Sussex Sailing Banter

I have booked the scrubbing posts for Sunday 31st May.  High water on Sunday is 05.14,  If I lock-out at 06.00 and arrive at the posts by 07.00 will there be enough water?  The tidal charts show approx 4.5 metres at 07.00 and I draw about 1.2 metres.  It's my first time on the posts so any advice would be much appreciated.

The top of my mast, very conveniently, reachs to just  below the forecastle on one of the large vessels in Shoreham harbour and a crewman very kindly threaded the weighted line through the sheave back into my mast for me.  I thought that that was the difficult part!  I had imagined that I would be able to see the weighted line behind the pulley at the bottom of the mast and then hook it with a piece of wire.  Unfortunately that isn't the case.  

There appears to be a plate just above the pulley inside the mast through which the halyard would pass. This, I think,  is stopping the weighted line from dropping right to the bottom. I managed to manouvre a long piece of hooked wire through the plate and into the mast cavity but cannot for the life of me manage to find the weighted line.  I know that it shoud be there because the length of line was more than enough for the mast height - unless it snagged on something on the way down.

There is a s/s collar at the bottom of the mast just above the pulleys and removal of this may give access to the interior of the mast - I'm only guessing here - but the screws just won't budge.  It may be that they are completely seized to the mast (not surprising after 30 odd years) or they may in fact be the heads of bolts and cannot be moved without lowering the mast.

I'm completely at a loss and would appreciate any suggestions!

Many thanks for the various suggestions.  I went alongside the quay wall at Emerald Quay as soon as there was sufficient water after low tide on Saturday but even then the mast head was too high to access from the quayside.

I had considered mounting  a ladder on the foredeck but had dismissed it on the basis that I would be swaying with the roll of the boat which doesn't appeal.  If however, I site the ladder on the side deck instead it might work.

Thanks for that Steve.  The problem is that the mast and, more particularly, the main halyard aren't very substantial whereas I am (12 1/2 stone).  Additionally, although I do have sheet winches on the side decks and a jib halyard winch on top of the cabin, I don't have one on the mast itself.  I do, however, take your point on it being easier to refit the halyard if the mast is vertical.  The ideal scanario would be to find a place somewhere along the canal where I could access the masthead but I can't think of such a place.  Perhaps the big lock at springs?

My 22ft Sparta is on a club mooring at Southwick.  Last week I foolishly managed to pull the jib halyard completely out of the mast and I am trying to devise some way of putting it back which doesn't involve going up the mast or the mast coming down.  However, I'm more or less resigned to the fact the mast will need to come down.  Never having carried out the procedure before I'm more than a little apprehensive – not least about setting up the standing rigging correctly afterwards. I'd appreciate any suggestions or guidance.