1

[dserrell]

1

[Shawn]

"you've probably seen your jib halyard go up without the jib or genoa attached.  How do you retrieve it?"

I use a jib downhaul which is tied to the jib hayard so in that situation it would be an easy retrieve. The main halyard is a different story though.

Shawn

[newt]

how much weight is on the main halyard? sometimes I can flip it and get it to lower if the weight of the clasp is similar to the weight of the sheet on the other side. Other than that, a long pole with a hook taped in , or climbing the mast with the jib halyard protecting you is the only ways I know (without lowering the mast). You might try a hook (perhaps from a clothes hanger??) tied to the jib halyard, with the jib halyard trailing a line and see if you can snag the main clasp. of course it would have to somehow get to the other side of the mast. What a interesting day-off project

[brackish]

Unhook the adjustable topping lift from the boom.  Tape a large treble hook to the side of the shackle, barbs pointed down.  Tie a control line to the shackle pin.  Hoist the topping lift to above the main halyard maintaining tension on the control line.  pull it over until you snag the main halyard with the hook.  Bring them both down together.

Then, after you have thoroughly tangled everything up at the mast head, get in the bosun's chair and go up and clear it all up.

Frank

[kchunk]

David, Great question! Last January I was down in the Keys with a buddy on my boat. We were bounding around a few days with PotCake Boy and a couple other boats. Now my buddy, Wil, is no stranger to sailing, but being on my boat for the first time, I guess he was a little "out of his element". We're preparing to pull into Comunity Harbor, down in Tavernier, and as I dropped the main, I disconnected the halyard and handed it to Wil. As we're BOTH holding on to it, I looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Don't lose the halyard!" I saw he understood the words I was saying, but I guess a bit further back, the neurons weren't firing. Anyway, he had volunteered to gather up the main and tie it to the boom as I took the helm. I told him to trim the topping lift a bit to raise the boom up out of our way. The topping lift and main halyard are side by side on a rope clutch and he accidentally pulled the halyard. Now, normally that wouldn't be an issue because if the halyard is not secured to the main sail it's locked to a lifeline or stanchion or SOMETHING to prevent it from riding atop the mast alone. So, need I say...there goes the halyard shackle!

Over the next 30 minutes I must have repeated "Don't lose the halyard!" a dozen times. It was actually pretty funny as he was scrambling to do all he could to not lose it all the way up the mast. While maneuvering the boat through a narrow channel with 15 kts wind from the W I managed to snap a couple shots to commemorate the event 



He was using a telescoping boat hook but with the wind blowing and the boat rocking, the halyard was always just out of reach.




The wind even took the halyard a wrapped it around the backstay a couple times.




Eventually, standing on the boom a with the boat hook fully extended and Wil's arms burning from straining, he was able to snag it and untangle it from the stay.


In the back of my mind I was totally prepared to drop the mast if it came to that. We would have had plenty of help and it wouldn't have taken too long. But I think the worse part of losing the halyard is the embarrassment. You just don't lose the halyard...it's a rule! 

--Greg

[Bob23]

To all you (us) halyard loosers:
  After I've dropped my mains'l, I remove the halyard from the sail and immediately (read: immediately) hook it around the reefing hook on the boom, give the halyard a bit of a tug to lift the boom, and cleat it off at the mast. I don't let the boom rest on a sail stop. My boat lies at it's mooring unattended for days at a time so I need to be sure nothing is going to move, fall, let go, etc.
   That being said, you can only guess why I immediately do what I do immediately. Yup, you guessed right- I, captain Bob23, intrepid voyager of the Barnegat Bay, owner of Koinonia, and minor consumer of sustaining beverages, have lost my halyard as illustrated above by Greg. I suppose we've all done it and I'm fessing up right here and now. I've tried all the remedies as suggested by the crew here...but I did not lower myself to lower the mast. The flipping idea suggested by Newt worked once. The next time I lost it, I think I did a makeshift extendo on the boot hook stood on a milkcrate on my tip-toes, and finally snagged it. I actually think I cussed it down.
   I feel better!
Bob23

[kchunk]

Whoa there intrepid one. You're right about one thing...I suppose we've all done it...ONCE. But TWICE?!?!?!  AAAHHHHaaaaa  HAHAHHA  HHAAAA   AAHHHHHH  OOOHHH   OOoohhhh  HAHAHA   AAHHHHhhhhh  HHAAhahaha. AAhhhhhh That's good...I needed that.   

[Joseph]

Once I saw a boat with the entire jib unhanked and flying up there, sheets and all, as a gigantic burgee... 

Three suggestions for retrieving a halyard: a) mast steps (good also to release sheave jams), b) forget it and use the spare main halyard (consider a topping lift that doubles as a main halyard) or c) get a SunCat...! (no jib, and if the main halyard ever flies loose, the mast can be lowered singlehanded in less than a minute - with some luck noone will even realize that releasing the halyard was not part of the standard "mast checking" manoeuvre... ).

J.

[newt]

You guys are too funny. But I envy you- at least you have the mast up! My little boat is tucked away on the side of the house, halyards coiled and waiting next year....

[brackish]

TWICE!!! How many of those sustaining beverages were involved?

But I can certainly top that for dumb moves.  Brother in law got his first sailboat, a wooden, yard made, full keel 17' whatever, had lightning class sails, stout little boat.  Asked me to go out with him on first overnight trip, my first time on the boat, second time to sail. Neither of us knew how to sail, or even properly rig.  We motor out on a windless morning and get several miles offshore and he puts up the sails.  Grabs the jib halyard and asks "what's all this excess line for?".  I'm trying, without much success, to keep the boat on point and fooling with the motor, trying to get it raised and stowed and I answer  "I don't know, figure it out".  SO HE CUTS IT OFF!

If that was the dumbest thing we did on that trip it would be pretty bad, however, it pales in comparison to some of our other blunders.

Bob23 I disconnect the halyard and walk it over to the stanchion base to hook up, stepping on the clutch as I go by.  Don't like to leave it inside the sail cover, like to bungee or lead all running rigging off the mast, in deference to the live aboard's getting a good nights sleep without halyards slapping all night long.

Hey just get in mast furling and you don't have to deal with that halyard.  Course when it jams up.........

Newt, going out today.  Supposed to be high of 76F with winds from SSE at 6-10.

Frank

[Bob23]

   I'm a slow learner, brothers. Yup, twice that I can remember. They say you only make dumb mistakes once...I'm living proof that ain't so. Sometimes I make 'em over and over again.
  To make matters worse, none of those halyard catching episodes could be attributed to any beverages of any type...I can actually do this things completely sober. What a pro!
   I feel like I've been to confession...thanks Father David.
   Joseph: I could take all your suggestions...but where's the fun? I've thought about installing a bosun's seat but, hey, I need a halyard for that! I do use my spare jib halyard as a topping lift...wouldn't have it any other way!
   Newt: Weather here in the South of NJ today: Sunny, high 64, South wind, 5-9 mph. We'll have more wind here at the shore...Friday they forecast 5 to 9...I clocked 25 mph gusts while out. Oh yeah!
   I won't even begin to discuss here my Sunfish, Seapearl, surfing and rowing mishaps. Space is limited but I do admit to getting my Sunfish sail tangled in a channel marker while showing off...I'll let your imaginations run with that one!
Bob23...coffee time!
   

[Joseph]

Hi Bob,

Well, if fun at the expense of a flying halyard is what you want, try this: get a long thin line or thick thread or possibly fishing line. Tie a bowline at the tip. Tie to the bowline three pieces of the same thread of slight different lengths (about 2-3 ft on average) also using bowline knots. At the tip of each tie a fishing lead (or any other small weight). Now what you have is a nautical set of "bolas" or "boleadoras" used in the past by indians and gauchos in the southern pampas to catch ostriches by wrapping them around necks or legs). Haul the "bolas" over your head (away from rigging and people's heads - now, that would be fun...) and try your aim at the flying line. With some luck the "bolas" will tightly wrap around the flying line and you'll be able to haul it down... maybe.

J.

[Salty19]

I haven't lost the halyard far enough that I needed a pole yet except setting up the ramp (down goes the mast).  But I know it will happen...

My plan is to use a 12" boat hook with extension. If not good enough, duct tape a 14" extendable Crappie fishing pole to the end. On the end of the fishing pole I epoxied layers of ductape around a small hook and a foot or so of 1/8" Amsteel line with knots tied (possibly whip it around to catch something).  Hopefully between the boat hook, Crappie pole hook, and Crappie pole line she'll come down?

[Bob23]

Josepg:
   Thanks but I hope my flying halyard days are over. Haven't lost one in a while.
Bob23

[Bob23]

   Pretty wild idea, J, that bolas scheme of yours. I bet some folks sitting at the park benches at the cove I moor at would pay good money to see me trying to retrieve a wayward halyard using that. Sounds like it would work, though. Combining that with a few sustaining beverages and what a side show! or...the center ring!
  It is true that sometimes just when you think things are going quite well, Murphy sneaks up behind you, throws a wammy, and pretty soon you have a disaster on your hands. Experience, and learning from all the combined wisdom here at the site can help minimize the catastrophe but, be sure if this: it's coming. I'm sure my flying halyard days are not over and you'll here about it here first!
   Fair winds and fair weather to all. Here in NJ, we are set for a minor nor-easter; winds and rain for a few days. Sounds like halyard flying weather to me!
Bob23