The correct mainsail Halyard

[Bob4203]

I must replace my mainsail halyard on my 1988 Mark II tall rig. I know the specs are out there but I am hoping someone will chime in with the proper length and diameter (factory recommendation).

If I took a vote here what diameter would be favored overall: 3/8, 7/16 or 1/2? I would thing the 3/8 would do fine for me on the lake. I do not know my current halyard diameter right now. Besides its beat, rotten and stretched

Anyone know great internet deals on halyards with eye splice already done (not wire to line set up, just the line)?

Thanks

Bob

 

[captcoho]

Look at the pdf,
otherwise http://www.catalina30.com/TechLib/technical.htm

 

[Bob4203]

Yep, I saw it a few minutes a go.

Tall rig - mast height - 47' 11"
3/8th diameter line.

I figure about 100 to 115 feet?

Bob

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Bob,

I did like what Capt posted, this will be useful for you. I would save his link.

Another thought is do or did you originally you have a wire-rope halyard? The reason is that if the boat was originally for the wire-rope style, you sheaves at the mast crane are different than a latter sheave for an all rope halyard & that allows for a 7/16"-1/2" line.

My 1980 sheaves were for wire-rope. When I changed to 7/16" all-rope (minimum stretch), I found a lot of friction when raising & lowering because of the sheave design.

I went with a larger line to cut down on stretch. Just my opinion. I needed to change a cracked mast crane and went with a later style one from Catalina. Now it's easy smooth raising & when lowering, if I let the bitter end loose, it comes crashing down.

CR

 

[Bob4203]

Thanks,

I am a frequent fan of the InternationalCatalina30 site as it does have the owners manual to reference plus a million other 30 Cat. stuff, but it just calls for 48 feet of main halyard on the tall mast which is way off!

I need owners to chime in on length. I did read a few articles about the advantage to adding more line in the event the halyard is used to retrieve an overboard victim, lift something from the boom end, etc, etc., but the great disadvantage would only be more coiled line in the cockpit main up or down. In the 50+ years I have been sailiing, never once has anyone gone overboard on my boats although I came close to throwing some off!

For now, I figure 3/8 by 115 feet would fit the bill.

Bob

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Bob,

You failed to mention that your halyard is run aft to the cockpit.
Just use the length of your stick x 2, then the true distance on the run of the line from the mast back to the cockpit and add 10 feet.

CR

 

[DanM]

Bob,

Your dimensions sound about right to me. FWIW, when I bought my boat the mainsail halyard was oversized and caused friction where it exited the base of the mast (internal halyards). Changing it out to 3/8" reduced friction considerably.

Take care, DanM.

 

[captwalt]

112' of 3/8 dacron is correct for your boat!

 

[Bob4203]

Thanks all.....................

_/)