New to me 26X

[dcusveller]

Hello all, and thank you for letting me join this group.

I have a 1996 26X that I bought from a guy who was selling it for a friend, is not a sailor, and doesn’t know a thing about it. I guess you know the story. This boat had been parked for over 10 years, and was an absolute mess. It took many hours of elbow grease, and a pressure washer, to get this boat looking like a boat. This site has been invaluable to me and I have learned lots on how this boat fits together. I have most of it figured out, but for a few things.

On the top of the mast, on the front, above where the fore shroud attaches, are 2 pulleys with sheets that run down the front of the mast. Can anyone tell me what they are for? It is not the main halyard. That I have found and it runs on the back side of the mast. I see if I can attach a picture.

[dcusveller]

[Russ]

Welcome to the forum!!

Nice looking boat. Cleaned up nice. Dual axle trailer is a big PLUS. If it's truly been sitting for 10 years, maybe check the tires on that trailer as they expire. Also inspect the tongue of the trailer as they rust from the inside out.

Halyards:

Lower one looks like it might have been for the headsail. I took mine off as my furler doesn't need it.

Upper one looks like a Spinnaker halyard. Did the boat come with a spin?

[Jimmyt]

Welcome to the forum!

I'm going to pile on with Russ. Jib and spinnaker halyards.

[Tomfoolery]

Looks like the original trailer with a second axle. Old-style mast crutch in the back. Nice looking over all.

And ditto the spinnaker halyard comments. Don't know why the OEM jib/genoa halyard and block are still there with that furler, unless he used it for mast raising only, being that both legs of that line are outside the hound. I use the spin halyard for that. If it were me, I'd just take it off, as it serves no purpose (that I can see).

Did the boat come with a mast raising system (MRS, or 'gin pole')?

And what's that structure hanging aft from the top of the mast? Looks like it might have a topping lift (for the boom) terminated on it. Not clear where the backstay is, either.

[dcusveller]

Thanks guys,
The boat did not come with a spinnaker. There is a 150 Genoa on the furler, and a working jib in the Genoa bag. That thing on the top of the mast at the back has got me too. There is a line that comes from there to the back. I just use the main halyard to lift the boom where it can swing with the wind. Maybe it is a topping lift, but there is no pulley up there.

The trailer is a Tuff, from 2009. The outboard is a Honda 50 from 2008. I put new tires on before I hauled it 700 KMS home. I greased the wheel bearings as well, and everything survived.

I have to lower the mast anyway to take the boat to the lake. I have a berth in a marina, and will leave it there till October. I will see if I can remove those 2 pulleys and lines. I do not think I need them.

[dcusveller]

One more thing, the boat did come with a mast raising system, the good one, with a winch. Only took a few YouTube videos to figure out how that worked. All good.

[C Buchs]

I think that's for a spinnaker halyard.

Jeff

[Tomfoolery]

Possibly a base for a wind instrument(s), or tv antenna. Not radar, as that would be out front, or at least that's normally where one would mount it.

I can't figure out what's going on with the backstay, though. Heavy lines coming off the mast, but in the other pic it looks like the 1/8" wire rope I would expect to see.

Oh, and a topping lift doesn't have to pass over a block to the base of the mast. They're often just terminated up top, and any adjustment is made at the boom, especially on small boats.

[dcusveller]

Great, thanks for all the info gentlemen. After a month and a half of hard work, I want to go sailing. Marina opens 15 of May.

[dlandersson]

Replace the trailer tires - doesn't matter what they look like.

Hello all, and thank you for letting me join this group.

I have a 1996 26X that I bought from a guy who was selling it for a friend, is not a sailor, and doesn’t know a thing about it. I guess you know the story. This boat had been parked for over 10 years, and was an absolute mess. It took many hours of elbow grease, and a pressure washer, to get this boat looking like a boat. This site has been invaluable to me and I have learned lots on how this boat fits together. I have most of it figured out, but for a few things.

On the top of the mast, on the front, above where the fore shroud attaches, are 2 pulleys with sheets that run down the front of the mast. Can anyone tell me what they are for? It is not the main halyard. That I have found and it runs on the back side of the mast. I see if I can attach a picture.

[Be Free]

+1 on the non-adjustable topping lift. That's the way I do it when I don't have the boomkicker installed. You should see something near the end of the boom that the (supposed) topping lift can tie to or loop over. It will probably hold the boom level or maybe a little above level when it is attached.

[Russ]

I'm seeing backstay, main halyard and what is this?

[Be Free]

That's what I'm guessing is a topping lift.

To the OP: I assume that you have the main halyard pulled back like that to make it easier for us to see it. You know that's not the way it runs when it's it use, right