Outhaul Line Replacement / Splice Help

[TrentePieds]

Livinchi:

If you insist on reeving a new outhaul through the boom, then do as Jim Cate instructs you. #4 whipping twine is the appropriate thread, and it comes prewaxed.

Lay out your old line and your new line butt to butt. Stick your needle straight through the centre of the old end from side to side, in by about an inch and drawing about a foot of twine through the line leaving and cut the twine off the spool about four inches out from the line. Then stick the needle through the new line, in by about an inch and snug up the "bight" of the twine. Come back to the old end and stick the needle though in the same path it took before and snug up. Go back to the new end and twist the line a quarter turn. Stick through and snug up. Come back to the old end and stick through a quarter turn from the first stitch. Keep going like that till you've gone all around the line. Then tie off one end of twine to the other and trim short.

The twine will now be plenty strong enough to pull the line through any sheaves within the boom, but it would hang up. You prevent that by laying a "sailmaker's whipping" on the joint to fair it.

But if you are not a hard-core racing type striving for the last tenth of a knot on a hard beat to weather, why would you bother with the complexities of an outhaul within the boom? Willy Occam wouldn't like it :-)! Manufacturers only do it that way to cater to the vanity of those who buy boats "off the peg". As someone else said: Just tie your clew cringle off to some convenient fitting on the end of the boom and you'll be just fine.

In a wider context: A sailor leaves himself open to depredation by wind, wave and shore-side folk unless he has the basic skills of marlinspike seamanship. Geezers like Jim and me use it every day, sometimes of necessity, sometimes for fun, having been hit by a fit of desire to pretty something up. There are lots of good books on the subject. A compendium that you can hardly beat is Ashley's Book of Knots. It was written back when seafaring men's safety depended on their knowing their knots and hitches, back when they "knew the ropes" as we used to say. I recommend that you make Old Ashley your bed-companion. TP

[donradcliffe]

I'm for Plan B, but I would first check to make sure that the outhaul goes straight through the boom. Many boats in your size range have a 2:1 outhaul arrangement inside the boom. The easiest way to check is to pull 8 inches on the line at the mast end and see if the line at the clew end moves 8 inches.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Guys, Plan A really is quicker & simpler, not to mention much more foolproof. And... it lets you pull out the lines anytime you want to to inspect them.
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...reeving+splice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzt-cz6MTPQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfVl4xTT0vg

[thunderhoof]

I believe all the approaches will work. The key is to have the new line run smoothly while pulling it through the boom. If you have to pull hard back up and figure out why the line is hanging up.
BTW how about adding a single block inside the boom to increase the purchase? Attach the head of the block to the line to the clew. Run a second line from the butt of the boom, around the riding sheave, then the sheave at the forward end of the boom and then to the cleat or stopper for the outhaul.

[SeaBreeze-1]

You don't need to splice anything to pull a new line through nor do you need to pull a messenger first. Quite simply, butt the ends of the new and old line together and sew them up snuggly so that you're sure that they won't part in the pulling process. Then pull the old one through with the new one attached. Just be certain that's the new line is the same diameter as the old. I did this for all of my running rigging on our 40 footer and it worked perfectly.

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Livinchi

Thank you guys for the replies and advice!

Suijin Regarding simply using electrical tape - I love how easy this option sounds, and all I would need is the new line and tape. My concern is that the 2 pieces come apart inside the boom due to the tape slipping off or becoming jammed in a pulley inside there. If that were to happen I would likely have to take the boom apart to run the new line I am guessing.

It's a 26' boat. How long is your boom, like 10'? The method I suggested is what I use when I know it's going to be easy and it works well with smaller diameter line. I assume yours is 1/4" or so. If your line currently runs easily (no corroded sheaves etc.) then you should be fine.

When I use the tape method, the longitudinal strips overlap each piece of rope by 10" or so, then overwrap the whole thing tightly. It won't come off. If it starts to jam/bind, back it out and follow Unciv's advice.

The point of the approach is to try the stupidly easy and fast approach first, then resort to more time consuming yet foolproof methods if unsuccessful. Would I ever try this mousing a line up my 58' mast? Absolutely not, lol. But for a 10' boom it should be easy.

[donradcliffe]

If your tape job jams and breaks while you are pulling it, there is a backup plan, which is relatively easy for a boom your size.

Take the boom off, hold it vertical, and let a weighted string fall through it, then pull the new line in with the string.

I don't like Uncivilized's reeving eye splices, they are a PITA to feed through jammers, blocks, etc. Some times I have to take a soldering iron and form a tapered tip on the new line to get it through things.

[Ken Z]

The way I replace halyards is to put the new and old ends together use elect. tape, tightly wrap at least 3" to each side helps to have two people, then wrap tightly fishing line20 lb. test around the splice and gently pull it thru,to replace. I have to be clear that tape and line must be wrapped tight, and be gentle in pulling.