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Main Halyard Question

What type of main halyard do you have?

  • Cable / Line

    Votes: 13 26.5%
  • Line

    Votes: 36 73.5%

  • Total voters
    49

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
Last year we replaced our line/cable halyard with a new all-line halyard. Three days after it was replaced, I found a new line/cable halyard in one of the holds on board. I'm curious, do you have a line/cable halyard or a line halyard? I think the original line/cable was easier to handle under load but it did tend to mark up the mast. Rick
 

toddster

Curator of Broken Parts
Blogs Author
Isn't this constrained somewhat by the sheaves at the masthead? I need to replace one or both of mine soon as well (cable too long, rope too short.)
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
I would guess that the main halyard sheave at the top is 'bout the same for the 80's 32 as it is for out 34.
When I changed all the halyards out, I tried 3/8 and it was really too tight running thru those sheaves.
5/16" T-900 was fine, and with about 7K pounds of break strength it's way over-strong for the application.
Holds tight, with nothing to spare, in our old stock clutches, too.

Loren
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
When we sold our Ericson at age 15 it still had the original line-cable halyards, though I had replaced the rest of the running rigging by then. I had washed the line tails a couple of times, but since they and the cables were still going strong I never replaced them. As mentioned above doing so would have required replacing the sheaves, and I am embarrassed to admit that I could never even figure out how to remove them from the masthead.
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
For what it's worth, I had a rigger go up the mast this week and look at the sheaves, among other things. In his opinion there is no problem going straight to line with my 1985 sheaves. He recommends any of the new lowest stretch, either 3/8 or 5/16ths. When I do change my halyards I won't be using his $5/foot product, but something more in the $1.50 range.

My original halyards are still quite usable, although the line has swollen some. IWhen I make the change I'll put winches on the mast, a setup I prefer for shorthanded sailing.

The rigger's inspection revealed a deep crack in the swage of the top fitting of my port lowers. It was on the underside--I completely missed it when I was up there in June.

Both lowers being changed out today.
 

Rick R.

Contributing Partner
For what it's worth, I had a rigger go up the mast this week and look at the sheaves, among other things. In his opinion there is no problem going straight to line with my 1985 sheaves. He recommends any of the new lowest stretch, either 3/8 or 5/16ths. When I do change my halyards I won't be using his $5/foot product, but something more in the $1.50 range.

My original halyards are still quite usable, although the line has swollen some. IWhen I make the change I'll put winches on the mast, a setup I prefer for shorthanded sailing.

The rigger's inspection revealed a deep crack in the swage of the top fitting of my port lowers. It was on the underside--I completely missed it when I was up there in June.

Both lowers being changed out today.

We had ours inspected two years ago but we should do so again. I like the idea of the winch on the mast too.
 

Matey

Member III
Stretch

Last year we replaced our line/cable halyard with a new all-line halyard. Three days after it was replaced, I found a new line/cable halyard in one of the holds on board. I'm curious, do you have a line/cable halyard or a line halyard? I think the original line/cable was easier to handle under load but it did tend to mark up the mast. Rick

The enemy is stretch. Wire to line has minimal, does add weight aloft .. but our masts are oversized anyway IMHO. If one chooses to go with line, I would not skimp. Lots of inexpensive (Sta-Set) and the like lines can stretch 4 or 5 inches when loaded. Exactly what you don't want to do to your sail (relax the luff) when it's honkin'

Regards, Greg
 

Rocinante33

Contributing Partner
Sampson XLS Extra T. It's a good compromise of not too costly & low stretch. I have had Sta-Set X before, but I prefer the XLS Etra T. It has better "hand."
 

Shelman

Member III
Blogs Author
shiv conversion

I removed the main halyard shiv and the foresail shiv and used a properly sized round file to file the V-notch to a nice round shape for the all rope halyard to sit in. I finished up with fine sandpaper and it is really smooth and shaped just right. I have been running this way for four years now and have not had any chafe. The shiv was aluminum so the job was not difficult. I use 1/2" Sta-set by New England Ropes and have been very happy with the results.
 
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