I’ am looking for a way to stop noise generated by halyards and electrical wires bashing inside the mast. Thanks,
Quiet sleep
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Shock cords are probably your best answer for halyards. Each halyard needs its own shock cord and a little thought needs to go into just how you pull it off the mast. If you try to use one shock cord for two halyards they will come back to get you in the middle of the night. Sometimes flipping a halyard over the end of the spreader can work well. Also, the sail end of the halyard, running from the masthead to deck should be attached to a pulpit or the like to keep it as far from mast as possible. A switch in wind direction can completely alter your tie off strategies. Inside wiring is a different issue and you will need to pull the mast, detach the masthead and pull the wires out - attach tracers to pull them back through. Once out a good method is to group all the wires together using wire ties with the ends untrimmed. Attach them every 18 inches or so, using two ties at each spot with the tails extending outward from the wire in opposite directions. the tails need to be longer than your mast ID. When you pull your wires back through your mast, those tails will hold the wires off the inside of spar. Another option is to wrap foam rubber at intervals around the wire. Still another method is to run the wires through pcv pipe and then fasten the pipe to the inside of your mast with rivets. I found the wire ties simple and effective.
Shock cords are probably your best answer for halyards. Each halyard needs its own shock cord and a little thought needs to go into just how you pull it off the mast. If you try to use one shock cord for two halyards they will come back to get you in the middle of the night. Sometimes flipping a halyard over the end of the spreader can work well. Also, the sail end of the halyard, running from the masthead to deck should be attached to a pulpit or the like to keep it as far from mast as possible. A switch in wind direction can completely alter your tie off strategies. Inside wiring is a different issue and you will need to pull the mast, detach the masthead and pull the wires out - attach tracers to pull them back through. Once out a good method is to group all the wires together using wire ties with the ends untrimmed. Attach them every 18 inches or so, using two ties at each spot with the tails extending outward from the wire in opposite directions. the tails need to be longer than your mast ID. When you pull your wires back through your mast, those tails will hold the wires off the inside of spar. Another option is to wrap foam rubber at intervals around the wire. Still another method is to run the wires through pcv pipe and then fasten the pipe to the inside of your mast with rivets. I found the wire ties simple and effective.
Noise in mast
When they are tensioned they make less noise. Electrical cord should run inside plastic conduits. Halyard should be tensioned and the outside pulled away from the mast with bungie cord. And get use to it. It sounds better than freezing rain.
When they are tensioned they make less noise. Electrical cord should run inside plastic conduits. Halyard should be tensioned and the outside pulled away from the mast with bungie cord. And get use to it. It sounds better than freezing rain.
Alex
Funny you mentioned the sound. I left work today and it was a nice 71 degrees. With the window down, I passed the front gate and the flag poles. The ropes that hoist the flags were banging against the aluminum poles and it sounded just like a halyard hitting the mast. I get annoyed with it during the summer, but I sure miss it while waiting for the season to start.
Funny you mentioned the sound. I left work today and it was a nice 71 degrees. With the window down, I passed the front gate and the flag poles. The ropes that hoist the flags were banging against the aluminum poles and it sounded just like a halyard hitting the mast. I get annoyed with it during the summer, but I sure miss it while waiting for the season to start.
Mojo!
DO NOT use expansion foam in the mast. If you have internal halyards, this will glue them solid. For halyards, shock (bungee) cords & tension is the way to go. Even if you figure a way around the glue down factor, in the future if you want to add wiring or anything, this foam will make your life miserable. One of the previous owners of my boat did that and I still want him dipped in doggy doo for it! For wiring, you’d do best with the plastic conduit inside the mast, or, even easier, use plastic electrical ties every 4 feet (a bit over a metre for us Canadians). Leave the long tail on the electrical ties, they’ll hold the wires off the inside of the mast and act as shock absorbers for the wiring. Later, eh! Ferg
DO NOT use expansion foam in the mast. If you have internal halyards, this will glue them solid. For halyards, shock (bungee) cords & tension is the way to go. Even if you figure a way around the glue down factor, in the future if you want to add wiring or anything, this foam will make your life miserable. One of the previous owners of my boat did that and I still want him dipped in doggy doo for it! For wiring, you’d do best with the plastic conduit inside the mast, or, even easier, use plastic electrical ties every 4 feet (a bit over a metre for us Canadians). Leave the long tail on the electrical ties, they’ll hold the wires off the inside of the mast and act as shock absorbers for the wiring. Later, eh! Ferg
tie off the halyards onto the toe rail
We take each halyard to the toe rail. It is fast and simple and there is no noise. I can't offer a solution for the wire inside the mast.
We take each halyard to the toe rail. It is fast and simple and there is no noise. I can't offer a solution for the wire inside the mast.
first lesson i learned
first lesson i learned from instructor was to tie off my main haylard to the v in the backstay and apply tension to haylard stops the banging. i really like the idea if the twist ties for the wiring cheap and sensible just buy nice long twist ties id assume
first lesson i learned from instructor was to tie off my main haylard to the v in the backstay and apply tension to haylard stops the banging. i really like the idea if the twist ties for the wiring cheap and sensible just buy nice long twist ties id assume
I love that sound
Am I the only one that loves that sound. On a windy night, the sound of all the halyard banging is music to my ears. Unfortunately, once inside my boat, i can only hear my own, and inside , its a totally different sound than outside. Inside the boat its a banging sound, outside, its a symphony of thousands of wind chimes. If only I could get them to the beat of Rap. TonyB
Am I the only one that loves that sound. On a windy night, the sound of all the halyard banging is music to my ears. Unfortunately, once inside my boat, i can only hear my own, and inside , its a totally different sound than outside. Inside the boat its a banging sound, outside, its a symphony of thousands of wind chimes. If only I could get them to the beat of Rap. TonyB
Randy & Tony got it right!
You too Bill, too many folks tie em off to the LIFELINES if you can believe that.It will break the seal of the stanchion base, let water into the core, rot, soft spots and deck delamination is the result. The inside wire halyards can be kept quiet by putting styrofoam inside the mast. I have not done this and repeating hearsay here, I have 'heard' of folks doing it, but do not know anyone personally that did. It 'sounds' good...;-)
You too Bill, too many folks tie em off to the LIFELINES if you can believe that.It will break the seal of the stanchion base, let water into the core, rot, soft spots and deck delamination is the result. The inside wire halyards can be kept quiet by putting styrofoam inside the mast. I have not done this and repeating hearsay here, I have 'heard' of folks doing it, but do not know anyone personally that did. It 'sounds' good...;-)
Silence is golden
Banging halyards are not to be tolerated. If they are banging, they are hitting something, causing wear to the halyard cover and to the finish of what ever it is banging ageist. Banging halyards are loose halyards or improperly secured halyards. They are a nuisance. There are many sounds a properly secured boat makes while anchored or tied in a slip, slapping or banging halyards are not one of them. Flip them around the spreaders, tie them to a pulpit or toe rail, bungee them if you must. Just don't leave the boat and make others listen to them banging around for three weeks until you come to use the boat again. If there are friendly liveaboards in your marina, they will probably have secured the halyards while you were away, they might even leave a note "Noticed your halyard was loose, secured it for you" as a hint that you should check the next time you put the boat away. I've heard (never seen) that people have come back to their boats and found the halyards cut, my guess is that they were left loose and banging away one too many times.
Banging halyards are not to be tolerated. If they are banging, they are hitting something, causing wear to the halyard cover and to the finish of what ever it is banging ageist. Banging halyards are loose halyards or improperly secured halyards. They are a nuisance. There are many sounds a properly secured boat makes while anchored or tied in a slip, slapping or banging halyards are not one of them. Flip them around the spreaders, tie them to a pulpit or toe rail, bungee them if you must. Just don't leave the boat and make others listen to them banging around for three weeks until you come to use the boat again. If there are friendly liveaboards in your marina, they will probably have secured the halyards while you were away, they might even leave a note "Noticed your halyard was loose, secured it for you" as a hint that you should check the next time you put the boat away. I've heard (never seen) that people have come back to their boats and found the halyards cut, my guess is that they were left loose and banging away one too many times.
Mojo a quiet sleep is not necessarily good.
The usual boat noises like halyard and electrical wiring slap, hull and riggin creaking and water slap in the transom are only bothersome for the first couple of nights. After that I barely notice them but when I return to land I can barely sleep because is to quiet. By the way the halyard slaps on the mast I can monitor the wind without getting up. On a couple of occasions I have woken up and rushed to deck urged by viscious halyard slap to encounter pretty bad storms which required an anchor watch. On a friend's boat I got up and we were dragging anchor. On the dock I tie the halyard to a stanchion base with no need to tighten it. When i'm aboard, I change my routine, I only take two meals, breakfast and dinner and change the sleeping hours by forcing myself to get up at 5:30 AM the first day and not going to bed until I'm dead tired. By the 2nd day I'm in bed by 8:30PM. I have a story about this I was doing laundry in Mystic Seaport at 5:00 AM when a sleepy guy walks in with his pillow case stuffed with dirty clothes and takes a look at the machines and a look at me and says "Darn, at what time does one have to get up over here to be able to do laundry? " 4:30 AM I replied and he turned around and went back to his boat. After a while I will start falling asleep earlier and getting up earlier. I never sleep as good on land. I love them noises.
The usual boat noises like halyard and electrical wiring slap, hull and riggin creaking and water slap in the transom are only bothersome for the first couple of nights. After that I barely notice them but when I return to land I can barely sleep because is to quiet. By the way the halyard slaps on the mast I can monitor the wind without getting up. On a couple of occasions I have woken up and rushed to deck urged by viscious halyard slap to encounter pretty bad storms which required an anchor watch. On a friend's boat I got up and we were dragging anchor. On the dock I tie the halyard to a stanchion base with no need to tighten it. When i'm aboard, I change my routine, I only take two meals, breakfast and dinner and change the sleeping hours by forcing myself to get up at 5:30 AM the first day and not going to bed until I'm dead tired. By the 2nd day I'm in bed by 8:30PM. I have a story about this I was doing laundry in Mystic Seaport at 5:00 AM when a sleepy guy walks in with his pillow case stuffed with dirty clothes and takes a look at the machines and a look at me and says "Darn, at what time does one have to get up over here to be able to do laundry? " 4:30 AM I replied and he turned around and went back to his boat. After a while I will start falling asleep earlier and getting up earlier. I never sleep as good on land. I love them noises.
An oldie, but goodie about halyards
The Romantic Sound Of Clanging Halyards Sunday, November 28, 2004 By Capt. Alan Hugenot Have you ever been woken up at night while sleeping in a marina because the neighboring sailboat’s halyards were banging against the mast in the wind? If you have ever tried to sleep through this constant noise, which is like someone continuously knocking on your door, then you know the dilemma which this causes for any poor sailor trying to sleep nearby. Of course, the skipper of the offending boat is not there to hear the incessant slap, slap, slap, and he probably wants to keep those halyards ready to hoist sail as soon as he comes aboard, totally unaware that by doing so he is creating a nerve-racking noise machine. So what can you do? You can’t sleep and you are conflicted about what action to take. You know that if you go aboard his boat and swing the halyards outboard around the spreader before making them fast again that the incessant slap will stop. And, you wonder why the inconsiderate skipper did not do that before he stowed his boat. Maybe you also know that he only comes down to the marina once a month or even less to check his boat. You know he is totally unaware that you have to listen to his halyards going slap, clang, slap, clang every night. On the other hand if you go aboard his boat to fix the problem, it will actually be trespassing - not quite breaking and entering - but trespassing none the less. When he comes back to the boat, he may even get angry at the “prankster” who tangled his halyards around the spreaders, thinking “who would do such a thing, just to confound him.” He, of course, never realizing the true reason unless you tell him. Yet, from a different perspective you might only be a “good Samaritan.” For instance, if the halyard were loose and about to carry away through the top of the mast, then that same skipper would want you to quickly go aboard his boat (even though he had not given you permission) and “properly” secure it. That simple act of neighborly seamanship would save him the grief of having to go aloft to re-thread the halyard through the top of the mast. So wouldn’t it be the same thing here? His halyard is clearly wearing itself out beating against the mast, and if you will just “properly” stow it for him, then it will not wear out as quickly. Also your nerves won’t wear out as quickly either. This is no small problem. I have lived aboard for several years, in both Seattle, Wash. and San Francisco, and have also spent a night or two in nearly every marina from San Diego to Seward, Alaska. In every one there are these slapping halyards. At first you might think that a polite word to the offending skipper would solve the problem. But, a couple of times when I asked the owner of an offending boat if they could take a moment before going ashore to quiet their halyards by rigging them away from the masts, they became defensive. They acted like I was being rude for butting into their business, criticizing their seamanship. They arrogantly pointed out that they knew what they were doing, had studied proper halyard techniques, and had graduated from ASA or US Sailing. They were not going to quiet their halyards by rigging them outboard. Besides who was I to tell them anything. In one case the offending skipper said that “If they found their halyards any different than how they chose to leave them” then they would blame me for trespassing on their boat, and would report it to the marina manager. After this encounter, I could not stop the noise from his boat, and wished I had never spoken to him about it. I knew that if I had never brought it up, I could have quieted his halyards and he would not know who “fouled” his lines. Instead, I changed marinas and learned the lesson that my safest bet was to quiet all offending halyards myself, and do so without telling the owner that I was the culprit. This “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy allowed me to sleep, and several weeks later when the offending skipper turned up to sail his boat I was not there to hear his wrath about “Whoever fouled his halyards was going to catch hell.” I guess it comes down to who is more inconsiderate: Me for trespassing on his boat, or him for leaving the noisy halyard slapping against the mast. It is such a simple thing to just tie the halyards off on the shrouds, or swinging them around the spreaders. Maybe 60 seconds to quiet every halyard on the boat. Another, idea is to use a shock cord to pull them over toward the shrouds and away from the mast, and there are dozens of other ways to stop the slap, slap, slap. Of course no way am I advocating that you climb on someone’s boat and adjust their halyards. Trespassing is something I would never encourage you to do. Several times in marina parking lots I have heard novice boaters saying “Wow, listen to the clanging of the all the sailboats in the wind. Isn’t it romantic.” So maybe it is a matter of perspective, or rather ignorance of the harm that may be caused by what may be romantic to one person and pollution to another, depending upon perspective. It baffles me to no end why sailing instructors don’t teach this simple courtesy to their students. It seems that simple courtesy should always be part of every lesson for novice sailors. We live pretty close together on the water, which means we need to cultivate proper manners and respect for our fellow boaters. Learning how to rig our boat so that it does not create undue noise pollution should be part of every sailing lesson. Actually, in California the boating laws are beginning to take notice of noise pollution. Beginning in the fall of 2004 agencies will begin to enforce a new law that makes it illegal to have a power boat that is too noisy. Maybe this idea that noise pollution on the water is a crime can be stretched to include sailboats that are too noisy. Clang, slap, clang - but it’s so romantic. Yea, right.
The Romantic Sound Of Clanging Halyards Sunday, November 28, 2004 By Capt. Alan Hugenot Have you ever been woken up at night while sleeping in a marina because the neighboring sailboat’s halyards were banging against the mast in the wind? If you have ever tried to sleep through this constant noise, which is like someone continuously knocking on your door, then you know the dilemma which this causes for any poor sailor trying to sleep nearby. Of course, the skipper of the offending boat is not there to hear the incessant slap, slap, slap, and he probably wants to keep those halyards ready to hoist sail as soon as he comes aboard, totally unaware that by doing so he is creating a nerve-racking noise machine. So what can you do? You can’t sleep and you are conflicted about what action to take. You know that if you go aboard his boat and swing the halyards outboard around the spreader before making them fast again that the incessant slap will stop. And, you wonder why the inconsiderate skipper did not do that before he stowed his boat. Maybe you also know that he only comes down to the marina once a month or even less to check his boat. You know he is totally unaware that you have to listen to his halyards going slap, clang, slap, clang every night. On the other hand if you go aboard his boat to fix the problem, it will actually be trespassing - not quite breaking and entering - but trespassing none the less. When he comes back to the boat, he may even get angry at the “prankster” who tangled his halyards around the spreaders, thinking “who would do such a thing, just to confound him.” He, of course, never realizing the true reason unless you tell him. Yet, from a different perspective you might only be a “good Samaritan.” For instance, if the halyard were loose and about to carry away through the top of the mast, then that same skipper would want you to quickly go aboard his boat (even though he had not given you permission) and “properly” secure it. That simple act of neighborly seamanship would save him the grief of having to go aloft to re-thread the halyard through the top of the mast. So wouldn’t it be the same thing here? His halyard is clearly wearing itself out beating against the mast, and if you will just “properly” stow it for him, then it will not wear out as quickly. Also your nerves won’t wear out as quickly either. This is no small problem. I have lived aboard for several years, in both Seattle, Wash. and San Francisco, and have also spent a night or two in nearly every marina from San Diego to Seward, Alaska. In every one there are these slapping halyards. At first you might think that a polite word to the offending skipper would solve the problem. But, a couple of times when I asked the owner of an offending boat if they could take a moment before going ashore to quiet their halyards by rigging them away from the masts, they became defensive. They acted like I was being rude for butting into their business, criticizing their seamanship. They arrogantly pointed out that they knew what they were doing, had studied proper halyard techniques, and had graduated from ASA or US Sailing. They were not going to quiet their halyards by rigging them outboard. Besides who was I to tell them anything. In one case the offending skipper said that “If they found their halyards any different than how they chose to leave them” then they would blame me for trespassing on their boat, and would report it to the marina manager. After this encounter, I could not stop the noise from his boat, and wished I had never spoken to him about it. I knew that if I had never brought it up, I could have quieted his halyards and he would not know who “fouled” his lines. Instead, I changed marinas and learned the lesson that my safest bet was to quiet all offending halyards myself, and do so without telling the owner that I was the culprit. This “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy allowed me to sleep, and several weeks later when the offending skipper turned up to sail his boat I was not there to hear his wrath about “Whoever fouled his halyards was going to catch hell.” I guess it comes down to who is more inconsiderate: Me for trespassing on his boat, or him for leaving the noisy halyard slapping against the mast. It is such a simple thing to just tie the halyards off on the shrouds, or swinging them around the spreaders. Maybe 60 seconds to quiet every halyard on the boat. Another, idea is to use a shock cord to pull them over toward the shrouds and away from the mast, and there are dozens of other ways to stop the slap, slap, slap. Of course no way am I advocating that you climb on someone’s boat and adjust their halyards. Trespassing is something I would never encourage you to do. Several times in marina parking lots I have heard novice boaters saying “Wow, listen to the clanging of the all the sailboats in the wind. Isn’t it romantic.” So maybe it is a matter of perspective, or rather ignorance of the harm that may be caused by what may be romantic to one person and pollution to another, depending upon perspective. It baffles me to no end why sailing instructors don’t teach this simple courtesy to their students. It seems that simple courtesy should always be part of every lesson for novice sailors. We live pretty close together on the water, which means we need to cultivate proper manners and respect for our fellow boaters. Learning how to rig our boat so that it does not create undue noise pollution should be part of every sailing lesson. Actually, in California the boating laws are beginning to take notice of noise pollution. Beginning in the fall of 2004 agencies will begin to enforce a new law that makes it illegal to have a power boat that is too noisy. Maybe this idea that noise pollution on the water is a crime can be stretched to include sailboats that are too noisy. Clang, slap, clang - but it’s so romantic. Yea, right.
Slapping halyards
One blustery night while a transient in Port Washington, WI, the halyards on a Catalina 30 near me were making a terrible racket. It went on for quite a while, and, assuming no one was aboard, I got up and trudged over there in the cold, misty night, boarded the guys boats and tied off the halyards. The next morning it tuned out the jerk had been aboard all the time and thanked me for tying them off - he said he just couldn't get his butt out of bed to do it. Power boaters tell me the best cure for sailors who thoughtlessly leave their halyards to bang on windy nights is duct tape them tight to the mast.
One blustery night while a transient in Port Washington, WI, the halyards on a Catalina 30 near me were making a terrible racket. It went on for quite a while, and, assuming no one was aboard, I got up and trudged over there in the cold, misty night, boarded the guys boats and tied off the halyards. The next morning it tuned out the jerk had been aboard all the time and thanked me for tying them off - he said he just couldn't get his butt out of bed to do it. Power boaters tell me the best cure for sailors who thoughtlessly leave their halyards to bang on windy nights is duct tape them tight to the mast.
Smart Idea
Hi Ferg, Your solution is by far the most interesting. Not only will it stop the electrical wires banging against the interior face of the mast, it will limit the back & forth movement of all halyards thus making my overnight stays much more peaceful. For those who love noisy halyards that sound like music to their ears, they should keep it to themselves.. Live but let live.
Hi Ferg, Your solution is by far the most interesting. Not only will it stop the electrical wires banging against the interior face of the mast, it will limit the back & forth movement of all halyards thus making my overnight stays much more peaceful. For those who love noisy halyards that sound like music to their ears, they should keep it to themselves.. Live but let live.
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