Can't lower Harken furling jib

[nquigley]

Yep, I've been convinced, hands on up there may solve it first trip but should least answer the question of what the fix will require.

Got my climbing gear out today and went through it all and tested it indoors up to the barn rafters but missed the window to try an outdoor ascent. I use a setup based on this kind of gear:

It's still a workout, about like climbing a ladder but it's safe, comfortable and lets me bail out quickly, any time, which is important to me. Getting stuck at height waiting around for someone else to do something is what I hate most.

I also ascend on a climbing line, which in this case will be hoist by the spinnaker halyard, so the foot and knee ascenders don't grab on any of the rigging, and also still lets someone on deck lower you if you become unconscious.

I can also carry a backup descender, and an adjustable lanyard to attach myself onto the mast or rigging for positioning and additional safety. I can have the deck person trail me up with the main halyard, taking up slack in the event the primary line or ascension device fails. I will also have the kitchen sink attached to my climbing saddle.

It's overkill and expensive for just climbing a mast but I have other reasons to own it.

I use pretty much the same system - including the adjustable lanyard. I feel very safe, and comfortable, and really like that I don't have to depend on a competent attentive person on deck to get up or go down.

 

[Vtonian]

Not to be insulting because I made this mistake last year myself. Are you 100% sure you’re releasing the right line and not the spinnaker halyard or something?!

Not an insult at all, that sounds like something I'd do, especially with a new-to-me boat.

However, I went up today and, the winner is.... I'm not sure. Got up there, looked things over for a minute, couldn't see anything fouled so I gave the fat splice of the halyard a little tug and it all started on down like nothing was wrong, to the extent my crew had to scramble a bit to not lose it over the side. Winds were 1kn-2kn from nearly dead ahead so no problem.

If I have to guess, maybe the actual issue was every component being just a little bit stuck and pulling from the bottom would have been against all combined resistances but pulling from the top released half of it and then the rest broke free from gravity. I dunno. It was way too easy, almost embarrassingly easy.

We did first try winching it up a little and it did not budge at all, although we were being cautious with the whole new-to-me and previously neglected boat. First do no harm.

@nquigley, yes, absolutely, being able to maneuver independently makes all the difference to me, to the extent that my fear of heights was a bigger issue during the 3 days before I went up than it was for the actual ascent. Safety first, and then the anxiety is just head games that will pass.

Anyway, now the jib is down and I just have to see if I can do the work on it, which should be mostly cleaning it, and patching and resewing the UV cover strip. I tuned up my mother's old mid-50's Viking sewing machine and bought some needles and thread from Sailrite, so as soon as I can figure out a DIY sail loft, it's on to the next phase.

Thanks so much to everyone for their input, I at least felt prepared to deal with whatever it turned out to be, and in the process, a lot was accomplished. The rehabilitation of Truent II has begun!

 

[Vtonian]

Hmm, just realized, it's entirely appropriate to sew an Ericson with a Viking...

 

[Christian Williams]

Matthew,

Now that you're an owner, please fill out your Profile and put boat model and engine in Signature line (click on Username top of this page/Signature).

 

[Loren Beach]

The possibility of having a "fat" splice jam in the sheave box at the mast head was a major reason/factor for us using a halyard knot for each halyard.

 

[bgary]

Got up there...gave the fat splice of the halyard a little tug and it all started on down like nothing was wrong...

That's awesome!

And makes me wonder if there is a boat-related corollary to the "Gary Law of Computer Science" (*)

B

(*) the GLOCS says "no matter how many times you test the software, as soon as you put it in front of a user it will break"
...and the corollary says "and no matter how many times it breaks, as soon as you call Support it will work just fine!"

 

[ConchyDug]

If you have enough tail on the halyard just resplice and taper the halyard, lots of videos on how to do it. The halyard may be too large, like 12mm rope but tapering will free up some room. 8-10mm seems to be the sweet spot on a boat this size but you are kinda limited by whatever your clutches require. Also lock the splice with a brummel or whipping twine or it will slip.

 

[Vtonian]

The possibility of having a "fat" splice jam in the sheave box at the mast head was a major reason/factor for us using a halyard knot for each halyard.

Noted and it will be thoroughly inspected and the alternatives considered. I think it's been in service long enough to trust the design intent, but in this case unused long enough to indicate potential for failure.

 

[Vtonian]

That's awesome!

And makes me wonder if there is a boat-related corollary to the "Gary Law of Computer Science" (*)

B

(*) the GLOCS says "no matter how many times you test the software, as soon as you put it in front of a user it will break"
...and the corollary says "and no matter how many times it breaks, as soon as you call Support it will work just fine!"

I would amend GLOCS with 'no matter how much effort you put into making clear and accurate documentation, no one will read it' (RFM).

 

[Vtonian]

If you have enough tail on the halyard just resplice and taper the halyard, lots of videos on how to do it. The halyard may be too large, like 12mm rope but tapering will free up some room. 8-10mm seems to be the sweet spot on a boat this size but you are kinda limited by whatever your clutches require. Also lock the splice with a brummel or whipping twine or it will slip.

Interesting, I hadn't thought to question the size of the line but since the PO was an independent thinker in other improvements, you're right, and I have to remember to question everything. I was just happy to see Dyneema but that doesn't mean it's any more a better choice than the 55hp engine was.

 

[Bobby Steele]

I had the same issue. Finally, a friend had me hoist him up in a bossun chair and swing him out to the furler where the jam was. With some jiggling, he got it to come down.
after removing the sail, I tied a line to the bottom of the (whatever it’s called that raises the jib) , and worked back and forth with silicon spray lubricant until in glided nicely