I need to replace my halyards on my Oday 22 and was wondering is there a standard color used for the Main halyard and the Jib halyard?
Halyard color coding
- Thread starter ami342
- Start date
I have a red fleck and a blue fleck. Some people are into red and green; I just want them different colors so I can tell a non-sailor which one to uncleat or pull on.
Our boats are comparatively simple rigs, so it's pretty easy to understand the lines in the first place.
Our boats are comparatively simple rigs, so it's pretty easy to understand the lines in the first place.
Selden has a Standing Rigging Tuning Guide in which it lists colors for different lines. I also recently was looking at lines on a suppliers website and it listed a color code chart for running rigging.
I didn't worry about what was "correct" or "standard", just what went where and was associated with what. From the cockpit I can reach 6 lines.
IE:
Main Halyard = White /w Blue Fleck
Main Sheet = Solid Blue
Jib Halyard = White w/ Red Fleck
Jib Sheet = Solid Red
Jib Furling = White w/ Green Fleck
Reef Luff = White Black Fleck
Reef Leach = Solid Black
The most important reason for color coding lines was it made the Admiral happy. Made it easier for her to understand what went where.
I didn't worry about what was "correct" or "standard", just what went where and was associated with what. From the cockpit I can reach 6 lines.
IE:
Main Halyard = White /w Blue Fleck
Main Sheet = Solid Blue
Jib Halyard = White w/ Red Fleck
Jib Sheet = Solid Red
Jib Furling = White w/ Green Fleck
Reef Luff = White Black Fleck
Reef Leach = Solid Black
The most important reason for color coding lines was it made the Admiral happy. Made it easier for her to understand what went where.
Ami342, I started this with one of my dinghies, using a red/white for jib halyard running down port side of the mast, and green/white for main, down starboard side. Just like running lights, and that was my sole reason for the color choices. I carried this over to my bigger boat, but the covers for the Vectran cored line (I shouldn't have bothered to spend all the money for) were solid red and green. And then I put a brilliant yellow with black flecked line up for my spinnaker halyard, because, you know, there's yellow on the chute. I also got some custom made red/white/blue 5/16" New England Salasa for jib sheets, with the thought that I could get 3/8" to match - but then discovered I couldn't. The least obnoxious standard colored Salsa is the grey/white/yellow with colored flecks, so I settled for that on the main sheet.
Now I look at the boat, and I find it to be rather garish. If I had it do over again, (in what, 10 years when the halyards are worn out again?) I'd use Selden's standards: Jib halyard, blue; Main halyard, white; Spinnaker halyard, red. And then for sheets, I'd still use New England Salsa grey, for both jib and main sheets. It's such a nice line.
My control lines are whatever colors, I think blue/white/orange fleck for outhaul, green/white/orange fleck for reefing line because these are the colors of VPC line. I had a piece of whatever for the main downhaul/cunningham. And then my topping lift wound up being white/red flecks and jib downhaul line was standard white/green/red flecks as per New England Sta-set.
But really, I kinda would rather tone down the riot going aloft on my boat
Now I look at the boat, and I find it to be rather garish. If I had it do over again, (in what, 10 years when the halyards are worn out again?) I'd use Selden's standards: Jib halyard, blue; Main halyard, white; Spinnaker halyard, red. And then for sheets, I'd still use New England Salsa grey, for both jib and main sheets. It's such a nice line.
My control lines are whatever colors, I think blue/white/orange fleck for outhaul, green/white/orange fleck for reefing line because these are the colors of VPC line. I had a piece of whatever for the main downhaul/cunningham. And then my topping lift wound up being white/red flecks and jib downhaul line was standard white/green/red flecks as per New England Sta-set.
But really, I kinda would rather tone down the riot going aloft on my boat
I went with white with blue flecks on the main, and white/green on the jib, and I'm already second-guessing myself. If/When time comes to replace them again, I'll pick colors that are a little easier to differentiate, for the non-sailing types who happen to be on board. It's one thing for me to remember that one is on one side, and the other on the opposite. But especially in low-light, it's going to be a little harder to say "Hey, drop the blue line", if they can't really tell the difference at a glance. I mean, it's trivial, but it might be worth that extra little bit of thought. I'll be running them to the cockpit soon enough, and labeled there, but still.. just my .02
On the starboard side of the companionway I have a double clutch with green (starboard side of clutch) and red (port side of clutch) handles.
Main halyard is led through the green side and jib halyard is led through the red side. Spinnaker halyard cleats off on its own on the port side of the companionway.
Consequently, my halyards are white with blue flecks for spinnaker, with red flecks for jib, and with green flecks for main.
Sheets match but are solid colour.
This helps new crew put two and two together as well, and isn't overly garish.
Main halyard is led through the green side and jib halyard is led through the red side. Spinnaker halyard cleats off on its own on the port side of the companionway.
Consequently, my halyards are white with blue flecks for spinnaker, with red flecks for jib, and with green flecks for main.
Sheets match but are solid colour.
This helps new crew put two and two together as well, and isn't overly garish.
Well, it is really up to you! There is no "standard" colors for running rigging, mine are all the same color.... well, they were when hte boat was new... I actually replaced my halyards a couple of times and the last time that I replaced the main halyard I used the old one to replace my jib halyard.... so now they no longer match. OH WELL.
Traditionally though, there isn't a "standard" color scheme.
Traditionally though, there isn't a "standard" color scheme.
I ended up with whatever was available, white or white with blue flecks for all my lines but if I was doing color I suppose I'd go with jib halyard carriied on the port side of the mast so red flecks, and main carried on the starboard so green flecks. I tell the difference between the jib downhaul (for dousing) and the main single line reefing by diameter, but I have pulled the wrong one a time or two.
Hey, thanks to you all. I have halyards thru the mast exiting near the bottom, then thru rope clutch with red, green & black handles. (all lines led to cockpit). Since there's so many variations, and nothing really standard, I'll match the colors to the handles for each halyard. I like Nom's idea about red/white jib halyard and solid red jib sheet, and same for main- green/white and solid green. Also, "jib" has 3 letters and "red" has 3 letters, main and green have more letters, which might help non sailing friends differentiate.
Thanks again
Thanks again