Replacing halyard = :-D

[hoppy]

Today I replaced my headsail halyard and I and much happier about it that you perhaps should expect :-D

When I replaced my genoa 4 years ago I found that I could never properly tighten the luff. At the foot of the forestay it was clearly vey loose and had me worried that I had gotten the measurements wrong. Eventually I realised that was not a problem and then this quadcopter photo indicated that perhaps it was the halyard deflector on the roller. I was thinking of adding a deflector on the mast



I've been thinking about adding a 2nd halyard and bought a new halyard. Today I decided it would be better to use the new halyard on the roller so I swapped them over. When I dropped the headsail it did not come down easily and I had to pull it the whole way down.

When I pulled up the old halyard with the new attached I could feel resistance until the moment the new halyard was on the masthead sheave and suddenly it was all so easy.

The headsail then went up so easy that I pulled it up by hand within 50cm of the top. I could have done more but it wasn't worth the effort . I then found I could tighten the luff properly like I've never been able to do before.


Clearly there are advantages to replacing halyards even if the old one's look ok.

[vasko]

btw : what is the procedure to replace a halyard ? do you attach the new one to the old one and pull the old out ? some special,tool ?

[Don Reaves]

You can sew and tape the two halyards end-for-end and hope things stay together. Or better yet, put a reeving splice in the end of each and tie them together with light line. The splice is very easy to make, much easier than a load-bearing eye splice.

Since I store my boat on the hard over the winter with the mast up, I replace the new halyard with the old one each fall to prevent UV damage. Having the splice in each makes it a very easy, secure job.

Don

[MartyB]

WHile you can attach old to new.......Assuming one end has a clip that is permantly attached to the line, one can not do this. So you attach a smaller say 1/8" 3-4 mm line to the loose end, pull thru, the pull the loose end back thru. Making sure NOT to loose the two lines attached to ea other. Sometimes tape works, Other times one can whip/intertwine them together so they do not pull apart.

My typing explanation probably reads harder than it is. Reality is, pretty simple.

Also do not go too big a line, as it might not pull or go thru the sheave real easy. A smaller low stretch line is better, usually stronger too. Less weight aloft, so less potential heeling......

Marty

[hoppy]

Jun 6, 2015 17:01:25 GMT MartyB said:

WHile you can attach old to new.......Assuming one end has a clip that is permantly attached to the line, one can not do this. So you attach a smaller say 1/8" 3-4 mm line to the loose end, pull thru, the pull the loose end back thru. Making sure NOT to loose the two lines attached to ea other. Sometimes tape works, Other times one can whip/intertwine them together so they do not pull apart.

My typing explanation probably reads harder than it is. Reality is, pretty simple.

Also do not go too big a line, as it might not pull or go thru the sheave real easy. A smaller low stretch line is better, usually stronger too. Less weight aloft, so less potential heeling......

Marty

The old line had a knot around a shackle which I cut off as I just did not see any advantage in struggling to untie

What I have always done when replacing the running rigging is to sew whipping twine between the two lines and then some tape. The twine makes sure the lines don't separate and the tape keeps the line smooth for sheaves etc...

[ianpowolny]

Hoppy, you have just described what we have been through on Affinity with her 7 year old Genoa halyards his spring. Next time I have the sail down I'll look at replacing the halyard.

We sew heavy thread through both halyard and moving line - well actually my wife did - and replace all the halyards with mousing line for over wintering. Ian