Halyards

[Dolphin]

G'Day All,
Felicite is getting a bit tired in the halyard department. They have been in the sun for many years now and they're showing a lot of sun damage. What is everyone using for their halyards? These are the typical wire to rope spliced type. I was thinking of using Spectra (Kevlar) in one piece, so I'd not have to swage an eye in it in situ.
Thanks Greg, Felicite.

[storm petrel]

Hi Greg,

On Storm Petrel (Mk11) I use one piece spectra for the halyards. When I replaced the main halyard last year I had an eye splice put in at a riggers and simply ran the new halyard through after sewing and taping it the old one. I have since had her out in 30 knots and the new halyard showed no sign of stretching. Be sure your masthead fitting is wide enough to take the spectra and be careful that the splice is not so long that it jams in the masthead (something that happened on a previous halyard I had replaced).

The halyard was a lot easier than resealing the pushpit - a job that I have put off for a year but finaly did yesterday with a mate. Being squeezed up in the bow, upsidedown, while trying to loosen jammed nuts is not my idea of a fun afternoon.

Cheers,
Mark

[Tales]

We have had two seasons on Spectra halyards. They so seem to need a slight retenison after a while(1/4 - 1/2 hour?) but easy to handle.
Also they can be 'end for ended' to prolong their life.
Cheers,
Tom

[longdeepthinker]

G`day,
Thanks for the posts.

Would you please tell me what diameter Spectra you used for your halyards?

Thanks alot,

John.

[Tales]

We have been using 8mm diameter.
Smaller would probably be ok but 8mm is easier on the hands.
Don't to forget to check the sheaves before you change. Some are made for wire, some for rope and some for both.
Cheers,
Tom

[longdeepthinker]

Thanks alot Tom.

John,

[Miker]

OK, so I've priced the spectra from Whitworths, and may opt for 12mm at this stage, not so much for the strength, but so I don't have any problems with the deck jammer not retaining the halyard. Might get a sample of 8mm and check out whether it slips.

The next question is connection to the top plate of the sail. Some have said, splice a stainless eye with a captive shackle. Others on other forums say use a simple bowline with no shackle. Then there is the idea of just tying a big stopper knot as in http://www.sail-world.com/Cruising/Five ... sing/59962 (look at point 3).

In speaking to the manager at Mona Vale Whitworths, he suggested tying a bowline around a stainless eye, then whipping the tail of the bowline so it's neat, then using the usual captive shackle, hence not needing to splice, or worry about a bowline slipping undone and having the halyard run through the sheave..... in his opinion a knot in spectra isn't going to weaken the cord by enough to make it a worry.

Thoughts, just to try and rid the clanking halyards at anchor.....

Michael

[Galini]

Michael, if all you are worried about is clanking halyards at anchor then simply take the headsail halyards forward and secure to the pulpit and the main halyard aft and secure to the boom (probably at the same eye as the topping lift). No more clanking, no more damaged paint on the mast and heaps cheap.

[Miker]

Thanks Gary,

It's not the clanking on the outside that is the problem. It's steel cables on the inside of the mast. I have the combination steel/rope Main and Headsail halyard set up, with the headsail on a furler. When at anchor I think it's the headsail halyard that's making all the racket and there is no way to tighten it any further, so the only other action would be to lower the headsail, something I'd rather not have to do. The mast is also bare ally, so there is no worry about the paint.

Michael

[storm petrel]

Hi Michael,

Why not get a rigger to put an eye splice in end of your new halyard. From memory, I sent my halyard in a post pack to a rigger in Sydney who put an eyesplice in it and returned it for something like $30. It looks a lot neater (the outer cover surrounds the entire splice) than a knot and as I will probably get >10yrs out of it, I thought it was not a lot to invest.

Cheers,
Mark