SPY HALYARD TOP OF MAST

fnietoelgazi

New Member
Does any one have a picture of how the halyards are suppose to be organized on the top of the mast.

I tried rearranging in my boat but cant figure it out. If i pass the spy halyard through the top holes i think the friction will end up breaking the line.

Here is a pic of what I'm talking about.

Thanks

1632091071420.png
 
That's different from the original 1978 mast I had, and different from the 2005 new mast I had. By 2005, masts were made with one sheave below the headstay for the headsail, and one above the headstay for the spinnaker. I can't tell what's behind that fabricated stainless piece that's held by the headstay clevis pin. That's an odd fitting. I don't understand its purpose, and I've never seen one of those before. What do you see when you take it off? Are you sure it's needed?

Maybe show this to some riggers or show it on a more general-purpose sailing site.
 
Thanks Vince for your answer! This boat was owned by a French sailor that did a world tour by his own and changed many things. So its probably something made later. There is nothing behind it, that's why i have the spy halyard next to the gib one underneath the headstay, but I'm getting friction on the gib halyard and in the hooks of the gyb.
Ill show it in a more general purpose thanks!
 
Ok. It's a little unfortunate, it seems.

A spinnaker halyard always should exit above the headstay. Think about how it works...rotating from one side to the other when you gybe. Below the headstay it would chafe against the headstay or the jib halyard. Seems like a problem the way it is.
 
Exactly that is why i climbed the mas to see what was happening. If you have any pictures from the original masts to see if maybe i can fix it it would be of much help.
Thanks
 
I'm sorry, I don't. I have lots of pictures, but not that one. I sold my boat 2 weeks ago after 25 years.
Maybe contact mast builder Charleston Spar an see if they can send you a photo. That part (area) of the mast is the hounds.
 
Thanks a lot ProAtc it’s very helpful what is strange is that the mast has the same form as yours but it’s divided where it should have the exit of the spy haly in yours it has a Litle wheel.
 
In the photo, I actually mis-labeled the Jab Halyards, the #1(primary) should be right under the forestay, and #2 (secondary) is offset to port. The spinnaker halyard, forestay and Jib #1 should be all lined up one over the other. I can't tell by your one pic, but it looks like that is the way it is arranged on yours. I would also need to look at how smooth the sheet/halyard goes through the 2 openings for the spinnaker, looks like it would be smooth hoisting and rough dowsing. But, if it is smooth both ways, then you don't need a pulley/wheel. I think that plate is what is replacing the pulley/wheel. My mast is from 1980/California build, I cannot speak to any other masts from later (newer) production boats. If modified, who knows what that French guy was doing, maybe he needed another spinnaker halyard for his blooper, which would be super cool on a J :cool:.
 
Thanks again. Wee i just uploaded more pics. The problem is that is not at all smooth from the inside in the plate that has the two holes on top of the forestay. I will propably have to remove that plate and get a wheel inside there.
 

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I like blopper! :) . Blooper was good enough. But blopper is even better.

Let's just say... I'm pretty sure nobody will arrest you.

I haven't seen a blopper in 35 years, and never on a J/24. They're not part of the allowable sails for one-design racing.
Here's a link to the class rule book. Class Rules Documents | International J/24 Class Association If you're interested in one-design racing, that's your bible and it details the allowable sails.

For PHRF or something else, I don't know.
IMG_20210310_210713_2.jpg

Photo: The legendary Running Tide flying a blooper, c. 1979 (with reflections)
 
Back to the real topic though...
The photos from both of you are very helpful.

For the record, a new mast today, or at least in the past 15 or 20 years, would not normally have the second jib halyard, the one to port that ProATC has labeled "Jib Haly #1" (before he corrected himself).

I don't understand the supposed purpose of that odd stainless plate above the jib halyard sheaves. I think it could and maybe should be removed. But of course someone made it and put it there, so they thought it would serve some purpose.

I think the jib halyard sheaves look ok. If you take that plate off, you could probably get a good look and decide if there's enough room to add a spinnaker halyard sheave to that fabrication that protrudes from the front of the mast. (I think that's an 'exit box/ crane")

Just beware that yours is not flared like the one on ProATC's mast, so there could be some chafing of the halyard where it exits the mast.

Also, since the spin halyard exits above and forward of the jib halyard, the two will bind and chafe against one another inside the mast unless something is done to prevent it. But maybe it's been done. Is there a sheave over which the spin halyard rides in the location I've shown on your photo attached? There's a retention plate for a pin there. If so I think you just need to add a new sheave where I show one at the forward part of the exit box. You'd have to get rid of that stainless fitting. Maybe someone thought it would work well with only a sheave inside the mast along with that stainless fitting used to guide the halyard out of the mast. For sure that thing would cause a lot of chafe and the halyard wouldn't last long though.
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My thoughts exactly Vince. I think everyone wants to know, what is behind that plate? :confused: It has a removable pin, please take it out and take a picture...I gotta know!!!:D
The photo you enhanced (the lower fitting has what appears to be threaded screws, the top with deteriorated rivets), I'd be interested in taking the threaded screws off to see what the purpose is for being there. I was thinking there must be something there to keep the spinnaker, jib and main halyards from tangling with on another at that junction? Doesn't seem to be for stability since it does not appear to go through to the other side, but then again, the spreaders didn't have through supports originally either. Looking at my pics, I think I have screws holding the plates on at about the same location, I might have a peak if I get time. My luck though, some small sheave or nut will fall off inside the mast and I will not be able to get it back together.:(
Another thing I noticed behind the plate, it appears the opening is divided with a piece of metal (aluminum), which runs the length of the entire opening to below the jib halyard sheaves. If so, that would be another problem to solve and trying to insert a single sheave, and could be the reason for having the plate. Cant imagine if that is the case, and not having that plate, the spinnaker halyard would rub on that divider pretty good. But again, it would be ideal if you had a blooper, just sayin! ;)
 
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The big stainless plate with two holes: If he removes that plate (and the pin) the headstay comes out. Could be a problem if he's up the mast as he says he was. Of course a good strong low-stretch rope tied tightly above the shrouds would work fine for a time to do some work or inspection.

The small cover plates with two fasteners are to retain pins or axles for sheaves. The one with the screws is right where it would be to be at the center of the jib sheaves. I think the other one is for a sheave to get the spinnaker halyard 'behind' the jib halyards so there's no interference.

The fabricated aluminum sheave box / crane consists of a rectangular box with a divider in it, for the two jib sheaves. It's welded into a rectangular cutout in the face of the mast. It wouldn't be a problem to have the spin halyard off slightly to one side, above the headstay. Only issue is possibility of it chafing on the edges of the sheave box.
 
ATC: those two plates with screws on yours cover the pin on which the sheaves ride. I think you can take the plate off without things immediately falling apart. You could just be cautious when you take it off, to make sure.
 
Thanks Vince, ill do that prob this weekend, will take the stainless plate out and look inside, ill take pictures so you guys can see. Hopefully it will be easy to instal the sheeve in the back if there is not one.
 

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