Big Problem while sailing yesterday [Main Halyard]

[kiwisailor]

I prefer to use a halyard hitch on the main. https://www.animatedknots.com/halyard-hitch-knot

 

[Shannon & Doran Jones]

Thanks for this great idea! I've ordered one, but it won't arrive till March 4th.
So in the meantime I'll try various ways of moving the other halyards to get them out of the way, but I'm guessing the old one wrapped itself around something. Maybe the camera will show that when it arrives.
Frank

Frank we have a camera and can bring it in for you.

 

[southofvictor]

Good luck Frank! Just catching up on your post after a week away and the only other thing I could think of (if you haven’t tried already) would be to get the halyard that’s pulling the main halyard up with it (genoa or spin?) all the way to the top exit and see if you can see the knot. If you can see it you might be able to work it loose.

Understand that you’re over it so mostly just thinking out loud what I might try in the same situation. The Blackline guys should have you taken care of in short order. I’ll be interested to hear what was going on. Good luck!

 

[Frank Langer]

Update:
I got to Blackline marine in Sidney today, encountering hail, snow and rain on the way.
Although my appointment was for 2 days from now, they made time to work on my stuck halyard. After 2 hours of painstaking work the rigger got it freed. It required messenger lines on the Genoa and Spinnaker halyards, as both moved when I pulled on the stuck halyard. By alternately pulling on each, he got the knot at the end of the halyard to the mast exit hole, then pulled, cut strands in the knot and eventually pulled it through.
I'm so impressed with this rigger (Jeff) and Blackline marine for their work today, and when I replaced my forestay 4 years ago, same rigger. I have no other experience with them, but would recommend them highly based on these two experiences.
Thanks again to all of you who posted suggestions--I love this forum!!
Frank

 

[Christian Williams]

I like it when it was a challenge even to the rigger. Means we didn't give up too early.

Congrats. And now we've all checked the condition of our halyard splices....

 

[Dave G.]

Frank, did you have to reuse the halyard or replace it ? Splice or knot at the shackle ?

 

[Loren Beach]

Regarding the never-ending discussion of Splice vs Knot...

Halyard Shackle Knot questions

I have gotten along fine with "anchor bend" knots to hold our hi-tech halyards to their snap shackles for over a decade. This week I started the little project of bringing the halyards down one at a time to run them gently through the wash. (Cold water, mild soap, thorough rinse, and air...

ericsonyachts.org

I use a knot for our halyards, FWIW.

 

[Frank Langer]

Dave,
I decided to replace the halyard --rope is better now, more good options. The rigger persuaded me to let him splice the new halyard to the shackle, as a knot always weakens it a bit re breaking strength. I reluctantly agreed to the splice, given my experience with the splice breaking, but he assured me it won't break.
Frank

 

[Dave G.]

Regarding the never-ending discussion of Splice vs Knot...

Yes ! It seems it is purely what you are personally comfortable with. I tend to lean the knot direction as I like to "renew" periodically by cutting off a few inches and or flip it end to end. UV, in my mind anyway, seems to be the biggest issue when it comes to a long term failure and I just feel more comfortable being able to somewhat mitigate that exposure.

 

[Dave G.]

but he assured me it won't break.

I think you had said your halyard was oldish ? I'm pretty sure UV finally reared it's ugly result and the new line/splice will probably outlive the previous. What type of rope is the new halyard ?

 

[G Kiba]

One thing nice about Dyneema core is that you can splice it again even after it has been used. That is if you don't include the cover in the splice.

 

[Frank Langer]

I think you had said your halyard was oldish ? I'm pretty sure UV finally reared it's ugly result and the new line/splice will probably outlive the previous. What type of rope is the new halyard ?

Dave,
The rigger said that on examining the broken halyard, he thinks the splice was faulty, and was surprised it lasted as long as it had. The new halyard is 10 mm Samson MLX3 Blue Tracer, an improvement on their MLX line. The rigger recommended it over Yacht Braid which stretches much more. In reading about the MLX3 it sounds quite amazing (as much as a halyard can). It is light weight, strong, doesn't absorb water, very low stretch, easier to splice than MLX, etc. The rigger said it would be a noticeable difference because the yacht braid stretching a bit would make the sail sag a bit in a stronger breeze, causing scallops in the luff and deeper draft, requiring more sail trim underway, whereas the MLX3 will not do that. It is a bit pricey, at $2.50 / ft. Canadian, about $1.85 / ft. US.
Frank

 

[Nick J]

Dave,
The rigger said that on examining the broken halyard, he thinks the splice was faulty, and was surprised it lasted as long as it had. The new halyard is 10 mm Samson MLX3 Blue Tracer, an improvement on their MLX line. The rigger recommended it over Yacht Braid which stretches much more. In reading about the MLX3 it sounds quite amazing (as much as a halyard can). It is light weight, strong, doesn't absorb water, very low stretch, easier to splice than MLX, etc. The rigger said it would be a noticeable difference because the yacht braid stretching a bit would make the sail sag a bit in a stronger breeze, causing scallops in the luff and deeper draft, requiring more sail trim underway, whereas the MLX3 will not do that. It is a bit pricey, at $2.50 / ft. Canadian, about $1.85 / ft. US.
Frank

That's exacly what I ended up with for all the same reasons. When compared with Dyneema cored lines, the cost is reasonable. My only complaint so far is the cover is a little more slippery than the older stuff we had and requires 1 to 2 more turns on the winch drum. It probably has more to do with the OD of the line compared with what my old Barriant STs were designed to hold then the cover itself. It's an easy adjustment though and I can tell the difference.

Did the rigger mentioned how the splice failed?

 

[Frank Langer]

That's exacly what I ended up with for all the same reasons. When compared with Dyneema cored lines, the cost is reasonable. My only complaint so far is the cover is a little more slippery than the older stuff we had and requires 1 to 2 more turns on the winch drum. It probably has more to do with the OD of the line compared with what my old Barriant STs were designed to hold then the cover itself. It's an easy adjustment though and I can tell the difference.

Did the rigger mentioned how the splice failed?

No, he didn't know why it failed. He assured me that his splice on the new halyard would not fail.
Frank

 

[bgary]

The new halyard is 10 mm Samson MLX3 B

+1 on MLX-3. I made my main halyard with it, good line (I went with 8mm, plenty strong enough IMO and works fine in my self-tailer)

I also use MLX for my reef-lines.

Bruce