Dinghy Halyard Knot With Bobble

[Deleted member 36384]

Hi,

Currently my Wayfarer's halyards are attached with shackles of various descriptions. I have noticed on other dinghies that the head end of the halyard terminates in a bobble, not a shackle. Do you push a bight through the head of the sail and pop the bobble through the bight and then pull up snug before hoisting or is there another cunning feature for attaching the halyard that I have not fathomed? I will be replacing my halyards next season and may go down this road, if it is indeed shackle-less.

Thanks,

BlowingOldBoots

 

[Searush]

Hi,

Currently my Wayfarer's halyards are attached with shackles of various descriptions. I have noticed on other dinghies that the head end of the halyard terminates in a bobble, not a shackle. Do you push a bight through the head of the sail and pop the bobble through the bight and then pull up snug before hoisting or is there another cunning feature for attaching the halyard that I have not fathomed? I will be replacing my halyards next season and may go down this road, if it is indeed shackle-less.

Thanks,

BlowingOldBoots

Yes, to the first suggestion.

 

[lw395]

Used to do that, have gone back to shackles and a 2:1 halyard after too many breakages.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Thank you very much. I will go down this road now.

Best Regards,

BlowingOldBoots

 

[VicS]

Hi,

Currently my Wayfarer's halyards are attached with shackles of various descriptions. I have noticed on other dinghies that the head end of the halyard terminates in a bobble, not a shackle. Do you push a bight through the head of the sail and pop the bobble through the bight and then pull up snug before hoisting or is there another cunning feature for attaching the halyard that I have not fathomed? I will be replacing my halyards next season and may go down this road, if it is indeed shackle-less.

Thanks,

BlowingOldBoots

I'd not thought of doing it quite like that.

My halyards have a loop of (slightly) lighter cordage stitched and whipped near the end. The halyard itself has a stopper knot ( just common or garden figure of eight knot IIRC) in the end. The loop is pushed the sail and the knotted end of the halyard through that.


Similar arrangement on the genoa sheet except that the loop is formed in the centre of the sheet and a short length of cordage stitched and whipped to the sheet with a stopper knot in the end passes through that after its pushed through the sail.
No shackle to whack you in the eye and no unsightly "two bowline" arrangement either.

 

[onesea]

If its any help I used to this on certain Dinghies so I could get the sail that little bit higher. I also used to use it on Spinnaker sheets/ guys to get the pole tight up against the sail for reaching...

You know it is every bit counts, it also cuts down weight? I tended to use over hand knot instead of bobble but makes do diffidence.

 

[William_H]

I stick with just a bowline on the halyard. The big advantagee is that each time you tie the bowline it is ina different place on the halyard so wear points of cleats and pulleys hopefully moves so extending life of halyard. Compared toa shackle which means contact points are identical every time. good luck olewill

 

[strudders]

I always did the main on my Merlin Rocket like that, back in my dinghy racing days. Common practice in that fleet I believe

 

[ghostlymoron]

A 'Halyard knot' (see Google) is a cheap, neat way of attaching a main sail.