Help me decide on main & genoa halyards

[Prime Time]

Halyard Choices

I just purchased new halyards. If you don't race, no need to spend more than the minimum. For most cruisers, the issues of weight and stretch are inconsequential. Halyards do need to be adjusted for optimal performance, but if you are just cruising around, who cares! I have used XLS in the past and prefer it over sta-set, although I think it is getting a bad rap here.

I have bought XLS in the past from a vendor on ebay and found his prices impossible to beat. The vendor's name is roscoef. Basically clearance prices.

myworld.ebay.com/ebaymotors/roscoef/

 

[Moody Buccaneer]

You will most likely have to adjust you main halyard when the wind picks up no matter what material you use. The luff of the main will stretch as dacron stretches when the wind picks up, also when you crank on the backstay and/or sheet the main hard. For zero stretch you could get a Cuben fibre main and Dynex Dux halyard. Hardly a realistic option.

Dux creeps just like any other version of Spectra/Dynema.

Stretch occurs over the entire luff and halyard combo. For sail shape, just dealing with the cloth is "sail trim" dealing with a halyard that stretches as much or more than the sail is a hassle. Particularly when the halyard is not operating in it's elastic range. Rope halyards just don't do this very well until they have been under tension for some time. This means that most of us are dealing with a moving target with halyard tension during a one or two hour sail.

In general it is easier to trim the luff tension with the cunningham than with the halyard. When you release the cunningham the *sail* should look the same as before you put the cunningham on. Most sails just don't have the range of adjustment in the cunningham to take up for both the sail and and a stretchy halyard.

If you don't mind chasing the adjustment all day, there is no reason to by a good halyard.

Is the difference in price of 120' of rope a deal breaker on a 40 foot boat? So the better halyard costs twice as much. IMO it is a choice of looking at a bad sail shape while sipping a $5 Latte or looking at a good sail while sipping coffee I brewed myself.

I'd rather buy cheap beer than cheap halyards.

Different boats, different splices.

 

[Jumpstart]

You are right XLS is good stuff but why stop there. How about 1" Manilla. Cheap enough and who cares about stretch, it is only a cruiser. Look at the stats-
Manila Rope 1" 8100 lb tensile, 27 lbs/100 foot, stretch- a lot $1.35/foot
XLS- 7/16" 5500 lb tensile, 6.4 lbs/100 foot, 2.2% stretch at 1000 lb load. $1.11/foot
VPC-3/8" 6500 lbs tensile, 3.9 lb/100 foot .5% at 975 lb load. $1.23/foot

So with VPC you have less weight aloft and lower stretch and the line handles easier and goes around sheaves easier. Of course you could go with the manilla rope for more tensile, you might need considerably larger sheaves, good gloves and bigger winches but hey it is not for racing so it must be o'k. You will look very salty with your boat heeling over with that 27# up the mast not to mention the decidely old school look of manilla rope.

 

[tommays]

When i look at a place like Cajun there XLE is about 1/2 the price of there Spectra Core

IF i look at Paraloc Piranha Jib Halyard 10 mm is a steal at 500 dollars

So 100 vs 200 vs 500 and at some point in the scale it just does NOT make sense for most people BUT the 200 dollar one seems about right BUT i need 3 for the Cal and call me cheep but 300 to 600 to 1500 is a big jump

I have very good stuff on the J24 BUT in all honesty the tiny size the high tech lines allow just does not work well on your hands