I have a small 25ft yacht. Last week i lost my halyard rope (which pulls the main sail up). Everyone i talked to told me that i would have to climb my mast and put a new rope in by hand. Because of my lack of climbing experience i thought it would be easier to build a device (which i could operate from the base of the mast on the boat) to help me put a messenger rope into the mast, sparing me the dangers of climbing the mast. I was quite surprised that i couldnt find a solution on the internet already. Anyway, i built this device out of spare parts, (its quite crude) AND to the surprise of others around me, IT WORKED QUITE EASILY and i never climbed the mast. Here are the concept photos, i will upload real photos when i work out how to work my blog out....

 This is the device. Simply the sinker is attached to a messenger line (fishing line in my case). the messenger line is held tight, and as to stay snug against the tube. (the tubes diameter is smaller than the sinker).

 When the tube gets into the hole at the top of the mast, the messenger is released and  the sinker pulls the line to the bottom of the mast where it can be pulled out through the hole with a hook.  then the messenger is tied to a halyard rope and fed back through the other way

 the runners go up through the mast like the sail keeping the device close to the mast,