My CDI roller furling has its own halyard that runs in a notch via a
slider up to the top and back down to pull up the headsail. A few
weeks ago, I dropped the jib to tighten my forestay and did not have
time to put the sail back on (it goes into a slide) so I tied a piece
of cord to the halyard and tied the end of the cord to a cleat.
UNFORTUNATELY, my knot came undone (or was untied) and so the end of
the halyard was waaaaaaaay up there.
My son wanting to impress his GF said he would volunteer to get
hoisted up so I tied a Swiss Seat and chest harness for him telling
him that I really didn't expect him to go up the mast but he
insisted. Fortunately, he was smart enough that once he got as high
as the spreaders he decided the seat was hurting him and we brought
him back down.
Now what? I decided that I could use the original jib halyard and get
a small line and tie a loop through its (the halyard) end and then
around the forestay and hoist it up so the loop could snag the metal
slider and pull it all back down with the small line. We used binocs
to view the top of the furler and many times nearly got it. THEN, the
top of the furler got pulled offf by the loop in the small line and
got between the furler extrusion and the top of the furler. Couldnt
go up or down. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, now I have my jib halyard stuck too.
It is 98 degrees, 98% humidity and I am looking right into the sun for
all of this nearly passing out while standing on that hot deck looking
up and basically couldnt think clearly with all that sweat dripping in
my eyes.
Being dehydrated and suffering heatstroke, I went to poorly thought
out Plan B or was it C, I dunno. I decided to remove the forestay to
take off the furling extrusion. At least I knew I had to replace the
forestay with something. I stood behind the mast trying to throw a
line over the spreaders. I'd get it almost done and then I'd be
blinded by sweat and start slipping off the cabin top. After an hour
of nearly going insane trying, I got a rope over each spreader but
then one of them wrapped round my small line that went up to the stuck
halyard and I coudnt get it down either.
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
Survival took precedence over stubborness and I staggered into the
swimming pool nearly drowning but cooling off at last. With my brain
cooled somewhat, I could think again and was able to more easily throw
a line over the spreader. I then tied the two lines so they went
round the spreader and tied one to the forward cleat. I used my jib
blocks to make a double purchase system and pulled it tight to hold up
the mast for when I took off the Forestay. Then I went back to the
pool to cool my brain again.
Loosened the forestay at bottom and pulled off the furling extrusion
then back to the pool to cool off again. After that, it went easy.
The upper furler part came down with all my lines and I re-attached
the forestay. Back to the pool.
We did NOT get the furler put back on, I'll wait for another day.
The learning experience in all this? No matter how stubborn you are,
standing on a hot deck sweating and staring into the sun will frie yer
brayne.