Adding spinnaker halyard

[shawnmce]

Has anyone added a halyard tang for a spinnaker halyard to the top of a CD26 mast or any other flat-top aluminum type masthead fitting? I am thinking of drilling and tapping the aluminum masthead and installing a stainless metal strap with a welded d-ring on the end to attach a block. Any issues or surprises I may encounter would be appreciated in advance.

[kerlandsen]

Done it twice. ONce on TyS and once on SS28.
The Tys I just used a flat tang and drilled my own holes.
For the SS28, I purchased, from Rig Rite, the $85(ouch) fitting for just that.
I used 4x 1/4-20 stainless machine screws. Drilled and tapped the mast head and included the anti-corrosion stuff. Been working great for two seasons now.
Just hung a harken block off the ring and good to go.

Now, consider how you are going to attach the tack. Sheets too.

Kyle

[bottomscraper]

We purchased one from Lefiell http://www.lefiell.com several years ago.
I drilled and tapped the top as you suggest. I think it
was about $25, much less than RigRite. They call them
"MASTHEAD SPINNAKER BAILS", they have 2 models SB-1 & SB-2,
no dimensions shown on web site. I'm not sure which one
we got but it is a single (SB1?)

Also check with Rigging Only, they have lots of stuff not listed online.
http://www.riggingonly.com/
They don't have a great web site but the people are! You will
most likely talk to an actual rigger if you call. 508-992-0434

[MFC]

Rich -
So you ran the spinny halyard externally to the block? Did you also change to internal halyards (stock you'd have 2 masthead externals and one staysail internal, right?). Just curious how many halyards most of our cutter rigs have running to the masthead? Hope this is related enough to not be diverting the (very useful) thread
Matt

[tartansailor]

Don't Forget The Topping Lift.

Dick

[2tocruise]

I added a bail this spring, ordered it from Rig-rite. They list the appropriate size bails for each mast section. The bail was a centerline mount and attached to the mast head with four machine screws, which I tapped into the mast head fitting, same as Kyle. Attached a block and ran an external halyard.

One problem I have encountered with the setup is the bail seems to be designed for a conventional wire forestay, not roller furling. The block is fairly close to the furler and every once in a while the lazy part of the halyard get caught up and starts rolling into the genoa when furling the sail. I plan on adding a line guide to the mast to keep the halyard pulled back a little from the furling unit, but haven't gotten up the mast yet to do it. I'll probably get to that in the spring.

[Steve Laume]

Don't Forget The Topping Lift.

Dick

I use the staysail halyard, Steve.

[bottomscraper]

Rich -
So you ran the spinny halyard externally to the block?

Yes.

Did you also change to internal halyards

No

We have 4 halyards. Our Staysail and Yankee are both on furlers.
Our Main halyard runs back to the cockpit and shares a winch with
the main sheet (rope clutch). For the Spin halyard we use the winch
that was originally intended for the Main. We have no pole since
we only have an asymmetric.