I am going to need to replace replace a halyard on my new tub and I want to do it without taking the mast down.
Is it really as simple as butt joining the old with the new (maybe a bit of stitching/whipping) and gently pulling it all through, or am I missing something? I thought I read on here that to prevent stretch some halyards were spliced into wire rope. Is this a thing of the past with modern rope material?
It really is that simple. I did mine by stitching the 2 together. Took 30 min to do 4 halyards.
To easy , thanks.
I don't race and don't intend to. Would I get away with pre stretched polyester (I know this has been hammered on here before, but I usually don't fair too well with the search function)
On my old girl she still had wire halayards spliced to rope
If your halayards are just rope just butt them up and pull through gently
If it has wire spliced to rope your mast sheaths might be a bit on the small side
Select to expand quoteToph said..
To easy , thanks.
I don't race and don't intend to. Would I get away with pre stretched polyester (I know this has been hammered on here before, but I usually don't fair too well with the search function)
Depends. Double braid polyester for spinnaker halyards and headsail and mainsail halyards on a cruising yacht. Race boat might be better with Spectra or Dyneema for the headsail and mainsail. The exotics will probably triple the price{Dyneema]
Select to expand quoteToph said..
I did price the two Ramona. Not quiet triple, but damn close to it
Mate was on the phone yesterday complaining about the cost for his boat. Main and headsail halyards in Dyneema, $600!!!!!.
I am about to replace one of my spinnaker halyards with double braid and I'm surprised how cheap it is these days, $2.20 per metre for 10mm.
Toph, I know your new boat (Mikado) and on that boat I would not consider anything but Spectra halyards. Wire rope are old school and are a lot more prone to breaking, as well you would have to change the sheaves to wire sheaves.
Double braid is cheaper but it's SOOO stretchy! With sailcloth getting better everyday, having to winch up the halyard every tack just grates me the wrong way. :(
I have wire spliced to 12mm rope it good no problems but i'm going to change to spectra next time i lower the mast, its just easier
Select to expand quoteJode5 said..
Toph, I know your new boat (Mikado) and on that boat I would not consider anything but Spectra halyards. Wire rope are old school and are a lot more prone to breaking, as well you would have to change the sheaves to wire sheaves.
Hi Jode5, yes that's correct. Kind of curious how you concluded that though 
. I was there one weekend when you came back in (I recognised the name of your Hanse. Very nice.
thanks for your input. I will certainly look into it. Can I ask why though? Is it that polyester will have too much stretch over that length 
Looking at replacing halyards now. 12mm spectra for main and headsail, I think double braid poly is fine for spinnaker halyard. I'd only buy quality brands like Donaghys which is common in Aus. Wouldn't trust unknown stuff on eBay. Boat your size, Id reckon you'd regret going cheap!
Get on the mailing list and keep an eye on places like this for specials on spools. They had 33% off for 3 days recently which made their prices hard to beat.
ropesgalore.com.au
Select to expand quoteFreeRadical said..
Get on the mailing list and keep an eye on places like this for specials on spools. They had 33% off for 3 days recently which made their prices hard to beat.
ropesgalore.com.au
Good service from these guys too!!
Select to expand quoteFreeRadical said..
Looking at replacing halyards now. 12mm spectra for main and headsail, I think double braid poly is fine for spinnaker halyard. I'd only buy quality brands like Donaghys which is common in Aus. Wouldn't trust unknown stuff on eBay. Boat your size, Id reckon you'd regret going cheap!
Get on the mailing list and keep an eye on places like this for specials on spools. They had 33% off for 3 days recently which made their prices hard to beat.
ropesgalore.com.au
Ropesgalore prices are cheaper than some of the eBay shops selling the same brand. Nothing wrong with shopping on eBay for cordage if the description is correct. I recently bought some climbing rope which was about $8 a metre {Australian}, same rope from China was about $25 for the full length and probably first class quality but I played safe! Of course the rope will be hauled up on an existing halyard and the weakest part will still be the masthead sheave [1200kg]. I still can not get over how cheap rope is nowadays really.
The Dyneema 12mm halyards my mate bought are a fair bit cheaper than ropesgalore too just as a matter of interest.
Select to expand quoteFreeRadical said..
Looking at replacing halyards now. 12mm spectra for main and headsail, I think double braid poly is fine for spinnaker halyard. I'd only buy quality brands like Donaghys which is common in Aus. Wouldn't trust unknown stuff on eBay. Boat your size, Id reckon you'd regret going cheap!
Get on the mailing list and keep an eye on places like this for specials on spools. They had 33% off for 3 days recently which made their prices hard to beat.
ropesgalore.com.au
Yes, on long halyards stretch is a pain. This area is like a small town and word get round pretty quick.
Are your halyards 12mm Toph. If so, we could go in together and get 2 x 100m spools which is the cheapest length. That would give us different colours for main and heady. I'm guessing my main about 40m required.
Select to expand quoteFreeRadical said..
Are your halyards 12mm Toph. If so, we could go in together and get 2 x 100m spools which is the cheapest length. That would give us different colours for main and heady. I'm guessing my main about 40m required.
When are you looking at replacing them Rad? I was only going to replace the Spinnaker halyard, but I am certainly open to replacing the main. At least I will know where I am at as the boat didn't come with any really known history (the previous owner of the gent I bought it off didn't even have it registered. He thought the boats Aust registration covered state registration as well).
Mikado is still in Brisbane, but I am happy to divvy up the rope here over a beer. I was going to get in touch with you early in the new year anyway to prick your brains about coming over the Top End....
Sorry for the delay McN, I plan on doing mine next week all being good, I will post some pics.
Currently the halyard has to be winched at the mast and the lines in poor condition, its not long enough to reach the cockpit or to put a reef in the main :( Not sure what the previous owner did maybe never did.
The sheeve on the mast head will take both wire and rope but i will check it out and replace if needed.
Now i just gotta work out how the mast lowering set up works.
I got lots to learn.
Cheers
Hey guys,
If anyone needs best pricing on spectra or double braid, shoot me a p/m. I keep most colours in 6, 8, 10 and 12mm spectra and double braid in stock.
Just a few notes on halyards
- Yes D/B fine for symetrical kites but if you're flying assy's shy then look at spectra
- For the most part there is no need to splice. I use a halyard knot in nearly every halyard I do. A splice creates a big stiff section right at the last two feet of hoist which not only makes the last 2ft a pain to hoist but also causes alot more chafe. Tha halyard knot will decrease the strength by about 40% but in most cases we are sizing the spectra for stretch, not strength.
- If you do want splicing I recommend tipping your spectra with smaller dyneema, 10mm spectra into 8mm dyneema for example. Tip lengths are usually between 5-10m and mean you can do a brummel on the end for the shackle, have a small diameter through your masthead sheave and you can replace or shorten the tip easily.
Select to expand quotedarmah said..
Sorry for the delay McN, I plan on doing mine next week all being good, I will post some pics.
Currently the halyard has to be winched at the mast and the lines in poor condition, its not long enough to reach the cockpit or to put a reef in the main :( Not sure what the previous owner did maybe never did.
The sheeve on the mast head will take both wire and rope but i will check it out and replace if needed.
Now i just gotta work out how the mast lowering set up works.
I got lots to learn.
Cheers
Thanks Darma,
My mast doesn't lower, and I have had trouble with the sheaves. I have replaced the main halyard with smaller diameter spectra but still have trouble raising main. Foresail is wire/rope winched at mast and is a nightmare to pull up. It may be that I will have to replace the sheaves which I will do up the mast, not by pulling the mast out as the local rigger thoought would be necessary. Hoping replacing the wire/rope halyard with spectra will help.
Select to expand quoteToph said..FreeRadical said..
Are your halyards 12mm Toph. If so, we could go in together and get 2 x 100m spools which is the cheapest length. That would give us different colours for main and heady. I'm guessing my main about 40m required.
When are you looking at replacing them Rad? I was only going to replace the Spinnaker halyard, but I am certainly open to replacing the main. At least I will know where I am at as the boat didn't come with any really known history (the previous owner of the gent I bought it off didn't even have it registered. He thought the boats Aust registration covered state registration as well).
Mikado is still in Brisbane, but I am happy to divvy up the rope here over a beer. I was going to get in touch with you early in the new year anyway to prick your brains about coming over the Top End....
Not in any great rush, just keeping an eye out for discounts.
You can sometimes get good spectra from the parasailing guys, they have to replace it regularly even though it is in good nick. But there isn't enough stretch in 12mm double braid to worry a cruising boat.
Machined out the old corroded wire groove in the masthead sheaves to suit my new rope halyards.
Went with 12mm polyester for the spinnacker halyard
I am about to re-rig my Lotus 9.2. It is a strong and simple rig being single spreader, non tapered mast with fore and aft lowers, cap shrouds, forestay and backstay with effective tensioner.
I have taken the furler off not to be refitted this time around.
The question is about halyards. I am thinking 12 mm quality double braid for all halyards and whether halyard knots for attaching halyard shackles would be advisable. If I cut the ends off say every 12 months and moved the knots up onto fresh line, that should avoid failure of the attachments wouldn't it??
The yacht will be doing local club racing (only for the sake of using the boat regularly) and cruising from Bundaberg down the Great Sandy Straits and up to the Keppels and maybe the Whitsundays.
All opinions welcome.
Edit:- The rig is 11.5 metres tall.
Select to expand quotecisco said..
I am about to re-rig my Lotus 9.2. It is a strong and simple rig being single spreader, non tapered mast with fore and aft lowers, cap shrouds, forestay and backstay with effective tensioner.
I have taken the furler off not to be refitted this time around.
The question is about halyards. I am thinking 12 mm quality double braid for all halyards and whether halyard knots for attaching halyard shackles would be advisable. If I cut the ends off say every 12 months and moved the knots up onto fresh line, that should avoid failure of the attachments wouldn't it??
The yacht will be doing local club racing (only for the sake of using the boat regularly) and cruising from Bundaberg down the Great Sandy Straits and up to the Keppels and maybe the Whitsundays.
All opinions welcome.
Edit:- The rig is 11.5 metres tall.
I think you would find too much stretch in double braid, but that's me and I'm a racing sailor!!
I hate pulling a sail up to a point only to readjust 6 times during a race because the halyard stretch is causing wrinkles/creases when i don't want them to be or making then bigger than I want.
But then again, I am a racing sailor and that may not bother some and you're probably only talking 50mm of halyard drop on you main in 20 knots during a race which you could take up as you go round with the cunningham or tighten downhill for the headsail
It also depends on your clutch set up but....
Price wise there is no comparison (add a bit for freight)
8mm spectra $4.16 inc gst p/m
10mm spectra $5.81 inc gst p/m
12mm Double braid
$1.80 inc gst p/m
Select to expand quotecisco said..
I am about to re-rig my Lotus 9.2. It is a strong and simple rig being single spreader, non tapered mast with fore and aft lowers, cap shrouds, forestay and backstay with effective tensioner.
I have taken the furler off not to be refitted this time around.
The question is about halyards. I am thinking 12 mm quality double braid for all halyards and whether halyard knots for attaching halyard shackles would be advisable. If I cut the ends off say every 12 months and moved the knots up onto fresh line, that should avoid failure of the attachments wouldn't it??
The yacht will be doing local club racing (only for the sake of using the boat regularly) and cruising from Bundaberg down the Great Sandy Straits and up to the Keppels and maybe the Whitsundays.
All opinions welcome.
Edit:- The rig is 11.5 metres tall.
My yacht is about the same size. I have a pair of spinnaker halyards in 10mm double braid. Pair of headsail halyards and a pair of mainsail halyards in 8mm Spectra. Spinnaker halyards have clips but the working sails have halyard knots. I think cutting off a few inches off the ends every couple years so the wear shifts on the turning sheaves is a good idea.
You don't get much stretch if the headsail is in a furler or a foil, you don't need a lot of tension to get a good set. Going oversize in double braid will reduce stretch and you can get prestretched cheaper than spectra and it is perfectly ok for cruising and even racing with an occasional tweak on the Cunningham.
