Wire to rope main halyard

Aug 20, 2015
16
Oday daysailer Nantahala
I'm replacing the lines on my 1974 daysailer 2. How do I attach the main rope halyard to the wire one. The previous owner seems to have bent it over and whipped both sides together which seems wrong to me. Any suggestions? I've considered switching to rope only but it looks like I'd need to replace the pulley wheels to fit the thicker rope.

Thanks
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Meh!

For a boat that is higher performance, I would get rid of the wire to rope halyard, and replace it with Dyneema.

My GP14 is a wire to rope halyard, with a bracket to catch a swage on the wire. When I finally get around to restoring it, I'll replace that bracket with an alloy clam cleat, and a Dyneema core halyard with a plastic button at the top. The button loops through the headboard, lessening weight compared to a metal halyard shackle. Anyway, I'll probably get something with polyester cover, and strip the cover so that the poly cover holds in the clam cleat, but the bare Dyneema core goes up the mast. Again, less weight. It is a racing class boat, after all...

The old wire to rope stuff was predicated on the low stretch of the wire, with the rope to provide something nice for the hands. Nowadays, Dyneema stretches less than the wire.
 

jwing

.
Jun 5, 2014
503
ODay Mariner Guntersville
My boat came with a wire/rope halyard. The rope has an eye splice at one end, captured by a thimble at the end of the wire. This has worked well. The rope's cover has failed several feet away from the thimble, so I ordered a replacement. I plan to tie into the thimble using a halyard hitch. That way, I can leave the thimble undisturbed.

I might have done away with the wire and gone all rope, but I, too, was concerned about the thickness of the rope vs. the wire and the masthead sheave. I read that 5/16" rope will ride high in the sheave and not bind in an O'Day Mariner masthead sheave. However, replacing the rope in kind is the simplest and least expensive solution that I know will work. Reliable, easy, inexpensive: the solution hits all three of my first-attempt criteria.
 
Aug 20, 2015
16
Oday daysailer Nantahala
The kits seem expensive and most research I've done says that all rope halyard is probably better than half and half. I like the idea of the cheap fix of a halyard hitch. I've just had another look at the pulley wheels on the mast top and they seem to have significant UV damage. If I go for replacing with all rope 3/8" is recommended seems a bit tight, even with replacement pullies, I think 5/16" would be adequate. Two questions;
1. what diameter halyard would you recommend?
2. It looks fairly straight forward to drill out the rivets and remove the pulley wheels and replace them. Agreed?

Thanks for you're thoughts, really appreciated.
 
Aug 20, 2015
16
Oday daysailer Nantahala
OK, this looks like what I need, thanks. The info I had said I needed the 3/8 line but 1/4" seems to be just fine, thought it was overkill! Thanks for getting back to me, I think I'll go with this.
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Yes, definitely, 3/8" is waaaaay overkill on a 17' daysailer. I use 1/4" Vectran cored line for my O'day 192, and that's probably overkill. I had used 1/4" FSE Robline Dinghy Control Dyneema cored line for my 15' Harpoon's halyards, and that was mostly out of concern for hand feel. With the strength of Dyneema, I could probably have use 3/16" with no problems.

Much of the time, running rigging diameter specs on older boats are predicated on older polyester double braid ropes, and were oversized in an attempt to deal with stretch, not strength. High tech ropes don't have the issues with stretch, so using skinnier rope will put less weight aloft.

OK, this looks like what I need, thanks. The info I had said I needed the 3/8 line but 1/4" seems to be just fine, thought it was overkill! Thanks for getting back to me, I think I'll go with this.
 
Aug 20, 2015
16
Oday daysailer Nantahala
Makes sense, I was surprised to find in the old literature that they recommended the 3/8", I could tow my car with that!
 
Last edited:
Jun 2, 2004
1,923
Oday Day Sailer Wareham, MA
I have always used 1/4" Dacron double-braid for the halyards on my DS II. I used New England Ropes "Sta-Set" (the general purpose grade) and it works fine for me, no need to go fancier unless you race and even then I wouldn't go too high-tech.

O’DAY RIGGING SPECS FOR DAY SAILER II
(Taken from a 1979 O’DAY memo and info provided by D&R Marine)


RUNNING RIGGING:

MAIN HALYARD: ¼” x 45’ Dacron Shackle spliced to end

MAINSHEET:
(Mid-Boom-1974-85) 3/8” x 25’ Dacron Double-Braid (Spliced to becket on block)

(1971-74 end-boom) 3/8” x 38’ Dacron Double-Braid

DOWNHAUL: ¼” x 36” Dacron Double-Braid

OUTHAUL: ¼” x 8’ 6” Dacron (For “Block-Action” outhaul)
¼” x 7’ Dacron (for stock outhaul)

JIB HALYARD: ¼” x 31’ Dacron Shackle spliced to one end

JIB SHEETS: 5/16” x 22’ Dacron Double-Braid (11’ each side)

BOOM-VANG: ¼” x 10’ Dacron Double-Braid Spliced to becket on single block
¼” x 24” Dacron Double-Braid Line to fasten lower block to mast


CENTERBOARD:
Lowering line 5/16” x 29” Dacron knot in CB recess (mid 1974-85)
1/8” x (?)” 7x19 SS wire (1971-mid 1974)

Control-Line ¼” x 15’6” Dacron 3-strand (1977-85)
¼” x 13’ Dacron 3-strand (mid-1974-early 1977)
¼” x 16’(?) Dacron 3-strand (1971-mid 1974)

Lifting Cable 1/8” – 7x19 Stainless-Steel wire approx. 24” long
(15 ½” between Nicropress sleeves that form loops at each end.)
Shock-Cord 14” x 10 ½” (14” of cord with a loop in each end)

STANDING RIGGING

Head stay: 1/8” x 15’11 ½”

Side stays (Shrouds): (2): 1/8” x 15’11”

*Original Head stay and side stays were 3/32” 1x19 SS wire, but most boats have been upgraded to 1/8” since 3/32” is not really strong enough.

All standing rigging is SS 1x19 type wire. All standing rigging lengths are with turnbuckle (where applicable) closed from eye to eye. All lengths and specifications are approximate and subject to change without notice.
 
Last edited:

jwing

.
Jun 5, 2014
503
ODay Mariner Guntersville
When sizing your lines to take advantage of modern rope keep in mind:

1) Clutches, cleats, and sheaves may not work if the new line is too much smaller than the old line.

2) Your hands may find small-diameter line too difficult to grip, especially for us old guys. I like my sheets to be softer and bigger than my other lines. For sheets, I go with less costly line that has a bit more stretch.