Bowline or halyard hitch

[sailon46]

Thank you all for your experienced commentary. By the way on my new Sta Set X halyard I googled the buntline hitch and tied it to my bran new forged shackle.
Ernie on the Mary Jane

[roverhi]

Why are you tying on a shackle?? Tie the halyard directly to the sail, sell the shackle and use the money to buy yourself a beer or two. Have double looped the halyard through the sail cringle and a bowline for decades. Currently use a buntline hitch which may be a better knot to use with exotic cored halyards and is a more compact knot. Some people have had problems with Buntline hitch locking up but has not been a problem for me including a TransPac.

[Mike Banks]

I use a blood knot with two turns around the shackle--but if you like a quickie now and then--a Chinese hitch(one clove hitch on the shackle bight, another around the standing part) will get you there.

A simple bowline is OK but there is a large loss of strength in such a simple knot.

The extra turn around the shackle and the simple sliding jam on the shackle itself (rather than on rope) of a Blood knot with an extra turn is almost 100% of rope strength. A Chinese hitch is about 80%--maybe a bit more--but a bowline would be 70% or less.

Another permanent but easily released fix is a spliced loop made into a Lark's Head around the shackle bight.

[AiniA]

I am a big fan of the buntline but if it has been under a serious load for a long time it will be very hard to untie.

[boat driver]

chesck line manufacture- with some of the newer lines the bowline is not the best knot in both holding and strength.

[cygnus]

Originally Posted by sailon46

I have been tying my main halyard shackle all these years with a bowline. Friend suggested that I use a halyard hitch. What do you guys think or use.
Thanx Ernie on the Mary Jane

I`ve been using a Bowline for 40 years and never had a problem.

[cygnus]

I have been using a Bowline for 40 years and so far never had a problem.

[sailon46]

Thanx for you answers but I just got to my boat in St Croix so I untied the buntline and went back to my old bowline with long tail.irs blowing close to 40 out here today and is getting worse tonight.
Ernie on the Mary Jane she’s for sale now

[Rhumbline]

Halyard hitch is the way to go. Much more compact knot allows for a tighter luff especially if there's any hardware at the top of the mast that might interfere with a full hoist.

[Hamish_ct]

For my boat, I want the main as high as I can get it, the tighter the better. I don't use any hardware. I run the main halyard through twice and then tie a stopper knot. That way we can get the Main as close to the top as possible. We are also sailing with a 2" pre bend at naught on the mast. The sail is made for this. there is nothing wrong with using a Bowline or a Halyard hitch, they both perform the same function and are effective. The only issue is the space between the top of the sail and the mast caused by the knot.


Good luck and Fair Winds

[MccNeo]

I don't trust a bowline on a halyard. I have used a halyard hitch on both of my boats for years for both the main and the jib / genoa. Yes, a halyard knot will get tight but a marlin spike will pull it loose. I prefer not to cut lines if it isn't necessary. I use a marlin spike a lot. Sometimes, I need a Leatherman to augment the spike but it prevents needlessly cutting an otherwise good and expensive line.