowing us to walk on top of their travel lift so I could reach out for the dangeling halyard end via pole hook. 
I slept on problem and dreamed about a way to get to the halyard without climbing or de-rigging. The rear (stern/aft) stay just happened to go to the top of the mast and was attached to a bracket protruding about 8-10" towards the rear of the boat. I stopped at the big-box store for cheap PVC (.79ea) and couplings (1.59ea). I slit 6 - 8' by 1/2" PVC pipes to the end except one and a half dozen coupling's length wise. I started with a four foot length of PVC (easier to get started up the stay while standing on the stern of the boat) and attached a 45 degree fitting, the end of this four foot length was not slit all the way by a couple of inches, so the rear stay cable does not go all the way through this one length of PVC. Attached a six to eight inch length of unslit PVC on the other end of the 45 degree coupling. I fashioned a hook from a metal coat hanger (getting harded to find) and installed it into the 6-8" PVC piece securing with duct tape. I then slid a total of 4 slit 8' pipes up the rear stay attaching each to another with the slit couplers. I duct taped each fitting snuggly in place (both horizontally and vertically) as I advanced the contraption up the stay eight feet at a time. I then twisted the whole assembly until I snagged the halyard with the hanger hook. With the halyard snagged (yea!!!) I slowly un-assembled the PVC a length at a time to get it all apart and down along with the halyard. Cost ~$20 for pipe and couplings (threw away after use), plus duct tape, hack saw and/or PVC cutting tool.


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## Nikola Barakovski

Very interesting conversation. 
It happen to me couple od days ago. I drive my sailboat close to the big boat parked at the port. From its deck halyard shackle was about 2m away so I mange to cache it with a fishing pole. I wandered what if this happened at the open water so I came here to check about. 
Cheers


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## Mercurian

I came to this thread a couple of years ago when we lost our mainsail halyard. I found it really helpful then so here’s my story. My halyard came out of the mast completely and landed on the deck. It was the start of the season and I didn’t fancy my chances of going up the mast and trying to thread the halyard back down from the top. I attached a double block to the topping lift and put a halyard on one side and a replacement topping lift on the other, then hoisted it up on the existing topping lift. It worked fine for the season, then I dropped the mast when we craned out at the end of the year and fixed it properly.


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## MarkofSeaLife

Mercurian said:


> I attached a double block to the topping lift and put a halyard on one side and a replacement topping lift on the other, then hoisted it up on the existing topping lift.


That's a great creative solution!
I love it because it could easily be done at sea. 


Mark 😊


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