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Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Halyards slipping off sheves at top of the mast

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lwirth
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/12/2012 : 12:43:46

For the last two sailing seasons I have experienced a halyard slipping off its sheve at the top of the mast and getting wedged in above. I am thinking that it is time to take down the mast and replace the two sheves. Not being very handy, I was hoping to get some practical advice from this site before moving forward. Unfortunately, I don't keep my boat at a full service marina. Thanks, Larry

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2012 : 13:25:03

Very likely a damaged sheave letting go. There is an immense amount of information on this site regarding raising and lowering the mast. Spend an evening searching and reading and you will get a firm understanding of what is required. You can build an A-frame or similar device to assist but if you have two or three friends to assist you can strong-arm it down and up. You should look into any other tasks that may require lowering the mast as well. If you can be more specific regarding the issues that concern you most you will get a multitude of responses. Start by listing what model boat you have and where you are located. Might be someone on the forum willing to assist.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2012 : 13:30:02

Changing out the sheaves is not a hard job. The hardest part is getting the mast down. If you plan to lower the mast toward the stern, turn the boat around so it is stern first in the slip. Then maybe you'll be able to stand on the dock to swap out the sheaves. do you have wire-to-rope halyards. If so, now is a good time to make the switch to all rope halyards. you can buy the sheaves from Catalina Direct and 5/16" line is recommended. buy the replacement sheaves and halyards first so they will be on hand when you lower the mast. This is also a good time to schedule other mast maintenance projects so they can all be done while the mast is down (bulb/light replacement, antennae, wiring & Windex maintenance, etc.
If switching from wire-to-rope to all rope lengths are:jib - forestay + mast + 10 ft., main - mast x 2 +10 ft. The 10 ft additions are for running the halyards back to the cockpit.
Be careful to not loose the divider plate between the sheaves when you remove them. Hold or have someone hold an aluminum cake pan under the masthead if you do this over the water (or dock).

Edited by - dmpilc on 07/12/2012 13:32:24

lwirth
1st Mate

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USA
35 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2012 : 13:31:46

Thanks for your response Joe. I have a 1985 Catalina 25, tall rig, fixed keel on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of NYS. I think I have the necessary help to get the mast down and back up again, but need advice on what parts to order to replace the two mast top sheaves. Do I just order the two sheaves from Catalina? Do I need any other parts to make the change? As long as the mast is down I'm thinking it is better to replace both sheaves at the same time. Larry

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2012 : 15:08:37

You need 4 sheaves from Catalina Direct. Each halyard goes across two of them, one fore and one aft of the mast. Later masts with internal halyards are different, but I'm assuming that your 1985 hasn't been updated to have internal halyards.

You should also get line for halyards. I think you need 90' for each of them if you run the lines back to the cockpit (cabin top), but double check that using a search.

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Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2012 : 16:05:58

Definitely lose the wire halyards, if you have them, and replace with line halyards. There is not a whole lot up there. The spacer and two clevis pins for the sheaves. Sometimes the pins are frozen in place so don't go overboard trying to free them. The pins are steel and the masthead is aluminum. Guess which one will break first? Some heat from a propane or butane torch and some soaking with PB Blaster is usually the prescribed Rx. I think your model boat had internal halyards. If so you should also inspect the lower sheaves. How is your anchor and steaming light fairing?

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2012 : 16:14:13

I thought internal sheaves came in 1987? I have a 1984 and they weren't internal on my boat. However on a 25+ year old boat there is a lot of time when things could have been upgraded.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2012 : 17:16:32

On a tall rig, 75 ft for the jib halyard and 70 ft for the main halyard will be plenty. although I bought 78 ft. for both. Check out discount rope and Line in PA. they sell a line called NovaTech, a Canadian version of Samson XLS. I really like the line.
Do not buy Sta-SetX. It's too stiff.

Edited by - dmpilc on 07/12/2012 17:18:18

hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2012 : 03:57:56

I replaced the sheaves in my masthead with Catalina Direct sheaves. They had two styles. One is the width of the space in the masthead and is non-ball bearing. The other is a ball bearing and it takes two to fill the space in the masthead. I just used one and machined an alum spacer for the void. I have internal halyards. I used the non-ball bearing for the jib which is on a furler.

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=407

Edited by - on

CarbonSink62
Navigator

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USA
208 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2012 : 12:19:39

I encountered one bad sheave while refurbishing my 1982 (rope to wire); I went for the $10 each non-ball bearing sheaves and replaced all of them. I had no problems with the swap out. I worried that I should have bought 5 sheaves so I'd have one as tribute for King Neptune, but I managed not to drpp one.

Dropping the mast is, by far, the biggest part of this project.

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2012 : 21:28:23

My foredeck guy went up the mast and changed out the sheaves while he was up there!

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2012 : 06:47:54

What held him in place while he replaced the sheaves? Aren't the halyards usually used to support the climbing harness?

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9076 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2012 : 08:37:25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Derek Crawford
 My foredeck guy went up the mast and changed out the sheaves while he was up there!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Good trick! How did he get up there??

My '85 SR had external halyards, therefore four sheaves. Changing them for all-rope was easy--a little tap freed the clevis pins. The originals were quite sun-damaged, although I fortunately didn't have any jams. Larry, I wonder if the aluminum divider plate is missing on yours... That would leave a gap the wire could slip into.

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