On Independence Day, I sailed my new Getaway, which I had acquired this past spring, and then pulled it out of the water and onto the trailer before driving several hundred yards to where I hose the boat down. Whether due to sun, wind, beer, or advancing years, I neglected to tie off the tail end of the halyard. Unknown to me, the end attached to the mainsail had gotten wrapped around one of the rudders. As I untangled it, little did I know that the other end was steadily rising up the mast until it reached the top and could go no further (because of the shackle I had tied onto it). Needless to say, I didn't sleep well that night. The next morning we pulled the boat up to the garage and backed it into one of the bays. My daughter's boyfriend, who is taller and younger than I, was able to stand on the roof high enough up to reach around the top of the mast with a pole saw, grab a hold of the shackle, and pull the halyard down. This beat taking the mast down and raising it again. I am curious. If anyone has an easier way to solve this problem, I would appreciate hearing from you.
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