Stick Up Halyard Storage

[unbusted67]

When you store your boat with the mast up through the winter do you pull your halyards off? If so is there a good way to do this so that you are guaranteed not to loose whatever dummy line you send up in its stead?

[sailorboy1]

In years past I haven't pulled or done anything to the halyards. But this year I'm thinking of wraping the ends with something for UV protection, attaching a messager line to pull back down in the spring, and pulling them to the top. This is so they don't get UV exposure all winter.

[unbusted67]

I was thinking of attaching a messenger and just taking the halyards all the way out. I just worry that if I am using a smaller line as the messenger I might jam or slip a sheev at the masthead. That would be bad.

[klem]

I pull through an old retired halyard that is the same size line. It eliminates the problems with having the wrong size line and realistically, it could support a lot of weight if necessary.

To attach the two lines, I sew together the two ends so they but up together nicely and then put 2 turns of duct tape over it to make it ride nicely. The sewing takes the load and the duct tape provides the alignment.