Replace running rigging

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Jul 26, 2007
16
Hunter 26.5 Perth Amboy
We have a Hunter 26.5 1989 and have purchased new sails. We need to replace the running rigging. We plan to replace the main halyard and sheets. the jib is a furler job so we would just replace the sheets. This should be easy to do since the mast and boom are off the boat (on a stand in the yard). Any general 'lessons learned' advice would be appreciated. Any Recommendations on who to purchase the rigging from and what 'grade/type' of line? Sailboatowners has rigging but it is 'all white' and we think different colors would be better. We are new boat owners and guidance would be appreciated. thank you - Kathy and Tom
 

GuyT

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May 8, 2007
406
Hunter 34 South Amboy, NJ
Sheet size

I used a 1/2" line for the comfort factor on the Jib sheet. It sure is alot easier on the hands when pulling. My traveler came with a 1/2" line but I am going to change that to 3/8 or 5/16" this year so it works better with the existing cam cleats. Colors are great - It does help. I dont know if there are conventions to using colors, maybe someone else can chime in on that. As far as brands - I have been happy with New England.
 
Dec 1, 1999
2,391
Hunter 28.5 Chesapeake Bay
There is always going

to tradeoffs to make with running rigging (or perhaps everything you buy for your boat). Strength/feel/price are top of the list. I think it would be hard to find a line of any useful size on boats this size that were not strong enough. I personally like the feel of fuzzy double-braided Dacron for sheets and it's not too expensive. It has a great feel/hand and holds on a winch nicely. But it will stretch a bit more than some higher tech lines. That is inconsequential to me. I would find it a bit hard to imagine needing lines on a boat your size that are over 3/8" in diameter. Depending on your sail inventory and the prevailing winds where you sail, it may be useful to think about having even smaller diameter light winds sheets for your headsail, too. Finally, I like and use plain old Sta-Set X, 3/8", for my main halyard on a H28.5. I usually buy brand name line when they go on sale at West/Boat US or I buy them at Bacons in Annapolis. I would not buy line from an online website as I'd want to feel it first and would not want to pay shipping.
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
DO NOT use over sized line!

K & T: DO NOT use oversized line. I made this mistake on my H'31 several years ago. I actually used what Hunter recommended 1/2" for the main halyard. It worked okay for about one season. The following season the main sail was almost impossible to raise. It appears that the main halyard had absorbed just enough moisture that it made enough fricton that we had to winch the main up the last 4-5 ft. I swapped it out for a 7/16" halyard and everything was just fine. The new lines have much higher ratings than most of the materials made even 10 years ago so there is no need to over size line. Guy does make a good point about the size of the line and making it easier on your hands, but I don't think that will be much of a factor on your 26.5 if you use 3/8 vs 5/16 for a sail or your size. Check with them on colors, I think that Dave G. can accomodate you. I have a quick and easy method for changing out halyards using a large paper clip. It has worked well for us over the years (check out the Photo Forum).
 

Dave Groshong

SBO Staff
Staff member
Jan 25, 2007
1,867
Catalina 22 Seattle
Hi Kathy and Tom

We do have solid colors, red, blue, black and green, as well as tracer colors, or fleck. If you don't go into the OEM rigging, but go to the running rigging, you'll find Samson XLS in colors. Samson XLS is an excellent all around line for cruiser's and club racer's.
 

Alan

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Jun 2, 2004
4,174
Hunter 35.5 LI, NY
Halyards...

...should be made of the least stretchy line you can find. Halyard stretch is a huge factor in sail shape when the wind increases. Double braid line simply cannot do the job and as a result sailing performance suffers, weather helm increases and the boat will need to be reefed sooner than would be needed with a good quality low stretch line like spectra. As Steve says, turning friction also incresaes with increasing line size. Low strectch spectra can be downsized and still have far less stretch than larger double braid. As a result the lower turning friction makes raising sail so much easier.
 
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