I recently purchased a H18, and LOVE IT!! I figured out how to raise the main and get the ring over the hook at the top of my mast, but I can not figure out how to release the ring from the hook to lower it.My brother has a H16, which has the main halyard outside of the mast, which makes it easy to lower. With my boat having the halyard run down the inside of the mast, how do I deal with this?

To lower the main, release the downhaul, then pull on the main halyard to raise the ring off the hook, then twist the mast in the direction of the hook and lower the main.

Do you have the ring tied onto the the main halyard properly? The knot should be small and positioned between the ring and the mast when in use.

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Damon Linkous
Owner, TheBeachcats.com
Hobie 18 Magnum
Memphis, TN
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One thing to, is the hook gets a bur on it and needs to be filed off. This will make it slide off beter.

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edited by: Ratdaddy, Jul 13, 2008 - 04:56 PM<!-- end editby -->

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William Lear
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Your issue probably has nothing to do with the halyard, but the position the mast and main are in when you attempt to lower the mainsail. There's only one way to do it: Ease out the traveler all the way to the end and let out the mast rotator control to let the mast rotate to 60+ degrees. Let the wind catch the main and bring it to one side. Haul on the halyard to lift the main up and off the hook and WHILE HOLDING THE HALYARD, push the wishbone INTO THE WIND to turn the mast into the wind. This has the top of the main falling off the wind about 45-degrees, the mast rotated the opposite way about 45-degrees and the hook is no longer directly under the ring. Let out some slack in the main halyard and the main will drop below the hook. Then lower and roll. You can do this by yourself at the mast base.

Any other way and all you do is lift the main off the hook and lower it back down into the hook.