Re-Running In-Boom reefing lines.

[dadster3]

The two leach reefing lines on my boat are also in the boom. You mentioned attaching the messenger line to the existing line. Tape is probably the easiest, but may make the joint too stiff to easily go through the sheaves. I think I will probably sew the messenger line to the existing reef lines. I hope the stitching will be stronger and more flexible.

[desodave]

I stitched the lines together when I replaced my outhaul, but had the old one there to work with as the messenger. No bulges around the join that way so no complications inside the boom.

[Pillroller]

How about plastic coated elastic curtain wires. probably much cheaper than proprietary "fish" tape. Do not have FT in UK, but all curtain shops ell the stretchy wire, pretty cheap.
R.

[beirutsailor]

I unhook the boom, make it stand up and use gravity.

[Geoff54]

Originally Posted by Pillroller

Do not have FT in UK, but all curtain shops ell the stretchy wire, pretty cheap.
R.

Fish tape is available in the U.K. although it’s more often called wire threader or cable puller. You can find it on an enclosed reel (like in the U.S.) but often it’s just in a coil.

[AndyOz]

"what's the best method people have found to attach a messenger cord to a line?"

Something like this: https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/cable-sleeves/0408209 or maybe https://www.opentip.com/Fish-Tailz-W...p-2302400.html

Taping, stitching, tieing all have problems (either can't get a knot through a restriction, or the tape/stitching pulls open meaning the fish has to be re-run.

That sleeve is like a chinese finger-trap, so when you pull on it, it tightens. Push it over each rope end a few inches, then just needs a single wrap of tape on each end to stop it shaking loose under no load.

[wrapper]

I drilled out the rivets on the boom end.

[Dsalvail]

I had to run reefing lines through the boom 2 years ago (pre-Covid), as the previous owner had no need for them (...); Electrical fish deployed in the back end of the boom, over/under the proper pulley, was the way to go. Once the fish end exists at the forward end of the boom right by the mast, just tape your intended line through the loop in the fish leading loop, and pull the fish back out of the boom the way it came in. Repeat for the next lines making sure to go in the intended aft boom pulley when inserting the fish.

A little swearing, wiggling, and figuring out and 3 lines later, we now have a fully battened main! (As opposed to a "potentially" battened main without lines.) The next time you encounter 25-30 knot winds, you'll be so proud of your reefing lines!

Don't bother with the 200-feet long electrical fish: You'll be fine with 100 feet at most if you ever need to run a halyard in up your mast: Same idea if you don't have a lead to tie up to: Run the fish from the mast top, down to the intended opening. Tape your halyard to the fish loop, and pull out of the top of the mast. Good luck!

[rls8r]

OregonCoaster - you don't say what kind of reefing setup you have. There may be more to it than simply pulling lines through the boom if you have a single-line reefing system (Isomat). In that case, you'll have a shuttle block inside the boom and you'll either need competent existing lines that you can use to lead the new lines through (by sewing them together as dadster3 and desodave recommend) or you'll have to take the boom end off (as wrapper mentioned).

[skenn_ie]

Something like this https://www.ebay.ie/itm/353779067773...kAAOSwVsFhm2JH ?
Or an axhaust cooler

[Searles]

A good strong magnet,with some felt on the face so as not to scratch the surface,long line and about 1ft of small bike chain ,just run the magnet on the out side with the chain on the inside ,up or down or horizontal.⛵️⚓️

[nuku34]

Years ago in a boatyard in OZ we unstepped our 50ft main mast, took off ALL hardware (including the masthead crane) and all the internal wiring (it had external halyards), and had the mast sandblasted to remove the old corroded anodizing prior to painting ith 2 pack epoxy and polyurethane. Time to run the new internal wiring, but no messenger lines. There was a boatyard cat; we tied a long thin cord to her tail, put her in the end of the mast , clapped real loud; she shot through the mast, my partner grabbed her as she hurtled out of the other end. Job done. It was NOT animal abuse, she got a good meal and lots of petting as a reward.
Could do the same with a boom....

[AndyOz]

Originally Posted by nuku34

Years ago in a boatyard in OZ we unstepped our 50ft main mast, took off ALL hardware (including the masthead crane) and all the internal wiring (it had external halyards), and had the mast sandblasted to remove the old corroded anodizing prior to painting ith 2 pack epoxy and polyurethane. Time to run the new internal wiring, but no messenger lines. There was a boatyard cat; we tied a long thin cord to her tail, put her in the end of the mast , clapped real loud; she shot through the mast, my partner grabbed her as she hurtled out of the other end. Job done. It was NOT animal abuse, she got a good meal and lots of petting as a reward.
Could do the same with a boom....

Common method in Oz, but it works better if you put a compressed air line in behind the cat, seal around it well with lots of rags, and turn the air on. Don't let your partner stand directly in line with the mast, just in case you get the pressure wrong - it generally only needs a few psi.

[nuku34]

Hi AndyOz, yeah, sounds good! OZ is pretty fun. I wanted to get our 80m of 12mm chain re-galvanized when we were in Ballina. I asked about sandblasting. One local offered to tow it down a gravel road behind his big ute for a few hours. Ha Ha. We finally found a guy who had a really big truck-mounted sandblaster. We piled the chain in a heap on a concrete pad then dragged it slowly between his legs as he hit it with the blaster. He pretty much disappeared in a huge cloud of dust. He was wearing shorts, T shirt, boots, and the positive-pressure helmet. Pure Ozzie Ocker. Lots of good stories from our times there. Tassie was the best.

[Jim Cate]

Tassie was the best

OOhhh, come now, Sandy! We Taswegians are far more sophisticated than that.

Down here we take a Tiger snake (especially during mating season), a male, and tie the mouse line to its tail and insert him in the mast. Then we wave a female Tiger (Tigress?) snake around the other end of the mast... and stand back. The only problem is disconnecting the mouse line from the amorous male, for they tend to be uncooperative at times like t hose. But really, this has worked EVERY time we've tried it!

Jim