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small safety modification to spinnaker halyard

PostPosted: Mon Nov 02, 2015 9:46 am
by DanaDCole
I use the spinnaker halyard to raise the mast. Until I raise the jib, that is the only thing holding the mast up, i.e., the spinnaker halyard cleated in a small cam cleat. It occurred to me that it would be possible to accidentally kick the halyard loose while climbing forward to raise the jib (for a clumsy oaf like me anyway) and send the mast crashing down. So, just below the spinnaker halyard cam cleat I installed a small horn cleat to prevent that eventuality. I lead the halyard from the cam cleat down to the horn cleat and "double cleat" the halyard. Believe me, I feel much more secure now between raising the mast and raising the jib.

I leave the spinnaker halyard in place while sailing also. That way, in the highly unlikely event that the jib stay fails, the mast will stay up.