The issue
A chafing jib halyard block on a historic vessel needed a practical permanent solution.
On a historic sailing tjalk, the jib halyard block was falling against the forestay and creating unwanted chafe at the masthead arrangement. Quinten Maritime Solutions was asked to resolve the lead properly rather than simply accept the interference as part of the vessel's existing setup.
The original jib-halyard block attachment was the hole in the black existing mast fitting. The objective was to create a separate new attachment point lower down, in a purpose-built steel extension, so the block would lead clear of the forestay. The new attachment point is the hole in the olive-green section shown in the project photographs. This also avoided the cost, logistics and downtime of taking the vessel to a specialist yard solely to unstep the mast and modify the arrangement ashore.
Design & fabrication
A new fitting was designed from 10 mm steel to suit the existing mast hardware.
A new 10 mm steel extension fitting was designed and fabricated to create the revised load point while matching the existing mast hardware. The black mast fitting remained the original structure; the newly fabricated olive-green section carries the new jib-halyard attachment point. Cut profiles were prepared so the new component would fit accurately against the mast fitting, and the edges were bevelled at approximately 45 degrees to support sound weld penetration into the existing steelwork.
Installation in place
The repair was completed with the mast stepped, eliminating the need for a specialist unstepping yard.
The new steel extension was welded to the existing mast fitting in place on the mast itself at a working height of approximately 24 metres, using electrode welding. Completing the work in situ meant the vessel did not need to be moved to a specific yard to lay the mast down, which kept the solution practical for the owner while preserving the fitted mast arrangement.
This project demonstrates a combination of inspection, design, fabrication and execution under constrained access conditions — not only making a part, but delivering it in the actual operational environment where it was needed.
Weld quality & fit-up
Fit-up accuracy and bevel preparation were key to the finished result.
The profiled cut-outs allowed the component to sit tightly in position, while the bevelled edges helped achieve good penetration on the existing fitting. The result is a welded extension designed specifically around the existing black mast fitting, with the new hole in the olive-green section providing the revised jib-halyard block attachment point.
The final grinding and finishing left the new attachment point ready for service while preserving the historic vessel's practical rig function.
Fabrication process
The custom part was produced specifically for the existing mast fitting.
This short workshop clip shows part of the fabrication process used to produce the new fitting before it was installed on board.
Completed result
A new attachment point without de-masting the vessel.
The completed modification provided a dedicated new attachment point for the jib halyard block and removed the original interference with the forestay. By carrying out the design, fabrication and welding work directly in support of the vessel's existing configuration, the solution remained both technically effective and operationally efficient.
Operational result
A practical rigging improvement delivered without unstepping the mast.
The key result was not only solving the chafe issue, but doing so without the extra yard logistics of taking the mast down. That combination of diagnosis, design and execution is exactly where practical marine technical support adds value.
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Quinten Maritime Solutions supports owners and operators with marine technical modifications, small fabrication work, inspection-led improvements and on-location execution where access, geometry or downtime make standard solutions impractical.
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