Spinnaker Halyard Chafe

[Bill Ebling]

Had a fantastic 12 mile dead run this Saturday along the Cheseapeake's Eastern Shore from St Michaels to Kent Narrows. I was making a perfectly balaced 6 knots with the spinnaker poled out 14 feet; 15 knots behind me all the way. Smooth water, a colorful head sail balooned out in front, trade wind wing n' wing sailing, Bach playing in the cockpit...I was in heaven. It all had to come to an end too soon as I approached the Kent Narrows bridge. When I dropped the asymetrical spinnaker there was not much left of the spinnaker halyard. A 3" band of the outer braid was chafed all round a foot from the shackle. The core also had quite a bit of chewing on it. I've seen chafe in this position before but not this bad. Then again I've never had a chance to fly the spinnaker for this long either. (Its also the first time I used the new pole with this spinnaker). I think the masthead fitting is doing the chewing. I believe that the masthead is the stock ISOMAT NG1 used on 31' Hunters of the 85 vintage. I am using the port forward delrin sheeve for an all rope spinnaker halyard, the starboard forward delrin sheeve is used for my all rope jib halyard. I have no problem with the jib halyard; it leads true to the roller furling swivel fitting. (The foil and fore-stay keep things in line here). When runing with the reletively free flying spinnaker, I am assuming that its' halyard rubs against aluminum exit channel cast in at the mast head. It extends about 1 to 2 inches below the mast head sheeve. Another possibility is that the halyard is rubbing against the roller furling swivel fitting. I went up the mast today, the sheeve is fine so it can't be blamed.If I cut the halyard and splice in a new shackle the halyard won't reach the cockpit rope clutch when the halyard is brought down to the deck for storage. Therefore, I am about to purchase a new halyard but I must find a solution to the chafe problem or else I will be buying halyards once a month. I was thinking of adding a halyard restrainer below the masthead to create a fairlead to the mast head exit channel. This could also serve to keep the halyard out of harms way of the roller furler swivel fitting. Is this the easiest solution? Has anyone else had this problem? Any other suggestions/advice would be appreciated.ThanksBill EblingYesterday's Dream 1985 31' Hunter

 

[Les Andrsen]

Chafe

Bill,Not sure what caused your problem but I have seen something like this happen when a spin halyard gets wrapped around the forstay. It can easily happen. You probably run the shackle end down the port side of the forstay to the mast base or toerail. That keeps it clear of the forstay. You go to raise the spin and decide to raise it on the starboard side. Attach everything and run it up. Now there is a partial wrap under the forstay. The sail is not that heavy and it is easy to miss the problem when raising. You finish with the sail, all the time its sawing away, lower it and find the problem. Need to either always raise the spin on the same side you have previously set the halyard or remember to carry the halyard around over the forstay to the opposite side.Then again perhaps it's something else in your case.Good luck,Less/v Mutual Fun