How many Halyards?

8 posts / 0 new
Last post
bakerha's picture
bakerha
Offline
Joined: 7/23/10
Posts: 267
How many Halyards?

I'm updating my Masthead this winter with new Garhauer sheaves and thinking about adding a backup halyard. There are 4 sheaves and I hate to replace them all with bearing types if not used ($). So - looking for advice on adding a spare halyard - Jib or main or both - and is it worth the extra cost?I have 3 internal halyards now (jib main and spinnaker) but only 2 sheaves are used. The spinnaker halyard exits the mast and uses a block at the mast head. My mast is down this winter so the work will be easy enough and I will be upgrading wiring and adding some for TV as well. Also - is it worth replacing the VHF antenna while I have the chance. Anchor light is already an LED and will be fixing the windex (hail damage) and replacing the wind sensor. Any thoughts are welcome and appreciated.

_____________
Harold Baker
S/V Lucky Duck
Duncan Bay Boat Club
Cheboygan Michigan - Lake Huron
1989 C-36 mkI TR/WK M25XP

TomSoko's picture
TomSoko
Offline
Joined: 2/15/07
Posts: 978

Harold,
Others may disagree, but if you are not a serious racer, I really don't see the need for a fourth halyard. For me, the main and jib halyard get used all the time, and the spinnaker halyard only occasionally. The spinnaker halyard is my "spare". I use it to hoist the dinghy to the foredeck, to get to the masthead in a bosun's chair, and oh yeah, fly the chute! If I were you, I would carefully check the condition of each of your current halyards, and replace if necessary. Also, don't go "up" a size thinking you are doing a good thing. You will only add chafe in a bunch of places. The boat is designed for 3/8" halyards. I would just replace the sheaves that are in use with roller bearing types. If/when you add a halyard, then you can change the other sheaves. Regarding the VHF, I would upgrade the coax going to the antenna. From memory I can't tell you what a good or bad coax is, but an electronics expert can easily do so. A high quality coax will greatly improve your VHF performance, even more than replacing the antenna. Hope this helps.

Tom Sokoloski
C36/375IA Past Commodore
Noank, CT

benethridge's picture
benethridge
Offline
Joined: 5/13/09
Posts: 446

Hi, Tom. When you say 3/8 inch, do you mean for the mainsail halyard as well? I think mine is fatter, but that was the size when I purchased the boat.

Ben Ethridge
Miami, FL
1984 MK1 Hull# 263

TomSoko's picture
TomSoko
Offline
Joined: 2/15/07
Posts: 978

Ben,
Yes, I do. If you look in the Owner's Manual for the MkI and/or MkII, you will see that all of the halyards are spec'd at 3/8" low stretch. Some owners have tried going up a size (to 7/16"). It has sort of worked, but those who have looked at all of the blocks and sheaves carefully have found that the 7/16" halyards don't quite fit, and create additional chafe and additional friction. Sheets on the other hand, are spec'd at 7/16". On my MkI (without a turning block) I went up to 1/2" for the genoa sheets without a problem. Your boat, your choice.

Tom Sokoloski
C36/375IA Past Commodore
Noank, CT

bboggs's picture
bboggs
Offline
Joined: 6/22/08
Posts: 144

[QUOTE=TomSoko;15427]Ben,
Yes, I do. If you look in the Owner's Manual for the MkI and/or MkII, you will see that all of the halyards are spec'd at 3/8" low stretch. Some owners have tried going up a size (to 7/16"). It has sort of worked, but those who have looked at all of the blocks and sheaves carefully have found that the 7/16" halyards don't quite fit, and create additional chafe and additional friction. Sheets on the other hand, are spec'd at 7/16". On my MkI (without a turning block) I went up to 1/2" for the genoa sheets without a problem. Your boat, your choice.[/QUOTE]

With mid-spec lowstretch lines like VPC you could go the other way and go down a size. I went with VPC for my main but out of caution stayed with the standard size. I defintely recommend VPC and if I did it again would likely go down a size.

Bill Boggs
s/v Palmetto Moon
1991 C36, Hull 1128
Herrington Harbor South
Chesapeake Bay

Ciscocat's picture
Ciscocat
Offline
Joined: 6/25/07
Posts: 244

I give, what is vpc?

Mike Hogan
s/v Ciscocat #226
Mark I XP25, std rig

Ciscocat's picture
Ciscocat
Offline
Joined: 6/25/07
Posts: 244

Never mind didn't check the web for vpc

Mike Hogan
s/v Ciscocat #226
Mark I XP25, std rig

bboggs's picture
bboggs
Offline
Joined: 6/22/08
Posts: 144

[QUOTE=ciscocat;15455]Never mind didn't check the web for vpc[/QUOTE]

Sorry should have said New England Ropes VPC to make it a bit clearer. It gives performance much closer to expensive high performance lines targeted to pure racers at a price point cuisers with a performance craving can tolerate.

Bill Boggs
s/v Palmetto Moon
1991 C36, Hull 1128
Herrington Harbor South
Chesapeake Bay

Log in or register to post comments