DaySailer.org Forum

So we took the boat out for the 1st time over the weekend....we motor out and attempt to raise the main sail....but it was difficult to raise it from the cockpit so I attempted to get out in front of the mast to pull on the halyard. It was a bit easier but there seemed to be some friction holding the line back.

Now on the base of our mast there is 3 horn cleats, 1 for the downhaul and 2 on the port and starboard side, i'm assuming to cleat the jib and main halyards. Would it make sense to replace one of the cleats with a block that i can run the main halyard through so that we can raise the mainsail from the cockpit? Would drilling a few new holes in the mast for the block compromise the integrity of the mast?

Thanks Again!!

pjk170,

That's how mine is set up and I assume most earlier models. At the base of my mast I have two blocks - one for the main and one for the jib. The halyards run through these blocks to the cleats on the cuddy and can easily be used from the cockpit.

My suggestion is to see if you can remove two of the cleats mounted on your mast and replace them with blocks - you might find that the holes used to mount the cleats match up with the holes needed for the blocks - I'm even wondering if someone simply replaced the blocks with cleats because they were cheaper or more readily available. If the holes match up it's a no brainer and there's no worry of compromising the mast. Leave the third - and I am assuming ceterally located cleat to tie your boom down - you can also use this one to fasten your boom vang to. My blocks are meant just for this purpose and are mounted in rectangular brackets. They have two rivets holding each bracket to the mast and the block rides on an axle inside of this - I bet someone just removed these at some point because the plastic was worn out and then replaced them with something they found at the hardware store. Here is what yu need, although this has more mounting holes than mine:
http://www.drmarine.com/proddetail.asp?prod=DR908

Good luck - and please, get a second oppinion. I'm terribly new to this.

Additionally I would check the sail track in the mast for dirt, corrosion, and other debris that will cause friction. If present that will make it more difficult to raise the sails.

On an old boat new to you, you might want to also check the condition of the sheaves at the top of the mast. Is your halyard running freely?

I assume you were careful not to get a bit of extra sail wedged into the track?

I personally have no problems with the cleat arrangement (also found on my DS) -- might be a question of "reach". However, if there are no sources of unwanted friction, here's a trick that works with the cleats to get extra pull: you pull the halyard around the cleat and hold it firm with one hand. Now you reach up and pull the part of the halyard running up the mast towards you (sideways pull). This multiplies the force by which the sail is raised and it should move up. Take the slack out by pulling more halyard past the cleat and repeat.

try using some "lube" in the sail track

Speaking of the pulleys on top of the mast - mine look a little "chalky". I think this is because they tend to be exposed all the time, not being under the tarp over winter. Any rule of thumb in knowing when these blocks have come to the end of their life before they fail?

Just to add a comment: To these rigging recommendations I would add a strategy, since raising the mainsail while on the water -- it goes without saying but here goes anyway -- is best done while heading into the wind.

I have trouble sometimes raising the main when there is any wind pressing the sail from abeam, and find that it's critical to swing the bow directly into the wind, more so with my Spindrift than other boats I've sailed with rope luff arrangements. Any pressure on the sail and it wants to bind part way up the mast. Keeping the bow directly into the wind mostly eliminates my problem.

seandwyer wrote:Any rule of thumb in knowing when these blocks have come to the end of their life before they fail?

Mine suffer from exposure for the same reason you describe and I've asked myself the same question.

I guess, this is one of those things in life where the answer is "as soon as you ask the question." That means, having questioned their viability it's time to change them, before they disintegrate some day with the sail firmly stup in the full up position.

I dimly remember there was a thread here earlier that mentioned how to get replacements.

D&R Marine has them - just the sheaves or a complete masthead. I bought the sheaves (masthead still looks good) and am now wondering whether it's OK to use bolts instead of rivets to attach them to the masthead.

I ran both my jib and main halyard around blocks rivited to the base of the mast for turning, and back to cleats at the aft edge of the cuddy roof.

Intensity Sails sells this solution, which fits entirely on the mast. I haven't tried it to be able to offer an opinion, but it looks like a good option

http://www.intensitysails.com/ha1bigbublwi.html

Alan wrote:D&R Marine has them - just the sheaves or a complete masthead. I bought the sheaves (masthead still looks good) and am now wondering whether it's OK to use bolts instead of rivets to attach them to the masthead.

While repairing our mast break, we found that the blocks were stuck in the mast head so we drilled out the rivets and replaced them with half-threaded SS bolts (blocks are turning on the non-threaded part) and lock nuts. We cut the bolts down to size so that it did not protrude beyond the nut. It has worked out great so far...our main halyard seems to run smoothly over the masthead. And it seems that this repair gives us the added bonus of being able to remove the blocks easily from the mast head to clean out any grit/salt/dirt that might prevent the blocks from turning. I'm sure there's a reason that people on this forum (who are much smarter, experienced and mechanically inclined than I) don't do this but i can't think of any.

If you use SS fasteners in the aluminum mast head, it's a good idea to make sure there's no electrical contact between the dissimilar metals. Use some bedding compound on the screws and the nut to keep them electrially separate from the surrounding metal.