Mast head Sheaves

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MarkRyan1981
Posts: 165
Joined: Fri Oct 12, 2012 7:47 am

Mast head Sheaves

Post by MarkRyan1981 »

Hello all,

To be lifted back in I need to get the backstay off. Now, once launched, in order to get the backstay back far enough to get it on, I use the topping lift to pull the mast back, reattach the backstay and I am done.

I cranked it up quite tight on the winch this time, not thinking too much of it (and thinking back, i didn't winch it on the centreline, it was off centre to port slightly as I couldn't make the topping lift up onto the pushpit at the centre because of the liferaft), did up the backstay, and then when I came to release the topping lift the stretch came out of the rope, however, the rope remained tight!

I tried pulling from both ends, if I pulled the mast end piece mightily hard, it would edge about 3 inches with a bit of a bang and a jump. If I pulled from the boom end, I couldn't get the rope moving at all.

This rope is on a sheave outside the mast. Is this a trip up the mast I'm looking at? What do you think has happened? Anything else I can try before sprinting up on my Top Climber?

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Looking back at my old photos, I bet the sheave is an old Tufnol one and thats blown apart, split in two and has eaten the rope? See the below from where I replace the main sheet sheave, but NOT the topping lift one!

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Does anyone know the size of these sheaves so I can order one before I go aloft?? (One trip up is easier than two!)
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