Halyard guide

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James DeBrum
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Joined: 4/4/09
Posts: 57
Halyard guide

Hello Everyone,  I have a delema. At the top of my mast is a halyard guide( for lack of its real name) for allowing a halyard to enter the mast internally. The guide is about 4' from the mast head. The problem is it is facing upward to allow a halyard to enter the mast from the top externally from a block I assume but there is no exit guide at the bottom. All the exits at the bottom are ocupide by halyards that go to sheves in the mast head. Does anyone know what this lone guide is for?

James & Gina DeBrum
S/V Slip Mistress
1984 C36 #333
Charleston S.C.
jgdebrum@gmail.com

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ludo
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Joined: 3/14/16
Posts: 92

Spinnaker halyard.

Ludovic François
​Hotel Catalina - Catalina 36 Hull #883
Marina Del Rey, CA

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Parsons
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Joined: 6/2/16
Posts: 95

Ludo's right - the top exit is forward facing and the line runs to the bail-mounted block on the front of the masthead for the spinnaker halyard.  Although it could exit the mast anywhere, the standard rigging shows the spin halyard exiting the mast on the port side of the mast about four feet above the deck.  BTW: if replacing stuff, spin halyards are traditionally red.

John Parsons
"Water Music" 1999 Catalina 36 Mk II - Hull 1771
Tall Rig, Fin Keel
Bay City, MI, USA

SteveO
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Joined: 4/15/18
Posts: 6

I'm replacing some of my lines now and was looking for any recommended color conventions for halyards vs sheets ets. What are the recommended colors?

Thanks,

Steve Odland
2006 36 mkii
Babylon, NY

Steve Odland
S/V Ra'iatea #2773
Babylon, NY
2006 C-36 mkll SR/WK M35B

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Parsons
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Posts: 95

Other than the spin halyard being red-ish, there's no rules as far as I know.  Since there's two broad categories of colors - solid and white with a tracer color - I suggest separating your halyards and other lines from each other.  I made all of my halyards white with different colored tracers, and all of my sheets and control lines solids.  Since they're a few hundred dollars each, I got in the habit of replacing a couple each season to budget it out over time adn bought them in the winter when the stores had their big line sales.  I prioritized my halyards as people's lives depend on them if going up to the mast ,then my sheets.  The line you buy now is much stronger than any forces you will put on it (I could easily support several tons on my halyards), so consider the stretch and 'hand' of the line in your selection, rather than the breaking strain.  

John Parsons
"Water Music" 1999 Catalina 36 Mk II - Hull 1771
Tall Rig, Fin Keel
Bay City, MI, USA

Paul Revere
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Joined: 3/30/19
Posts: 36

Can anyone tell me the standard layout for the halyards? one of the ones on the starboard is gone. I'm thinking it was the topping lift and someone's useing either the jib or spinnaker halyard as its replacement.

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GaryB
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Joined: 10/26/08
Posts: 570

Usually the topping lift is controled at the boom, no halyard
Forward
2 Jib halyards (one is spare)
1 Spinaker halyard
Aft
2 Main Halyards (one is spare)

Gary Bain
S/V "Gone With The Wind"
Catalina 36', Hull #: 1056, Year: 1990, Engine: M-35
Standard Rig
Moored: Boothbay Harbor, Maine
Home: Auburn, Maine

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Chachere
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Joined: 10/27/10
Posts: 825

May be different, depending on the year of the boat, etc.
On our '85, there are 4 (your mileage may vary!):
- jib (feeds into the mast from port side)
- spinnaker (feeds into the mast from the starboard side and exits mast on the side a foot or so from the masthead, runs to a block hanging from a bail)
- main (feeds into the mast from the starboard side)
- topping lift (feeds into the mast from the port side; this is actually a spare main halyard but re-purposed since we have a Dutchman sail handling system which needs a mast-head-operated topping lift).
All of these are led aft to the cockpit.  Photos at this post: www.catalina36.org/comment/55992#comment-55992

 

Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY

Paul Revere
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Joined: 3/30/19
Posts: 36

That sounds like my mast which makes my spinnaker halyard missing. Thanks for the info. :)

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Chachere
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Joined: 10/27/10
Posts: 825

Two of the halyards were missing on our boat when we got it.
Replacing involved my climbing the mast and lowering a heavy string as a "messenger," with a few inches of window sash chain attached for wieght.  An assistant on deck was able to fish the end out at the bottom, using a hocked wire to grab the chain.    Then joined the messenger to the replacement halyard and pull it through the mast (we did it top down again).

 

Matthew Chachère
s/v ¡Que Chévere!
(Formerly 1985 C36 MKI #466 tall rig fin keel M25)
2006 Catalina Morgan 440 #30.
Homeported in eastern Long Island, NY

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