Pin Rail for Halyard Storage

[Ocean Girl]

I have a 30 ft Cape Dory and would like to get the halyards away from the mast while not in use. Anyone add a pin rail to the lower stays? I am thinking of making a teak rail, with 2-3 belaying pins. Has anyone seen them ready made?
I cant remember what these boards are called..monkey board? Anyways have used them before and really like em, good for scrambling up the rigging for reef watch too.
Erika

PS pictures whould be appreciated (I am a visual gal)

[delmarrey]

I keep my halyards connected to deck padeyes or other fittings on deck away from the mast. I hate the sound of slapping halyards on the mast. Besides it wears the coating off the mast over time. Plus, I notice I get less algae growth on the lines when they are at an angle to the mast.

If you have T-tracks you can connect lines to track fittings.

[Ocean Girl]

Thanks, that is what I am doing now, I attach the shackles to a pad eye or stanchion base but the other end..no neat and tidy way so far. What do ya do?
I think they are called baha boards??? Monkey boards?? dag nabbit it is on the tip of my tongue. You attach the shackle to an eye below the board then cleat off the hallyard with the belaying pin that is mounted on the board, coil the extra line and drape over belaying pin and it is neat and tidy and away from the mast. They are usually made of teak.
Erika

[delmarrey]

Awh! Dressing up the boat. Coil the lines at the cleat or laying them over a winch. Personally, I like to keep them out of the weather. So, wrapped up and under the dogger they go. It's a preference I suppose.

[FSMike]

Ocean Girl -
All I've ever heard them called is pin rails. If you make some make sure the pins come out easily - the quickest way to free the halyard is to yank the pin. Some designs actually use wedge shaped pins for that reason. My pins used to be wood because I never could afford bronze.

[lancelot9898]

I have pinrails on my Tayana 37 and I think they are great. Many of the T-37's came from the factory with that as an option and there should be a boat or two that you can see in person to judge for yourself. Just one more teak item to upkeep.

[jkleins]

It is on my to do list this summer. I think they look nice on older boats and putting the halyards all the way down to the deck does make more to walk around as you go forward. My only decision is how to secure them to the shrouds. Some plans have them attached to the shroud mechanically and others use the angle to keep them from moving up and down. I am going to play around and see what I like.

If you decide to make some let us know the results.

Jim

[Blue Stocking]

Ocean Girl,

When I had my Friendship sloop I made my belaying pins from 3/8" bronze (or brass) rod with a washer brazed on at a height to allow equal length above and below the rail stock. Drill the hole in the rail oversize to allow you to dump the halyard quickly by lifting the pin.

[FSMike]

If I remember correctly mine were kept from moving by stainless hose clamps or some such device top and bottom. By being mechanically secured I could put a good deal of tension on the lines without the pin rails moving. I occasionally cleated off the hoisted headsails with the belaying pins.

[jkleins]

Originally Posted by FSMike

If I remember correctly mine were kept from moving by stainless hose clamps or some such device top and bottom. By being mechanically secured I could put a good deal of tension on the lines without the pin rails moving. I occasionally cleated off the hoisted headsails with the belaying pins.

I have seen them with a narrow slot that just perfectly fit the angle of the shrouds so any movement up or down was stopped by the binding of the wire in the slot. It looked like a good system but maybe hard to get perfect so it didn't move a little up and down and wear? I think one of Mate's books has one that is tied on. Very nautical looking.

Jim

[Ocean Girl]

Thanks, my halyards are not run aft, so pretty cluttered around the mast right now (clutter drives me nuts!).

Anyone have a picture by any chance? I have used them before, and if I remember correctly, the pin rails were notched at the ends for the shrouds then whipped into position.

How long was your belaying pins? 6 inches? My rail wont be very tall maybe 3-4 inches (?)
Erika

[klem]

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures but if you type something like "shroud pin rail" into google images, you get a few pictures. The ones that I have seen, have all been something like a 3X3 seized with seine twine, marline, or wire onto the shrouds. To help keep them in place, you can either groove the back side or put two little wood guides on either side of the wire. I suppose that if you were worried about your seizing abilities, you could incorporate a wire clamp into the pin board. You can also buy a flag cleat that goes onto a shroud and would be plent to hold your halyard without any load on it.

Another option that would probably be a lot easier is to leave the halyard connected to the head of the sail and made off at the cleat and then simply pull the middle of the halyard away from the mast. The previous owners of my boat did this by grabbing the halyard a few feet above the headboard with a bungee and clipping the other end to their shroud.

[jkleins]

Ferenc Mate has a book called "Finely Fitted Yacht" where the details exactly how to make them called "In-shroud Pinrales". If you can find a copy it has pictures and directions. He says 3" wide, 30-35" above the deck with pins no less then 5" apart and 8-10" inches long with 1/2" round for bronze and 3/4" for wood. He says they can be removable or fixed but recommends fixed pins just to keep them from "swimming."

Jim

[Mi2ndWind]

Hi all! First post here from a long time lurker. I came across this idea searching for a way to quiet things down Monkeys On Board Haven't tried it yet, but plan to this season. If you try it first OG, let me know!

[Ocean Girl]

You guys are great! I will look into the halyard monkeys (cool idea) and JKleins, that darn book was mere inches from me when I read your post.. I forget about all my books when I have this fab internet resource.
Thanks,
Erika