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currently i have no turning blocks to feed my halyards from the base of the mast back to the cockpit and i want to fix this. what's the process.....do i need to remove the headliner below? or is there some secret that would save me this daunting task?
On my Mark 111 there is an aluminum mast step in which there are a number of holes . If you have the same, simply pin shackles through the holes and hook a sheave in each shackle where you want the halyard to turn.
If you have a situation where there is sometimes no tension on the line (eg - the cunningham) and you fear tangles, use a shackle with a becket and use a light piece of bungee cord tied off to something above to the keep the shackle standing upright.
I wouldn't remove the headliner unless you're particularly adept with a chainsaw – it's continuous through the entire interior and it's bonded to the deck. There are, too, easier ways of attaching hardware to the deck. Do not harbour any illusions about running halyards underneath the deck as in more contemporary boats; it's not possible.
On your deck there is a mast step in the form of a U-shaped alloy channel bridged by 3 or 4 stainless rods. Shackle blocks to the rods or to the holes in the step. Halyards turned by these blocks can then lead to deck organizers (which basically are blocks mounted in frames designed to be bolted to the deck – see the Harken and Spinlock catalogues) and from there to line stoppers at the aft end of the coachroof.
When through-bolting gear to the deck (such as the deck organizers or the line stoppers), the standard trick is to drill the mounting hole right through the deck and liner, then to drill upward, just through the liner, with a 3/4" hole saw. This gives you a hole large enough to insert the washer and nut, and to tighten the nut with a socket wrench. The hole is then neatly capped with a plastic plug. In areas where there are a lot of mounting holes, you may prefer to use a piece of white plexiglass, such as was used originally in the area under the coachroof winches.
Note that when drilling holes in the deck, you should follow the procedure laid out in Black Arts >> Deck Tracks for filling the area surrounding each hole with epoxy. This will prevent your deck from rotting out and falling apart.
All the above having been said, let me say that none of the above is particularly difficult, but it is a multi-stage process that requires some understanding of the boat's construction and use of epoxies and sealants if you are to get a satisfactory result. If unsure of how to proceed, you may be happier if you get someone who knows the work to do the first or first few jobs for you. Watch and learn, and the work you do later will be more pleasant and yield a better result.
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
David Weatherston
Towser, Toronto
C&C 27 Mk IV
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