O'Day 222 Halyard Lengths

[daleyellin]

I am preparing to replace the halyards on my 222. Some time in the past, the PO used 3/8" line for all the halyards. I understand that the jib/genoa halyard s/b 5/16". What about the main and spinnaker halyards? And, what lengths are standard, particularly for the jib (the current halyard has about 20' on the deck when the jib is down).

Thanks

 

[Apex]

use the instant sheets and halyard tool on this site: http://shop.odayowners.com/cu/detail-rrc.php?a=2&bid=2439
Samson is a good line, and can come pre-spliced and to the correct length. :O)

 

[Brian S]

Even though a 222 is still a cruising boat, not a racing boat, I personally can't stand stretchy lines. For this reason, I would not use any double braid polyester line, despite the obvious budget friendly nature.

New England Ropes makes a blended core line, VPC, that is less stretchy than polyester. If you bought from here, I'd call and see what's similar in Sampson lines.

Also, with a higher tech line, you should be able to go no more than 1/4", which will also save weight aloft. I know, not a racing boat, but every ounce relieved from the masthead equals less heeling and more power.

My 192 has 1/4" Yale Crystalyne Vectran cored halyards. I recently washed them for the end of the season, and I was quite surprised at how heavy they felt. If it were a racing boat, I'd surely not load it full of plates and stoves and kettles and such, and I'd strip the cover off of half of the halyards for less weight aloft. And I'd probably lose the metal halyard shackle and start using an aluminum dog bone. http://l-36.com/halyard_toggle.php

Yeah, I know, if only I could afford a new J70 to zip around in...

 

[centerline]

5/16" line is plenty strong for any running rigging on that boat... it will definitely run thru the sheaves better than 3/8 will, and probably last longer because of it...
a sheet that has too much drag thru the sheaves to freely run thru them is nothing but a problem that will get worse as the line wears... the same for the halyards, but the drag problem is not quite as burdensome on the halyards..

 

[daleyellin]

Apex, Brian, and Centerline -- Thanks for the input.

The "halyard builder" gave me what I needed to verify the line size and length. Now it's just ordering the pre-made, or buying the line and doing the eye splices my self (which I've already done on some of the other lines).

And, Centerline, I know of what you speak. The 3/8" jib halyard twisted the halyard block and got bound up. We couldn't get it to release and had to lower the mast with the genoa still furled on the headstay. Not fun.

And, Brian, thanks for your, as usual, detailed answer/advice. You're right it's not a "race boat". Instead, 70% of the time it's our waterborne "mental therapy" (And, sometimes the therapy is to unwind from a weekend of racing.). So, even with the benefits, high tech line, at twice the cost, just doesn't pass the "cost benefit" test.

Thanks, again, for the advice

Dale

P.S. -- Centerline, as you are probably aware, Grants Pass doesn't have plethora shops with sailing hardware. I'm heading to Portland in about an hour to pick up my genoa at Banks Sail (had a little post season "touch up" work done) and to hit Columbia Marine Exchange and a couple of other chandleries. I'll wave as I pass through Salem.

 

[Brian S]

If you are using double braid polyester for halyards, you'll be sizing bigger, less for load issues, more for stretch issues.

If you're looking for sheets, my favorite is now New England Salsa, though I think it's ugly. It's held up well for 2 seasons now, very pleasant on the hands, and runs through blocks nicely. It's also somewhat easily spliceable, because it's a single braid, but it doesn't seem to flatten out in cam cleats the way other single braids do.