replacing halyards

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replacing halyards

Postby calden » Mon Oct 17, 2005 7:54 pm

Hey all:

I hope I'm not wearing out my welcome here by asking so many questions. I see that I've got a number of posts up in the last week or two. I am quite appreciative of this resource, and want to get things all set up for sailing so I can hopefully get some time in before the snow flies, and I'll be all set up for spring.

My sailing buddy told me my halyards were getting old. They certainly look it, and the eyes in the line where the cable passes through look scary.

So he suggested that I could replace the entire halyard as one single line, suggesting 3/8" non-stretch dacron. Any comments on this? Anyone done it, or when replacing have you gone with the cable/rope assembly as I have now? Reasons to do so, not do so?

Thanks in advance,

Carlos
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Postby texaspsdx » Tue Oct 18, 2005 7:15 am

I replace mine with 5/16 pre-made halyards from D&R Marine. Glad I did and would recommend you check theirs out.
Ron
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Postby mikemc2392 » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:27 am

I replaced my original cable/rope halyards with all rope, 1/4" Sta-Set X by New England Ropes available from West Marine. I like the all rope halyard because the metal cable wears a groove in the plastic sheave at the top of the mast plus you don't have to worry about the cable to rope splice fraying or coming apart over time. Sta-Set X is a low stretch polyester (Dacron) parallel core double braid line. 1/4" runs smoother through the mast sheave than thicker line and it has a soft cover which makes it easier to grip. I bought 50 feet for the main halyard and 36' for the jib halyard. MikeMc
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halyard cleating

Postby Peter McMinn » Tue Oct 18, 2005 3:07 pm

Happy that you brougth this up, Carlos. My question below might help us both out.

My cable/rope main halyard broke recently and I've replaced it with all rope for the reasons above, but also because it's a heck of a lot cheaper than the wire/rope kits out there. Go with prestretched poly. Mine is 3/8" but 1/4" should suffice.

I do miss my old halyard, though. The ball-stop cleating had three positions for different wind, and I was always assured the cleating would not fail. Now, however, I can't seem to secure the all-rope halyard to satisfactory sail height.

Question to MikeMc and anyone else who once had the cable/rope main halyard: What's the cleanest and fail-safest method for cleating the all-rope main halyard with the main completely raised and staying that way?

Buzz Ballenger hasn't got back to me yet on this, but I think he would insist I not drill any more holes in the mast.
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Postby mikemc2392 » Tue Oct 18, 2005 9:05 pm

I am familiar with the ball stop cleating system used on some boats with metal halyards but my 1966 DS1 never had that set up. My boat has the original horn cleats on the top of the cuddy for securing the rope end of the halyard when the sail is raised. I still use those same cleats and have not had any trouble with securing my new all rope halyards to "satisfactory sail height" and "staying that way". I use the same standard cleat hitch that I used when I had rope/metal halyards. I assume metal halyards were originally used because they don't stretch and so agree you want a good low stretch polyester line. Mike
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