This "thought" for halyards and sheets for a limited budget trailer sailor my horrorify the true blue sailor, but wouldn't Anchor Line ( its 3 strand isn't it ? ), work as well or is it to stiff to go thru mast head pulleys? I see West Marine has 1/2" x 150' for $110.00. I could cut about 50-60 feet for each of 2 mast head halyards and plenty left for genoa sheet and do the splices myself, The Oday chandlery price is about $250.00 including splices ($20 each). I suppose somebody sells line without any work on the ends, and who might they be? Happy sailing David S.
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Why bother
At $0.61 / ft, why not use real double braid. Your 150' would cost $92.50 rather than $110 from West Marine. Eye splicing in double braid is an easy skill to learn (I did it perfect the first time). Anchor line is made to stretch, so using it for halyards would not be optimum - if you found a really good deal, you might get away with using it for sheets.
At $0.61 / ft, why not use real double braid. Your 150' would cost $92.50 rather than $110 from West Marine. Eye splicing in double braid is an easy skill to learn (I did it perfect the first time). Anchor line is made to stretch, so using it for halyards would not be optimum - if you found a really good deal, you might get away with using it for sheets.
Halyards and sheets
He's Right Dave. When it comes to halyards and sheets, don't scrimp. Get a good braid line like Stay-set-X. You want something that doesn't stretch. All you need for the eye splice is a good set of directions, the proper size fid for the diameter of rope, and the pushing tool. Joe
He's Right Dave. When it comes to halyards and sheets, don't scrimp. Get a good braid line like Stay-set-X. You want something that doesn't stretch. All you need for the eye splice is a good set of directions, the proper size fid for the diameter of rope, and the pushing tool. Joe
Check the strength and the stretch
If you compare the strength between the nylon dock lines and a more appropriate line, I think you'll find that you will need a really big dock line to match, say, 1/4" Sta-Set X which makes good halyards. Unlike regular Sta-Set, Sta-Set X is NOT double braid (the inside core is straight filaments wrapped in gauze) and is even easier to eye-splice. To maintain luff tension and sail shape the halyard mustn't stretch as loads go up - before the "high-tech" lines were available, many halyards were partly made of wire. Often, when moving to a stronger line you will find you can use a smaller size and save some money that way. Small line is okay for halyards which are only handled a couple times each outing but sheets should be big enough that they are comfortable to grip. A soft, flexible double-braid line is preferred by most folks.
If you compare the strength between the nylon dock lines and a more appropriate line, I think you'll find that you will need a really big dock line to match, say, 1/4" Sta-Set X which makes good halyards. Unlike regular Sta-Set, Sta-Set X is NOT double braid (the inside core is straight filaments wrapped in gauze) and is even easier to eye-splice. To maintain luff tension and sail shape the halyard mustn't stretch as loads go up - before the "high-tech" lines were available, many halyards were partly made of wire. Often, when moving to a stronger line you will find you can use a smaller size and save some money that way. Small line is okay for halyards which are only handled a couple times each outing but sheets should be big enough that they are comfortable to grip. A soft, flexible double-braid line is preferred by most folks.
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