JIB HALYARD

[SAILAWAY]

Help I OWN A 1986 34 CATALINA WE JUST BOUGHT IT IN THE SPRING. The boat is in good condation. The jib halyard is jamed it will not come down. The spare jib halyard is also jammed. I think the mast head sheve must have broken .  what should I do. Charlie

[reedbr]

Unless you can see more using binoculars from the deck, I think you need to make a run up the mast for a visual inspection of what is wrong.  This is best done with two people, one to crank and one in the bosun's chair.  Bring some tools with you, and make sure they are secured because you don't want to drop anything on deck from 40 feet up.  You'll need to use the main halyard since your other two are jammed.  Make sure it is in good condition or replace it before you put your health in it's hands.  You might be able to use the topping lift as an emergency backup for added safety, just keep the slack out of it as you go up.

[Stu Jackson]

We have a yard in our marina.  They have a Caterpillar-type machine that can lift a rigger.  It's like a cherry-picker.  We pull the boat to their dockside, arrange with the yardmaster to have the rigger go up, and ten minutes later things are fixed.

Don't know if you have that available, but may want to try it before you go up yourself.

Stu