Just Bought a 2010 Getaway and have some questions

The previous owner has kept the mast up for the past 7 years (he bought it in 2010) as he kept it on a floating dock on his canal where he would launch from.

I am curious what this exactly means... "simplest is to bridle the shrouds, attach the main halyard, and secure with the mainsheet". How do you bridle the shrouds?

My main halyard is attached to the jib snorkel. Love to lean how to keep the rigging under tension.

Also I just checked my mast and about 10 inches down (from the joint between the mast and comptip) on the aluminum part is a plastic round flat cap. That looks that it is covering up something which is why I was thinking it is some type of screw that holds the two parts together?

I did not want to try and pull it off as it is very very thin on the sides and I was afraid I might break it.

I plan on repairing that little bit of damage on both sides of comptip this week using some Bondo 00277 Glass Reinforced Filler, sand and spray a little rustoleum black automotive paint to finish it.

OH, I'd forgotten that you'd have the main halyard being used to haul up the snorkel. S'OK, not needed to tension the rig. "bridle the shrouds" just means to tie a line between or around them both about as high up as you can reach. Then attach the mainsheet to the bridle line in the middle and tension. That'll keep the mast from wobbling side to side and front to back. You don't want to haul too tight, just enough to keep the mast from moving about.

Good to know someone could keep the mast up that long with no damage.

My boat didn't have that plastic thingy you are seeing. So dunno what it is.

_________________
R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

Here is a picture of the mast where that plastic cap is.

Still no clue. Could be a mount for a steaming light. Could be a hole where they put the plug stuff through. My mast didn't have that.

_________________
R/Thom
SeaRail 19
Triak
BMW C600
Formerly Getaway with Custom Spinnakers
Formerly raced F24 Mk II

Matt Miller just said it is a plug where they inject foam into the mast for a plug to seal the mast.