Help / Relace main halyard

[MW81500@aol.com]

I need to replace the main halyard on my 30' Tall rig. What length and what is the easiest and cheapest 3/8 line? Are there any tricks to pulling this line through?I don't have a bosuns chair?

 

[Dave]

halyard

If your halyards are led aft to the cockpit, Catalina recommends 112' of 3/8. I highly recommend New England Ropes Sta-set X for halyards. Not cheap, but will outlast less expensive ones. When I replace one, I place the ends of the old and new lines togather and stitch them with about 4-5 stitches, (make sure ends are heat sealed) tape the whole joint with electricans or rigging tape so the joint will flow thru the masthead sheve smothly and pull the new one thru with the old one. Go slow and you will have no problem.DaveS/V Westwind

 

[Allen]

It's actually not that tough to do...

Take the new halyard's bitter end and attach it to the old halyard's bitter end. You can do this with a LOT of electrical tape. I've seen others that take a metal paperclip, bend it into an "s" shape & hook the two lines together before taping them up. This will, in effect, give you one long line. Once they're attached, just pull the new line up the mast, through the masthead & back down. Remove the tape & paperclip. Your new halyard will now be installed. For the proper length of line to use, check out this link: http://www.tcsn.net/bosun/c30/riggingdimensions.htm

 

[Ian]

Comedy Afloat

Yeah I thought I would give it a try myself last year. I sewed the ends of the new & old halyards together and ran it up the mast. As soon as the sewn connection got the the mast truck I felt a little resistance. Naturally I gave it a gentle tug and got clocked in the head with both ends (now separate) of the halyards. I'm sure it's really a simple thing to do, just make sure you sew the halyard ends together well enough. It's surprizing how much force they generate when they fall from 45 feet.

 

[Tom Fuller]

Threading a new halyard line

Best and most secure way is to use a sewing needle and fishing line. Butt the two ends(new and old) together, sewing so the lines don't overlap on top of each other. 5 or 6 passes through each line with the needle. Your new line "Won't get away"!