Cutting New Halyard Exits

[CJV]

Hello,
I have a Tartan Ten and I want to cut new 4 or 5 new halyard exits in the mast. All lines (2x Headsail, Spin, Main & Topper) exit at the base of the mast today, but I want them up higher for faster sets & douses. A new main exit is not strictly needed but would be a convenience as the T-10's main is hard to hoist from the cockpit.

I'd like advice on the placement, distribution and finishing of these exits. I have emails into the spar builder (Bay Sailing Equipment) and Tartan Yachts, but no answer yet.

Someone suggested I check out the placement on the J/105's Hall Spars Mast. Another person suggested evenly spaced exits all around the sides of the mast to evenly spread the loads.

Thanks in advance,
CJV
Huntington, NY

[Robbie.g]

just cut the exits at a helpful height, and stagger them. round the edges..(drill suitable sized holes top n bottom, then cut out between them, radius all edges to avoid damage to your halyards. First post.. hope this helps?!

[Brion Toss]

Hello,
As the preceding post indicates, staggering the exits and keeping sharp bits away from the halyards are the keys. We like to see at least a foot of vertical clearance between any two halyards. Sometimes on stout masts you can have exits at roughly the same height, on opposite sides of the mast, but never on the same side.
Some add-on exit hardware is very good to have. Selden's are easier to install, needing only one fastener, so I like those.
See to it that the jib and spinnaker exits are well forward, and the ones for the mains well aft, so the lines are less likely to chafe on throughbolts and such.
It can take some careful puzzling to get ideal location for all exits, especially if any of them have to lead to a winch; prioritize the fairest leads for the highest-loaded and/or most frequently used lines.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[CJV]

Good insight. Someone told me that exit hardware might provide strength when a given side of the mast wall is in compression. Any thoughts on that?

[Brian Duff]

I cant see much additional strength comming from a thin stainless or aluminum plate fastened with one to four screws. I prefer to have no halyard exit plats and just a well rounded and nice looking slot. No corrosion issue either.

Cut the slots by using a holesaw or stepped bit to 1/2" or 3/4" or whatever width suits your halyards, by about 2.5" hole center , again depending on halyard size. Then take your jigsaw, and use a sharp woodcutting or aluminum cutting blade, cut on the slowest speed your jigsaw has, and be careful to cut straigt, and fair into the radius of the holes you drilled on each end. The neater job you do cutting, the less filing later. Be sure to produce smooth sides and round the inside and outside edges well. Use some sandpaper on your finger to get the upper inside edge really well.

Fun Fun !

[Brion Toss]

Hi again,
Yeah, no appreciable strength provided -- or needed -- from an exit. But I still like them, and not just because they are shiny. Heck, if nothing else they keep the paint intact, as long as you isolate the metals.
Anyway, also try rubbing some beeswax on the jigsaw blade before cutting. Reapply after each cut. Your blades will last much longer, and won't clog nearly as quickly.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[CJV]

A fellow T-10 owner has a couple of exits and a couple of seasons ago his headsail halyard had the cover badly chafed at the exit. I thought it might have been the plate but I'm now guessing the exit isn't fair.

Re: the suggested 12" between exits, is that between the bottom of one and the top of the next, or would that be center-on-center. I imagine the side with three exits would need the exits at 7, 8 & 9 feet using that guidance... Time to check out that J/105 spar.

[CJV]

Originally Posted by Brion Toss

Hi again,
...also try rubbing some beeswax on the jigsaw blade before cutting. Reapply after each cut.

Will paraffin work also? I've plenty of that.

[Brion Toss]

Originally Posted by CJV

A fellow T-10 owner has a couple of exits and a couple of seasons ago his headsail halyard had the cover badly chafed at the exit. I thought it might have been the plate but I'm now guessing the exit isn't fair.

Re: the suggested 12" between exits, is that between the bottom of one and the top of the next, or would that be center-on-center. I imagine the side with three exits would need the exits at 7, 8 & 9 feet using that guidance... Time to check out that J/105 spar.

Hi,
I measure from the ends, to put more mast between exits. Yes, that does tend to scatter exits well up the mast in many cases, but there you are.
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

[Brion Toss]

Originally Posted by CJV

Will paraffin work also? I've plenty of that.

Hi,
Paraffin probably works fine; beeswax smells so good though...
Fair leads,
Brion Toss