Halyard Replacement Intervals

[DJW]

I was woundering what the generally excepted time intervals for changing out your main and jib halyards are? We have a 42 foot Cascade that we keep in Pearl Harbor, HI. We replaced them with what I would say was upper middle to low high grade halyards I think back in 06. They are in good shape no, frays that I can find. My son wants to change them out and I am going why. We don't race, the boat is used for mostly around island day trips but has been to all the islands except the big island. My son is planning a 3 island trip in August and wants to get new halyards. We have the halyards that were replaced in 06 onboard as spares should one break. Is it time to replace them again?

Dennis

 

[mark_swart]

Unless he hates the color, I couldn't imagine a functional reason for replacing them yet.

 

[tommays]

It would really depend on the material and how the sun affects it

On material X all the strength is in the core and the jacket just keeps the sun off

On material Y it could be 50/50 with the jacket being 50% of the Strength

I had a lot of 50/50 of unknown age that looked ok and failed in season one and i cant think it would be much fun out at sea

 

[whatfiero]

Halyard replacement

If they break can ya get to the top and feed a messenger line down the mast easily good quality lines should last 10 to 15yrs

 

[Stu Jackson]

Internal hapyards have half of the line hidden.

You might want to consider just redoing your knot or splice connection to the halyard shackle every few years to move the piece of line that goes over the sheave at the top.

 

[SEMIJim]

If they're not worn or excessively stretchy (the latter mainly of importance to racers), I don't see going to the expense of replacing them.

But, hey, if your son wants to replace them with halyards of the same or better quality, on his dime, I don't know as I'd stop him

Jim

 

[DJW]

whatfiero

Yes we have folding steps all the way to the top of the mast so getting to the top is not that big of a deal

Jim

Nothing ever seems to be on his dime. We have a father/son relationship. Dad lives in the mid-west owns the boat and writes the checks and son lives in HI maintains and sails the boat. Is this not the norm? Actually he is very good about paying for stuff or at least getting his sailing buddies to pony up when the boat needs something. I just think it would be a wast of his money

 

[zeehag]

i change mine out when they look like gonna rupture or fracture the outer skin. color change is not an option on my boat, so is usually a long time between changes unless something traumatic happens.

 

[cephius (Dave)]

If someone wants to put new equipment on my boat, I guess I'll let them

If I've got to pay, NO. My 10 year old halyards were looking a little gray, so they were all replaced this spring.

 

[DJW]

Dave

I hear what you are saying but I just as soon have him bank it for future needs that way I will not hear "well I paid for the new Halyards" He's the one who said check on the sail boat owners forum and see what they say. It sure looks like those that have posted think it might be a few years early.

Dennis

 

[Squidd]

If someone wants to put new equipment on my boat, I guess I'll let them

If I've got to pay, NO. My 10 year old halyards were looking a little gray, so they were all replaced this spring.

My 10 year old Halyards were looking a little gray...

So I washed them...

 

[DJW]

How much would you say being in the tropics (Hawaii) shorten the haylards life expectancy? Our haylards are not internal.

Dennis

 

[zeehag]

do they have fracturing apparent yet?
check the length of the line to make sure outside isnt fractured and they should last a long time--mine were in sd for many (7) yrs--i replaced one in mazatlan because of fracturing from beating on self in summer tormentas. i wont replace my others as yet--they still look good.

 

[RichH]

Internal hapyards have half of the line hidden.

You might want to consider just redoing your knot or splice connection to the halyard shackle every few years to move the piece of line that goes over the sheave at the top.

It usually not very expedient nor easy to put a new eyesplice in 'old' double braid. Most riggers in my neck of the woods refuse to splice old double braid - safety consideration.

When you replace the halyard, consider to put an eyesplice in both ends, so that you have a fresh splice already in place when you later cut away the topmost splice and then 'end for end' the re-reeved halyard in the mast.