the story starts with my furler getting stiffer and stiffer to furl the sheet until the halyard that holds everything aloft snaped 12 inches from the top swivel, so the rope falls down inside the mast and sail falls down to the deck. not a problem I thought!
So rummage through my lockers looking for a bousons chair ok got one! Came with the boat, nope! Its a mast climber kit! When unpacked even better! So simple! All I have to do is climb the mast! With the mast climber and a separate halyard attached to my life jacket for safety!
Looking at my mainsail halyard I thought perhaps while I am doing this ang going up 42ft of mast, I will replace the mainsail halyard! So off to Pipplers Chandlers in Poole and £68 later I have 104 ft of nice new rope, back to the boat join it on the the old rope and ferry it aloft job done!
So now I have to go aloft, up a new rope with my crusing shute halyard as a backup if all goes wrong! So nice warm day sunshine on my pile mooring I asend the mast! Well I am 55 and game for most things! so my able bodied assistant taking up the slack I venture up to the first spreaders inspecting everything as I go! no problems the everything looks good! Then on to the second set of spreaders! O god some Idiot in a power boat is coming down at 15 kts and huge wake wave!!! hang on for grim death! boat passes with me hurling abuse at the Idot or is it me for going up the mast!!! Right I am past the second set of spreaders all fine! able seawoman is on the deck taking up the tension in case all goes wrong! She has already checked the life insurance! Almost at the top nothing to get excited about! 6 ft to go the top of the mast, climber is working a treat a bit slow, but safe and steady! Now at the top.
Inspection of the forstay, and I can see the stainless steal wire is separating so think this could be the problem not allowing a smooth operation it's jamming perhaps but apart from that all is fine! re thread line through top of mast and it drops down and out through Genoa no1 port on the mast. so next day out for sea trials, no still hard to furl and unfurl, I think the foils are jamming on the forstay and making it hard to turn, so forstay will need replacing looking for a Rigger in Poole to do the job! will keep you updated!with the next thrilling instalment, I have to say! Going up the mast was not as fearful as expected, don't think I would be so keen at sea, but the mast climber gave a reassuring confidence to my adventure!
I have now spoken to a rigger who is going to replace the forstay and refit the foils head unit and furler and reset the mast, about one days work in all, and a approx cost of £250, then when Voyageur is in for a repaint this winter the mast will be down anyway and all rigging replace as per insurance and the 10 year rule.
