halyards?

[mark reed]

I am replacing masthead sheaves, and changing out wire/rope halyards (main/jib/spare jib) for all line. I am also replacing my spinnaker halyard, because the old one is oversized for its sheave.

There are a lot of choices on material out there, and some of the prices are pretty daunting! The boatyard is recommending Warpspeed for main and jib halyards, and sta-set X for spin. T-900 sounds about as good as the Warpspeed, and is cheaper. Anybody want to chime in with other types I should be considering? How about sources?

 

[valentor]

Mark;

I used Warpspeed for my spinnaker halyards and T-900 for my main and jib halyards. The Warpspeed is MUCH easier to splice if you are planning on doing the work yourself for a big cost saving. I've also used Aracom-T for a main halyard.

At apsltd.com, they have a 'sale line' page where you can find cut lengths of high-tech lines at reasonable prices. Sailnet used to have great prices on T-900 during their occasional running rigging sales.

Make sure you order enough length to experiment with a few splices if you plan to do it yourself. Once you figure it out, you can splice a high-tech line in about 15 minutes.

I've had great service and no complaints with all of these materials.

Regards;

-Steve

 

[windjunkee]

Mark,

I also use Warpspeed for all my halyards. I started with just the main and jib with warpspeed and then used StaysetX for my spin halyard, but I switched to the Warpspeed for the Spin as well just this past week. There is no bounce in the halyards with the warpspeed and while that not as big a concern for the spin, the weight-aloft savings and the easy of handling are the primary reasons for the switch-- that and when I bought the stayset, I bought it about 5 feet too short and while it was workable it was too much of a pain to drag it behind the headsail when preparing for the set.
We still have it aloft as a spare now.

Jim McCone
Voice of Reason E-32-2 Hull #134
Redondo Beach, CA

 

[John Wressell]

While it is on the other side of the world for you I'd talk with Annapolis Performance Sailing in Annapolis, MD. Outstanding people and they not only can give you advice but you'll find that their prices are very competitive. We've been buying all of our line from them for years.

John Wressell
Stamford, CT
1983 35, Mark III

 

[wurzner]

I'm must be in the mood for Pain

At the risk of really getting flamed on this site and also showing how thrifty (spelled CHEAP) that I am, I use any double decent braided dacron line I can find. Yes, it does stretch..quite a bit a first. But that soon dissappears and I find that I can still get good sail shape without going to the higher tech ropes. Not to discount that the T-900, Warp Speed, or any of the higher end lines are not better...they certainly are. I have purchased most of my running rigging online and it has served me well. I did have nice stuff on my E32-2 and given the performance difference vis a vis the cost variation, I'm happy using a good double braided line. For the racing I do (which includes pretty heavy winds at time, it has been durable and sufficient for my applications. Maybe I will see a bigger impact when I put my new main on the boat this afternoon and will need to do something different.

OK, I just put on my aspestos suit so fire away!

Shaun

 

[ted_reshetiloff]

Yale vizzion. got it at www.apsltd.com. Great price, not bad on the stretch, nice on the hands. I use it for main and spin and am using marlobraid for the jib but that is about to get changed when I build the new RF halyard. That is going to be 1/4 vectran with cover spliced on where the halyard exits the mast at the top and where it goes through the clutch. I am setting it up so i have a 4 foot tail in the cockpit when the sail is hoisted. To do this I will use a messenger line for hoisting an lowering the sail. Since it is a RF this almost never occurs and as it is set up now I end up with 50+ feet of extra line in the cockpit all summer.

 

[Bob in Va]

Line source

You might try RiggingOnly - I have found them to have the best prices and they deliver very quickly. They did a great job of building me new shrouds and a forestay this spring as well.

 

[Bob Robertson]

I hope it's OK to ask a couple of relative questions.

I also have a 38-200 and am beginning to plan the replacement of my wire halyards. I haven't been up the mast to look and I am wondering how difficult it is to replace the sheaves? I am assuming the job can be done with the mast up.

Do the sheaves have to be replaced because of their size, or is it a problem of the wear they received from the wire halyards? What size sheaves and line is recommended. I am planning to use Warpspeed.

Thanks,

 

[Loren Beach]

Same graduating class ('88)

Hi Bob,
There is a reasonable chance that your '88 model has a very similar Kenyon spar like our boat.
When replacing the original wire halyards I found that the original aluminum sheaves were rough and scored from years of wire abrasion, and that the sheave shape was appropriate for line, and that the width was a smidge too tight for 3/8 but fine for 5/16 line (T-900 @ 7000# strength).

Since my rig is probably about as tall as yours, and a similar double spreader config, perhaps other parts are similar. Only major difference I can imagine is that the 38 uses port and starboard cranes above the forestay attachment. Seth? Guy?
Class? Bueller!?

After all these years it would seem wise to remove the sheaves and axels for a good checkup, anyway. In theory this could be done by going up the mast IF (!) the screws that retain the axel pins have not jammed due to bi-metalic corrosion, like ours were. Good thing for us the spar was down for a re-rig.

Keep us posted.

Regards,
Loren
'88 Olson 34 tall rig

ps: Lots of related threads on this site - here is just one. Use the Search icon in the blue bar above this...
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?t=1884&referrerid=28

 

[mark reed]

Following up

Looks like we will re-step the mast on Friday - finally! Thanks to all for your input. I ended up getting 3/8" Warpspeed (Defender, $2.14/ft) for main and jib halyards, and 3/8" XLS Extra T (Defender, $1.01/ft) for spare jib and spin halyards. think the XLS would have been sufficient for all halyards (nod to Shaun), but I was swayed by the number of positive reviews I saw, here and elsewhere, on Warpspeed.
I also ordered a couple of the newer Lewmar rope clutches that can be released under pressure, since that has been an issue for the Admiral at times. Double clutches for 3/8-7/16" were on sale at Defender for $118.
To answer Bob Robertson's questions, we replaced the sheaves primarily due to wear, and to make sure they would not damage the new all-rope halyards. It looks to me like it would be difficult to replace the sheaves while the mast is up. Also, after our new sheaves (and axles) were installed, the yard found that there was some play in the hole bored through the mast, so they re-bored the mast, the sheaves, and installed larger diameter sheave axles. Our center sheaves (main/jib) will accomodate up to 7/16" line, while the wing sheaves (spare jib/spin) are limited to 3/8".

At any rate, if you do pull the stick, you can do other stuff while you're at it. We replaced all wiring, standing rigging, and installed a new masthead LED tricolor/anchor light, and a set of folding steps for working at the masthead. Would have been nice to paint the spar, too, but corrosion is not too bad yet, and we are out of $$ for now!

 

[Rocinante33]

Halyards

There is an interesting article about halyard selection in the new (Aug '07) Practical Sailor. In it they graph the cost of line vs. stretch. Warpspeed fares vey well in their comparison. So does Yale Crystalyne. Their study does confuse a bit because the have included some different sized line; 5/16" Warpspeed & Crystalyne vs. 7/16" XLS extra, for example. Still, it does give good info on halyard selection.

 

[jkm]

Shaun

That's ok I did the same thing.

Cost is always a factor and the "spring" soon was lost and the lines work just fine.

Being a thrifty New Englander I wanted a line that I could easily splice and afford.

John

 

[FrankJ]

38-200 1989 Halyards

HI , I need some help.

Does someone recall how long the halyards are for the 38-200 1989,that are led aft. I don't have access to my mast ,as its in winter storage. The spec.s in the owners manuel calls for 123 feet x 3/8". I looking at the XLS extra by Samson lines. I'd appreciate some advice.

Frank

 

[ted_reshetiloff]

123 is probably about right. IIRC there is a spec sheet for runnign rigging for the 38 on this site. Includes length for led aft. OEM specs were wire and rope so you have to add the two. One thing I like to do is make the main halyard long enough to be used for hauling heavy things like batteries aboard when the boat is on the hard. Vertical clearance for the 38 is about 55' so with the deep keel call it 62', add back 55' and another 15 to the cockpit and you are at 132'. FWIW I made a shortened furler halyard that is really nice for cleaning up the cockpit. You use a messenger line for hoisting and lowering but the rest of the time you only have 4' of excess in the cockpit when the sail is hoisted. Splice a soft eye in the bottom end for attaching the messenger.

 

[Rhynie]

Frank,
Take a look at Cajun Trading, just Google them. I have used their lines on my last two boats and have been very satisfied. I do beer can racing and it is plenty adequate for that level of use. I'll probably replace some running rigging this spring and will use their product.

 

[Mort Fligelman]

"Soft Eye"

Ted:

One fantastic idea to get rid of one large PIA coil of line.......sail goes up once a season (Most of the time) and the idea of using a messinger really appeals to me......but for the life of me I have never heard of a "Soft Eye Splice"

Any information, or if it is to be found in a manual or specific book would be very welcome information.....

Thanks

 

[ted_reshetiloff]

Sorry a soft eye is just an eye splice in the cover portion. It is also called a reeving splice. Take a look here:

http://www.apsltd.com/c-1539-splicingservices-halyardssheetsguys.aspx


FWIW I used 3/8 Yale Crystalene for the genoa halyard. I was going to strip cover inside the mast but ended up not bothering. Because I only needed to buy 60' instead of the full length it allowed me to afford the better line. Wow what a difference a vectran core makes in this application. I have about a 4' tail that allows me to adjust halyard tension for light to heavy air. When Im done sailing for the day I pop the clutch and unload the halyard to avoid over stressing the sail.