Yachting Monthly – March 2018

7

FLAKE THE HALYARD

While they are up the mast, flake out

both of the halyards so these can run

6 free when they’re being lowered.

SECURE ALOFT

When they are at the desired height,

tension the safety line by hand and

secure both lines. On the winch, use a

tugboat hitch and move away from the mast

in case they drop something.

5

SAFETY LINE

As you’re hoisting, stop every couple

of metres or so and pull in the slack

of the safety line and secure. This

should also be through a clutch and on a

winch. If this is not possible, make the lead

fair to a cleat and secure.

8

LOWER AWAY

Lowering can be tricky unless you

have the correct amount of friction

in the lines – both primary and safety

lines. Ideally, the person being lowered would

like to be lowered smoothly all the way down.

Having too much friction on the lines results

in having to ease by hand on the winch, which

bounces them all the way down. The number

of turns will depend upon the size of the winch,

the make of the winch (some manufacturers’

winches have more friction than others), and

the type and diameter of the halyard used.

It’s likely to be at least two or three turns. Lower

them hand over hand for the smoothest journey

down. The man aloft pulls through a couple of

metres of one of the lines, the person on deck

secures it, then eases the other halyard until

both halyards are tight. Repeat this process

until they are on deck, keeping an eye on them

all the way down.

Lower as smoothly as

possible, always keeping

an eye on what’s going

on above you

PRACTICAL SEAMANSHIP