The sun and the warmth are what we migrate south to enjoy. The sun works in concert with the salt water to destroy your boat and possessions. Your daily chores include activities to slow this destruction. One of the things I do is to cover up my halyards during the summer months. This involves raising the halyards to the top of the mast and covering the coils at the bottom of the masts. In order for this to work I have to use a sacrificial line to pull the halyards back down .
Until this year this system had worked very well. My mistake this year was to use polypropylene line purchased from Walmart. The elements conspired to destroy these Walmart lines. Nothing left but puffs of soft fur. I used a line from last year on the head sail halyards and they were pulled down normally.
I created a device to slide up the mast with a hook on it and I managed after 2 hours to get the mizzen halyard down and back in service. The main and spare main are still up there about 47 feet from the deck.
“Why don’t you just go up and get them” you might ask? Getting hauled up the mast is a little tricky in the yard. They have rules and concerns about liability. The boom truck guy will only lift someone up who is a rigger. I don’t mind going up the mast when the boat is in the water. There is no logic in this, the likelihood is you would fall to the deck and bounce in the water. I guess the second bounce to water is more attractive and soothing.
Today’s task is to change 68 hose clamps hidden all over the boat. I’m using the high quality Scandvic purported to be 316 stainless. more later