Halyard Upgrade

[LIsailor]

1985 Sabre 36.
Original halyards are 7/16 and were rope to wire. With technology improvements in rope, do I need to stay with 7/16? I plan to use Sta-Set X or an equivalent. Note: I am replacing the "wire type" sheaves at the masthead with more friendly rope designed sheaves.
Smaller line does mean less cost and less weight aloft but this is a cruiser so I am not looking to go too light. I just think Sta-Set X in 7/16 may be overkill.
This may simply be a question of how to calculate loads.
Jib and main halyard will be on the mast. Spinnaker halyard will be ran back to the cockpit.
Thoughts?

[Unicorn Dreams]

I never use anything under 1/2" on my boat, mainly for ease of handling. Personally, I would go up to 1/2"..

[zeehag]

the 7/16 will fit into your blocks and fittings best. usually is a reason behind beefed up rigging, running or standing......

[Charlie]

7/16 is fine you might try 3/8 but I think that the real test is going to be how it feels.

[D.D.]

3/8" OK for the main, stay w/ 7/16" for jib halyard. Try to purchase as low a stretch line as your wallet will allow. 3/8" on the main may be too hard on the hands. Certainly the line strength will take the load, but may feel a little thin when raising the main........

[zeehag]

3/8 hurts . a lot. my ericson has 9/16 for main sheet. my formosa has 7/16 for main sheet. uses 9/16 for jib sheets. comfy. mizzen sheet is 3/8.

[sarafina]

can I just say, with the new low stretch small gauge line?

GLOVES.

[bangkaboat]

I'm in the process of switching to 3/8" - 30 footer. I paid $1.07/ft @WM. I should've taken them up on their offer to do the splicing, much more work than dbl braid, but one has to learn new things & be able to apply them. Not a lot to grab hold of, that's for sure.

[roverhi]

I've got 3/8" halyards. The lines are dacron braid covered Dyneema. The rope is thick enough that it's not a problem on the hands. Stretch is almost non existant. The lines haven't hardened up with age and remain reasonably supple.

Old halyards were StaSet X which had too much stretch and were quite stiff. The Dyneema cored line is way better and also better than wire/rope spliced lines as well.

[DeepFrz]

I think the feel of a line of a certain size might depend a whole lot on the size and strength of your hands. I would prefer a larger diameter line than the 3/8" line. Just personal preference not based on breaking strength, but on my own.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by LIsailor

Original halyards are 7/16 and were rope to wire. With technology improvements in rope, do I need to stay with 7/16?

Check your jammers before going radically down in size; they may not be rated to hold the smaller line.

While I have used high-tech halyards on other boats I have owned, there is nothing wrong with rope/wire. Make sure the reason is not fashion. You are biting off considerable expense (top sheve is probably burred, jammers are wrong, small line can be trouble on winch...). I see a lot of high-tech line where it is not useful.

[LIsailor]

Thanks for all the great responses. I have decided to stick with the 7/16 for reasons of feel. I had the opportunity to look at both side by side.
Yes, I know I will have to change the sheaves at the masthead. I want to convert to all rope as the wire is tearing up the painted mast which is now down and I am repainting. Also, this is a good time to make the change. Additionally the spinnaker halyard was external. Why, I don't know, there was an forward facing sheave at the masthead available. I am making internal and adding a rope clutch.

[roverhi]

The spinnaker halyard shouldn't use the sheaves in the mast head. The spinnaker has loads from all directions which would mean a lot of chafe and quickly failed halyard if you use a mast head sheave. The spinnaker halyard needs to run to a swivel block on a crane off the mast head. Internal spinnaker halyards typically exit the mast a little below the top through a slot and go to a swivel block.


Aloha
Peter Ogilvie
Pa'akai O'o, Pearson 35 #108
Too many Landrovers, some even run.

[barnakiel]

I have seen a good deal of trouble in boats that went from wire to soft - make sure all exits are clean and smooth as soft halyards can chafe in no time at spots where wire took beating for years.

b.

[Weyalan]

Given that we are talking halyards, and halyards = weight aloft, I'd say go for downsizing to 3/8" in something like Spectra or Vectran. thats what I'd do. YMMV.