Hi All - I’m curious if anyone else has one of these blocks attached to the masthead, or if you know what it might be used for? Is that for the burgee halyard?
Also, I’m wondering what the purpose of the extra halyard sheave inside the mast is for? Obviously, it could be used as a backup if another halyard were run up the mast. Does anyone use it for that?
Thanks -
Bob Gehrman
NS30U #396 “Quickbeam”
Baltimore, Maryland
I have two masthead blocks. One is used for a flag halyard and the other is for a spare halyard for the sail.
Our 2nd sheave is seized. I would like to restore it operating status, but we would need to cut an exit point near the existing halyard exit for the spare halyard. I am squeamish about that part😊.
…..Ed
Ed and Marlene Brost
SaSeaCat N30U #322
Sarnia Yacht Club
Sarnia Ontario
I have two halyards and switch between them to keep them both In service. That’s the way the boat came to me. The one obvious benefit is the ability to send someone up the mast in a bosuns chair should the other halyard become jammed. That has never happened to me as yet. As I also have a Sailtides strong track , installed since I have owned the boat. The alternative to pull down a jammed sail is to remove the machine screw at the bottom of the track and pull down the track and jammed sail together.
Ken Dakin
NS 33 # 007
Collins Bay Marina/ CBYC
Kingston ON
Bob,
FATE is rigged with a spare halyard but I’ve never used it. I also have a block for the flag halyard but it’s curiously on the port side.
Jim Cosgrove
FATE 30U #343
Galesville MD
Hi Bob,
I have two equipped main halyards with a burgee block on the port side. In fact that reminds me that I should check out the spare halyard every now and again.
Cheers,
Butch
Butch Garren
Nonsuch 30, #196
Whiskers II,
Solomons, MD
Hi Bob,
Utilizing the block on the side of the masthead, a halyard and a pig stick, you can fly a burgee above the top of the mast, windex, wind transducer, VHF antenna and masthead lights. Without the pig stick, that halyard would be somewhat useless.
Hi Bob,
As was previously noted, the block on the side of the mast-top is for flying burgees, and also the radar reflector when needed.
My boat has the 2nd halyard sheave as well. Years ago I had the yard make a proper opening on the starboard side of the mast (6+ feet above the deck as noted previously) and have a 2nd halyard available in case I lose control of the primary halyard and have to go up and retrieve it, or to hoist the sail if something else goes wrong with the primary. The mast collar had a starboard side base for the 90 degree halyard block, same as on the port side, so it was fairly easy.
For the most part, I have used the 2nd halyard as a back-up safety line when I get hauled up the mast. Light tension is kept on the backup, in the rare event the primary fails.
I have used it on several occasions to lower the front of the boom to the deck… Looping the 2nd halyard around the front of the boom and closing the shackle over the vertical part of the halyard above the boom, put tension on the 2nd halyard and lift the front of the boom slightly to get the weight off of the boom hangers. Disconnect the boom hangers and gently lower the boom to the deck. Reverse the process to re-rig the boom. Makes it very easy with two people.
I also connect both halyards to the aft end of the boom as backups to the toping-lift during the winter (I keep the boat in the water during winter) to ensure the boom stays in place, and to keep the halyards from banging against the mast which would create a disturbance for my neighbors who live aboard.
Peter Grabow
S/V CAKE WALK III
1987 30 Ultra 430
Jersey City, NJ
The block on the side is a standard cheek block. Can be used as a spare halyard or flag halyard. I don’t think it is appropriate for hauling someone up the mast, maybe a safety line but not the main line.
The double mast head, I think some designs have the topping lift controlled from the top vs blocks on the boom.
Mike Q sells sheaves for the main.
I concur with Thor, this small cheekblock is NOT to be used for a safety or bosun’s lift line. I have an outside swivel block much heavier duty than this on port, rigged on a masthead bracket as spare main halyard, blooper halyard or bosun lift, safety, etc. Still, you can do lots with this cheekblock but not for person safety lift.
Best wishes for the sailing new year - it is still (almost) daylight here at 5 pm now, things are looking good,
Greg Silver
Misty Cat 26C #121
St. Peter’s, Cape Breton
Just noticed that my Nonsuch 26 manual lists the maximum working load on the “Burgee Halyard” cheek block as 1000 lbs.
Personally, when I look at that block and think about using it for going up the mast, the immortal words of Clint Eastwood come to mind, “Are ya feeling lucky?”
Since I feel neither lucky nor immortal, I wouldn’t.
But it’s nice to know the boats are built with a good margin for error.
– Bob
Solar Wind
Nonsuch 26C #143
Mike Quill has a replacement block that accepts an alternate halyard. Bob Horne, 1989 N26C, #249, ENCORE, Pocasset, MA
I have similar port sided block. Can other share HOW and WHERE the burgee halyard is connected down at deck levl to a) keep out of the way of wishbone operation, b) keep quiet and not bang the mast in the wind, c)enable raising burgees (i.e. block, cleat, etc.) Thanks in advance.
Jeff
Nonsuch 22 #29 “Sliver”
Montreal,
Regarding using the spare block on the top of the mast, if you are discouraging using it as a means to ascend the mast as the main support, but maybe as a safety line, I would like to point out that it would see less of a load using it as the main lift support vs the impact load it would see as a safety line. In other words, if it’s not suitable for the main support for ascent, it is even less suitable as a safety.
Pat Furr
Bandolero NS26C #133
Charlotte, Vermont.
Preface: I know my approach may be Nonsuch sacrilege to the traditionalists, apologies in advance.
From that odd port sided block, I’ve rigged a full time 2nd halyard that I’m sure will remain unused other than to annoy my neighbours with needless “halyard slap”.
On that note (pun intended), I’ve seen folks use bungee cords to good effect, but… I’ve used simple carabiner to hold the “cleat to mast” section away from the mast by buddying up to the “mast to halyard shackle” section that is secured to the pulpit stanchions. Look for the two lines coming down from the masthead and deflected by a carabiner.
However, on the subject of Flag Halyard:
I’ve gone against convention: the halyard is white paracord looped through a shackle at the top front of the masthead. These lines are fed through
a bow chock stuck to the front of the boom and terminate at the mast collar with another shackle. This allows the burgees to fly free and clear in front of the mast.
.
Cheers,
Mike and Ashley Read
NS 26C #120 Nauti Girl
Bath, Ont.
Regarding Jeff’s question on where to attach the burgee halyard at deck level; mine is attached to the bow anchor roller frame via a block and a bungee cord. Initially I had 1/8" line but it would get tangled on the mast protuberances. I switched to 3/16 line and have had no problems. At first the burgee would slowly lower itself over a few days so I now use a block with a line lock .
John Barbour
Nature 26U Toronto
I am the “odd man out” as I do not have a spare block/sheave at the masthead. Come to think of it, I just may be the odd man out for other reasons, too … but, for now:
I just use thin line for the burgee and have it attached to a small little block that hangs from the front boom casting. As such, the burgee flies just below the front of the boom. The line is attached to a piece of shock cord that is attached to the cleat on the bow. I don’t have an anchor roller, etc. on my NS22. The line is taut, sort of, but the shock cord allows the boom to swing either way. It’s typical “Rube Goldberg” and took a bit of experimentation but it works and doesn’t look totally goofy.
I’ve attached a few shots. Otherwise, I cannot believe how gorgeous the weather is around here and how good the outlook is for the whole week. And after such a crappy spring …
And … Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms.
Ernie A. in Toronto
Maybe complete sacrilege but I attached a small block to the wish boom casting with a hose clamp and a second one off the bow pulpit. I have flown burgees and radar reflectors off that set up. I have a 1/4 inch line run to the mast head as a spare something…
I have mused about using a pig stick but never had managed to get around to that…
