"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
I need to replace my the halyard for main main sail. How can I do this
without climbing the mast?

The old halyard is still in place.

Thanks



You can cut off whatever is at the business end of the old halyard and
either sew the new one on temporarily or attach a mouse (light line) to it
with tape and pull it through... I've done the latter several times...
just
pull gently otherwise you might separate the two lines.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

What a lengthy argument about the simplest of jobs which I have done many
times!
You _must_ use a messenger line unless your boat is very small because it is
very hard to sew two fullsize ropes together with a strong joint that will
not bulge and jam in the sheave at the top. Also Jon's suggestion of tape is
a no-no because as the new halliard is hauled up there is every chance the
whole thing will come unstuck and you will lose the end and then you will
have to get yourself hauled up on the spinnaker halliard to reeve the new
one or drop a 'mouse' down (if the halliard runs inside the mast). My mast
is 50' high and by the time you have hauled 50' of rope up to the top the
weight on the join is quite substantial and the additional tug as the joint
goes over the sheave may prove to be the last straw.
The messenger line can be quite small because synthetic line is very strong
and this enables you to use a sail needle and incorporate it into the old
rope in such a way that it will stand very considerable force. Take a bit of
trouble over this and save yourself a big hassle.
I have four halliards going to the top of my mast and like to take them down
periodically and put them through the washing machine. Cleans them and
softens the rope which may have developed stiffness due to stress and time.