Main Halyard

[Rich (P303)]

It is time to replace the main halyard this year... pronto.I have an add-on Selden in mast furler. When I climbed up the mast rack to take a look at my spar... I noticed the spliced eye on the end was just big enough to get the shackle clevis pin through. I think a regular spliced loop might be too big and possibly get caught on the sheeve.Is this normal? Is this a special halyard?I will call my sailmaker Monday... as he installed the furler.Any thoughts?

 

[Wanderer138]

Buntline hitch?

The buntline hitch is a very compact and secure knot, in fact so secure that the only way to remove it is to cut it off. I bought my halyards 10 ft longer than I needed and cut a foot off the upper end each season so the same part of the line doesn't sit on the masthead sheave and wear.Here's a link:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buntline_hitchPeterH23 "Raven"

 

[Rich (P303)]

Peter.. I will have to consider

your suggestion. Sounds like a good idea to me. I am at a disadvantage for the moment as my mast is sitting in a rack 8' off the ground. I knew the existing halyard had an eye splice... so I thought I would replace with the same.As it sits now... the brunt of the load is pulling on the end of that very, very small eye splice, (probably a name for that)... until the halyard fails. Once they lower the mast on the rack... I can see what I have to work with.

 

[Dennis W.]

Replacing Main Halyard

Rich, Consider attaching a light line to the bitter end of your halyard and pulling it through the mast and then attach to the bitter end of the new halyard and pull back through the mast. Your new eye splice will prevent it from passing the sheave. Could probably be done without removing or unfurling your main if it's still on the furler.

 

[paulj]

Use a Chinese finger

paulj

 

[caguy]

I use zip ties. They are flexible and strong.

Frank

 

[Rich (P303)]

Euh???

Zip-ties... don't know about that one.Chinese fingers... had to Google that one. Looks pretty interesting. Wouldn't ya know... they are even made in China!I'll know more when I am able to get at the mast in the rack. Maybe this is all to do about nothing.

 

[Brian M H23]

what about

doing the splice AFTER the halyard is installed, if that is what you want.

 

[caguy]

.Sorry bout that I miss read the post, duh.

I use the zip ties to attache the messenger rope to the halyard.Frank

 

[Rich (P303)]

Brian

That is beyond me... must be "seamanship 201". Need to have something made up. I have enough to do. I can tie a bowlin right... every third time.

 

[Jim Seamans]

Hey Rich(p303) what's a bowlin???

Is that where a bunch of guys hopped on beer roll big balls down a wooden floor????

 

[sailortonyb Allied Mis]

Eye Splice

Im not familiar with your in-mast furler, but the eye on almost every halyard I have ever seen is just big enough for a clevis pin. This is normal. When I sell halyard rope, I always make the eye very small. An eye splice is the smallest, strongest and most reliable eye that can be made. Tony B

 

[Rich (P303)]

Jim... Tony

Jim... Yes I agree.. that is my type of bowlin! I get it right every time! Tony... They have a pre-made halyard at West Marine for a steep price... looks like a hang-mans-noose on the end! I hope you are right. Why do I make sailing so difficult?

 

[paulj]

Try looking at Home Depot electrical department

Also can find Chinese finger in parlor or magic trick shops.paulj

 

[Ross]

A palm and a needle and a length of twine will sew

the ends of the halyards together so that they can be hauled through the mast. just cut off the old splice and sew the new halyard to the old one. hell. it might not cost more than a nickel.

 

[RichH]

Tony and Ken ..... beautiful splices

The problem with most splices is that they can get stuck in the throat of a sheeve. What's the increase of diameter with this splice?

 

[Napa Ed]

halyard eye splice

FWIW: I never see ready made halyards with thimbles.

 

[Rich (P303)]

Very Nice...

splices indeed.SailorTony... the existing eye splice I have is just a BIT smaller than yours... however I think it would work fine.Maybe someday I'll tackle these projects myself.

 

[Timo42]

Splicing double braid isn't all that difficult,

Just tedious, I used the samson splicing kit, suupposedly not the easiest, to splice my mainsheet, halyards, backstay adjuster, and 1/2 of my outhaul, I'll get to the other half and the traveller eventually, easier with new rope, mark the measurements well so you don't get confused, do a couple of practice splices, or non-critical lines first, make sure you have something sturdy you can pull against and a comfortable place to sit. I have heard that Brion Toss' splicing wand is much easier, his book comes in handy,you can make the eye any size you need, and if you do it, you will know it is done right. Tim

 

[John]

couldn't do it

I looked up doing an eye splice on double braid line, followed the directions, and everything went perfect until... Until it came time to "milk" the outer part of the line over the spliced core. I was totally unable to force it up over. On the web site I was following, they guy just used a screwdriver. Is that what my problem was - not using a fid? Also, I was using some pretty old line. Is older, more worn line more difficult to use?