Hauling Main Halyards

Ross · Jul 4, 2009

Do you know the technique of swaying a halyard?
In this you hoist the sail as far as you can and take a turn on a cleat. Then taking a hold on the halyard with one hand you heave back away from the mast and pull some slack and take it up on the cleat. If you do this several times you can usually gain a couple of inches with each pull.

HEINZIR · Jul 4, 2009

RogerHM said:
In adverse conditions, and in my state of weakness, it isn't always easy to get the main up the last several inches. Modified sails with full battens using the double lugs, don't slide as easy--up or down--as I would like.
Down is easy to remedy with down-hauls at each batten-car. Hauling up: I could put a #6 winch on the mast. But, I don't like their cost...

(BTW, this is small (23') boat with a short mast for getting under bridges 22' above the water. Not a long haul up.)

So, I'm thinking: 2 cheek-blocks, if I've got their name correct, mounted near the base of the mast, 8 to 12 inches apart with the halyard threaded through them, would give me more 'purchase'??? (Block-a-tackle principle??) One Club-guy said, "No, you'll just create more friction!" Is he correct? Any suggestions will be appreciated! Roger

Yes, you will just get more friction. You will not have any mechanical advantage if both blocks are fixed; one of them has to be movable. Check out the Harken web site or catalog for some ideas on how multi-part purchases are run.

You cannot just run the tail of the halyard thru a tackle without running into problems with excessive length and excessive friction when dropping the sail. The halyard tail would have to have a splice or loop near the end that you could hook a tackle to when the sail is almost fully hoisted.

A couple of other ideas that will help get the luff of your mainsail tight are a Cunningham cringle or a sliding gooseneck. A Cunningham is a strong grommet in the sail several inches up from the boom. A hook attached to a 2 or 3 or more part tackle pulls down on this grommet. Pulling down on the bottom of the sail has the same or at least similar effect as pulling up on the top with the halyard. Some say that it is more effective than just using halyard tension because you are pulling from both ends of the sail.

A sliding gooseneck works the same way except that you pull the boom down on a small track on the mast. This, of course, requires replacing your gooseneck with a special type; that would probably be more expensive than a small winch.

Paul Brinkley · Jul 4, 2009

2 stationary blocks will only allow you to change direction, not add purchase. If Ross' technique doesn't help enough, try lubricating your track & cars. One or both should let you tighten up. -Paul

tsmwebb · Jul 4, 2009

RogerHM said:
...
So, I'm thinking: 2 cheek-blocks, if I've got their name correct, mounted near the base of the mast, 8 to 12 inches apart with the halyard threaded through them, would give me more 'purchase'??? (Block-a-tackle principle??) One Club-guy said, "No, you'll just create more friction!" Is he correct? Any suggestions will be appreciated! Roger

If I understand what your proposing, no, adding blocks like that will not help.

Ross is right that you can get advantage by belaying the halyard and then pulling on it at a right angle. Sometimes that's called jumping or sweating. It's good technique and has the advantage of being free.

The common way to get 2:1 advantage on a halyard is to belay the halyard at the top of the mast, then run to a block at the head of the mainsail and then back to the sheave and along the normal route. You'd likely have to buy a new halyard (since you'll need twice as much of it) as well as a block. Still cheaper than a new winch.

--Tom.

Joseph Shirley · Jul 4, 2009

Merriman Bros used to make halyard blocks specifically for sweating up a halyard on small boats without winches on a mast. One block was an open cheek block fixed low on the mast, and the other was an open cheek block properly positioned at the end of the halyard, with one bail above the open end of the block and another bale below the block. The wire halyard attached to the upper bale and a small rope was connected to the lower bale.

You would pull the halyard up and then take a turn of the rope around the fixed block, up to the halyard block and down again, giving 3:1 purchase.

Merriman of course is long out of business but these blocks sometimes show up at chandleries or at marine garage sales. On a 26'Thunderbird w/a 30 ' hoist, I made a set up from two S/S open cheek blocks, and I ran the halyard aft to the cockpit and installed the sweating jig on the cabin top.

It almost seems that with only a 22 foot hoist that you should have a gaff rig to be able to carry more sail on the main. If you did you could have mast hoops which might go up and down easier.

Good luck

Joe S

Hermit Scott · Jul 5, 2009

You don't have a winch on the mast now? Can you run the halyard to another winch with a couple of turning blocks and put a rope clutch in front of the winch so you can free that winch up for it's original purpose?
Does it have full batten main to give it more roach because it's only 22'? I'm not entirely sure what the full battens are for.

Ross · Jul 5, 2009

The other approach would be to install a tackle between the main halyard and the sail. Hoist the sail and the tackle as far as you can and then haul the tackle for the last foot or so.

Warren Milberg · Jul 5, 2009

If you are having trouble raising a sail of this size, and all is assumed well with the sail's cars/slugs and sail track, then you really do need mechanical advantage to help. Used single speed winches are not expensive and are easy to install -- and they will make raising a main of this size a piece of cake. It is also quite easy to set up a couple of fair leads to run the main halyard back to the cockpit cabintop, if that is your preference. Take a look at eBay or other consignment outlets where used Lewmar #8's or Barient #10's often sell for less than $50.

Joe Blizzard · Jul 5, 2009

RogerHM said:
BTW, this is small (23') boat with a short mast for getting under bridges 22' above the water.

Wow, I guess I should be thankful for all the commercial traffic on my river that keeps the obstructions high.

Ross · Jul 5, 2009

Re: More "THanks!"

If you shackle a single block to the head board and a single block with a becket to the halyard and reeve a line through those back to the cockpit you only need a couple of feet between the two blocks. Therefore your haul on the secondary halyard would be only about four feet.

NC-C320 · Jul 5, 2009

Lubricate Sail Slugs/Slides

Purchase some McLube Sailkote from any marine supply (West Marine) and lubricate the sail slides, any blocks, and the mast groove for the slides. This is a spray lubricant that dries immediately and works wonders. Expensive, but it'll do the job. You won't believe the difference.

tsmwebb · Jul 5, 2009

NC-C320 said:
Purchase some McLube Sailkote from any marine supply (West Marine) ...

Or even right here: http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detail.htm?fno=400&group=972

--Tom.

Joseph Shirley · Jul 5, 2009

Here is a gun tackle in figure 35 which is similar to the jig I was talking about except that the blocks are open cheek blocks so the blocks don't have to be pre-reeved, and the lower block is permanently mounted. You just pull up your halyard, wrap your tail through the two blocks, and tighten up.

http://www.friend.ly.net/users/dadadata/boat/matl/knight_knots.html

Good luck

Joe S

catsailor · Jul 5, 2009

First, I would clean the track very well and use sail cote - It should be easy

If that does not do it, I added a 2:1 halyard to my last boat.

1. put a bullet block (Harken) on the top of the main (headboard).
2. put a pad eye (loop) just below where the halyard exits the top of the mast, in the track.
3. Secure a new halyard to the pad eye, down to the headboard block, and back up to the top of the mast and down to the deck in the normal manner.

You will need a new halyard, the height of the sail longer than your current one. It will be twice as easy to hoist.