Halyard

[ron7546]

Hi Helpful Sailors,
Halyard (main) question ? ? ? E27 new to us this year and I have struggled with the task of hoisting the main tight enough.The halyard runs down the mast (exterior) and then thru a center opening in a mast mounted cleat.No winch and no block.Two people forward can do a fair job but this should not be necessary nor should a winch be needed.I don`t think.
My thoughts- - - a cheek block on the mast or a standup block on deck should give me a 2:1 purchase. I`ll tell you,I get goose bumps each time I drill into the mast.Just rewired the stick with 5 conductor cable( at $ 4.00 / ft.
Your Thoughts Please ? ? ? ?
Thank You
Ron

 

[Morgan Stinemetz]

Hi,
I had the same problem, but I solved mine by installing a winch. There was one for the jib halyard. Why not the main? But if you don't want to go the winch route you can hoist the main as tight as one person can get it up and then tighten luff tension with a Cunningham. That assumes, of course, your main has a Cunningham cringle in it and you have a tang at the base of the mast for you to attach the bottom of the Cunningham to. Do NOT put holes in the deck for screwing down something to attach the Cunningham to. They will leak. It may not be right now, but they will leak.
I think Ericson made a mistake by not putting in a main halyard winch for the 27. Once I installed my winch, I never looked back. That was about 25 years ago.
Morgan Stinemetz