Just purchased my first boat, 1980 Hunter 27. Needs new halyards, and I have no idea how/where to begin. Any help will be appreciated. THANKS
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Couple of easy methods.
Keith: There are a couple of easy methods to replacing the halyards. 1. If you have a shackle on the sail end, you need to remove it. Then you can sew the two pieces of line end to end and wrap with some tape. You then just pull the old halyard thru the sheaves. 2. The other method is to use a large paper clip. Twist it open to it is in a 'S' shape. Then use it like a hook to hook the two lines together. Then use tape over the paper clip to make it smooth and pull the halyard up and over. I have used both methods and #2 is the easiest. If you are having halyards made up remember that using a knot vs having an eye in the end of a line will weaken the line by 50% or more. It is worth having eyes made for the the shackles. Also use braided line (like Sta-set) of the correct size for your boat. Too small of a line on a heavy sail is very hard on your hands. These halyards will last anywhere from 5-15 years depending on your environment. So if you look at the price spread over 10 years they are not very expensive.
Keith: There are a couple of easy methods to replacing the halyards. 1. If you have a shackle on the sail end, you need to remove it. Then you can sew the two pieces of line end to end and wrap with some tape. You then just pull the old halyard thru the sheaves. 2. The other method is to use a large paper clip. Twist it open to it is in a 'S' shape. Then use it like a hook to hook the two lines together. Then use tape over the paper clip to make it smooth and pull the halyard up and over. I have used both methods and #2 is the easiest. If you are having halyards made up remember that using a knot vs having an eye in the end of a line will weaken the line by 50% or more. It is worth having eyes made for the the shackles. Also use braided line (like Sta-set) of the correct size for your boat. Too small of a line on a heavy sail is very hard on your hands. These halyards will last anywhere from 5-15 years depending on your environment. So if you look at the price spread over 10 years they are not very expensive.
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Ed Schenck
Save the old halyard?
If you want to keep the old halyard as a spare you do not want to cut off the shackle. Then add an extra step to Steve's step #1. Sew a messenger line to the bitter end of the old halyard. You can buy 100' of nylon line at Lowes for $5.00. Pull that through the mast. Always retain some tension so the smaller messenger line doesn't come off the sheave. Take off the old halyard and sew on the new halyard's bitter end. Use the messenger line to pull that new halyard up and back down. Sailnet(link below) usually has good prices on halyards. I use a sailmaker's sewing kit and get a good solid connection, you do not want to loose the halyard in the mast! For that reason I worry about Steve's method #2.
If you want to keep the old halyard as a spare you do not want to cut off the shackle. Then add an extra step to Steve's step #1. Sew a messenger line to the bitter end of the old halyard. You can buy 100' of nylon line at Lowes for $5.00. Pull that through the mast. Always retain some tension so the smaller messenger line doesn't come off the sheave. Take off the old halyard and sew on the new halyard's bitter end. Use the messenger line to pull that new halyard up and back down. Sailnet(link below) usually has good prices on halyards. I use a sailmaker's sewing kit and get a good solid connection, you do not want to loose the halyard in the mast! For that reason I worry about Steve's method #2.
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Bill O'Donovan
Sewing tip
Regardless of which method you choose, be sure to use fishing line or some equally strong fiber and criss-cross the line as you sew. You want to make sure the two bitter ends are flexible enough to roll over the sheeves, yet strong enough so as not to break.
Regardless of which method you choose, be sure to use fishing line or some equally strong fiber and criss-cross the line as you sew. You want to make sure the two bitter ends are flexible enough to roll over the sheeves, yet strong enough so as not to break.
Good point.
Bill/Ed: Good points. When I run these lines I use whipping line. For Keiths sake, this is a wax impregnated line that is used to tie of the end of a line so it does not unravel. You can get this at any marine store, it comes with a needle too. You may find that if you get one of the palm protectors to push the needle thru the line, it makes life easier too. A pair of pliers works too. But Ed, I must tell you I was very skeptical about using the paper clip. We tried it on someone elses boat <haha>. It works very well. Once the clip is wrapped with tape it is very strong. The big difference is that it only takes a minute or so to get the line ready to go. Try it (on someones elses boat), you'll like it.
Bill/Ed: Good points. When I run these lines I use whipping line. For Keiths sake, this is a wax impregnated line that is used to tie of the end of a line so it does not unravel. You can get this at any marine store, it comes with a needle too. You may find that if you get one of the palm protectors to push the needle thru the line, it makes life easier too. A pair of pliers works too. But Ed, I must tell you I was very skeptical about using the paper clip. We tried it on someone elses boat <haha>. It works very well. Once the clip is wrapped with tape it is very strong. The big difference is that it only takes a minute or so to get the line ready to go. Try it (on someones elses boat), you'll like it.
B
Bil Thomas Feng Shui
Slight Variation
I use a slight variation to Steve's process. Instead of cutting off the shackel, sew a tracer line to the bitter end. Pull the Halyard out from the top of the mast. The tracer line will follow the bitter end throguh all of your hardware and up the mast and back down to the deck. Remove the old halyard and attach the bitter end of the new halyard to the tracer end the comes out of the top of the mast. Pull the tracer back from the base of the mast and the halyard will re threaad itself. This way you will end up with your old halyard intact for emergencies, trading, etc.
I use a slight variation to Steve's process. Instead of cutting off the shackel, sew a tracer line to the bitter end. Pull the Halyard out from the top of the mast. The tracer line will follow the bitter end throguh all of your hardware and up the mast and back down to the deck. Remove the old halyard and attach the bitter end of the new halyard to the tracer end the comes out of the top of the mast. Pull the tracer back from the base of the mast and the halyard will re threaad itself. This way you will end up with your old halyard intact for emergencies, trading, etc.
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