Replacing Furling Genoa Halyard

[RigelKent]

Have a practical question about replacing the halyard for my furling (Profurl) genoa. Is it possible to change the halyard attached to the furler's top swivel without going up the mast? Reading the install manual for the furler it seems that the only way it would be within reach on the deck would be to either disconnect the forestay.

I've just changed the main halyard to spectra and would like to do the same for the genoa, but it's looking to be a bit more challenging.

Anybody have experience doing this they would care to share?

[Factor]

Just pull the heady down, the swivel will come with it and thus the halyard

[Wotname]

What Factor said!

BTW, if you need a hand, give me a hoy assuming you still have my contact details!

[roverhi]

You really don't need the expense of an exotic low stretch line for a foiled roller furling headstay. Most of the load is taken by the foil so you don't have to cinch it up very tight and stretch isn't much of a problem. Only reason I could see to go with an exotic low stretch jib halyard is if you were going to use it with a mountain climbing ascender rig or an ATN Top Climber. But if you want to spend twice as much on a halyard you don't need to, go for it.

[daddle]

Originally Posted by roverhi

You really don't need the expense of an exotic low stretch line for a foiled roller furling headstay. Most of the load is taken by the foil....

The load taken by a foil is horizontal. That by a halyard is vertical. These loads are not much related in sail trim. I would think spectra-cored line would be the norm now - it's 2012. Plus with a furler the halyard is often set and forgotten, not handled much, so the spectra-cored line can be very much smaller than the old dacron would be (much cheaper). On some boats they don't even bother with a dedicated winch or clutch. It's just setup once and pinned on a track.

[savoir]

I agree with roverhi. You don't need a high tech jib halyard. All you will do is spend money for no perceivable advantage. Go with whatever low stretch poly is cheap at your local chandler. Samson XLS would do fine as would NE Sta Set X.

Cut the splice off your old halyard and get a rigger to splice the snap shackle onto the new one. Sew the tail of the new halyard to the cut in the old one with sailmaker's twine and use the old one to pull the new one through the mast. You will have to burn and whip the cut in the old halyard just a little so that the join doesn't fall apart when you are half done.

3/8" poly would do the job and if you want Dyneema you would only need 5/16". That will create a new problem in that the 5/16" will probably cause your clutch to slip. Most cannot handle less than 3/8". In order to help the clutch you will have to pay extra for 3/8" Dyneeema which, in terms of strength, is totally OTT and would suit a 40 footer.

[RigelKent]

Thanks for that, it's good to know what to expect - I imagined that with the furler extrusion surrounding the forestay, that the forestay must need to come down as well.

I had two instructors tell me there is too much stretch in the current genoa halyard.

Had a rigging surveyor go up the mast recently on the main halyard recently - he wouldn't go up on my stretchy main halyard until I replaced it with spectra. He suggested spectra for the genoa halyard as well. Good to know there are less expensive low stretch alternatives for the genoa that will work just as well.

[savoir]

Your rigging guy would only have been right if the halyard was BADLY frayed. Maybe it was. I can't comment on that because I can't see it.

The earlier posters were right. When you pull the jib down, a slider thingy will follow it down the foil with the halyard attached.

Just stick with the best low stretch poly sold in your area and you'll be fine.

[RigelKent]

Thanks for that, and thanks for the assistance offers, I think I'm good to go.