Frayed halyard - how much life is left?

[Refueler]

Replace the halyard, cut the damaged one where it is frayed and use the two remaining parts elsewhere, even if they are relegated to part-time mooring lines.

To cut corners trying to make do with faulty running rigging is inviting problems, usually when they are least needed.

Exactly ... replace and cut the old halyard into useable lines - such as mooring lines etc.

 

[ashtead]

Yes replacement is way to go with dyneema ideally -just consider the clutch size when replacing -often when delivered the Lyros or suchlike slips in the deck clutch so might downsizing diameter in dyneema you then run into another issue. Also dyneema is much more slippy than your old style halliard but it’s stiffer to coil . You don’t say location or mast height which is key but if you want a rough price Jimmy green website might help if you know diameter .

 

[john_morris_uk]

Unless you are using very high tech rope indeed, or your boats are very large, £400 for a halliard seems excessive. My halliards are all about 25m long - to get up to £400 I'd have to be paying £16 a metre for rope (I too do my own splicing and whipping). The stuff I use is around £6 a metre, and is easily strong enough; indeed strengthwise it is considerable overkill. I use cruising dyneema for my jib halliard to avoid stretch, and even that doesn't approach £16 a metre.

Our halyards are about 35 metres long. I admit the last one I bought was in the Caribbean where prices are occasionally inflated’. However a halyard I had made for me in a Scotland about ten years ago was £350 but the rigger made that and it included a new shackle IIRC.

Our main halyard is dyneema. A new length from Jimmy Green, no shackles and with me splicing/whipping comes in at £278.

I still don’t think that’s ‘cheap’.

 

[conehead]

If it's only the outer braid that's fraying, it's almost certainly fine for the rest of the season. All the same, there is that almost; it's a cheap repair, and I'll bet that it's been in use long enough that it doesn't owe you anything, so I'll go with the others - replace at your earliest convenience.

If it isn't that old, I'd want to know if there's something causing the wear - a seized pulley or something and address that at the same time

That's my concern - I haven't yet worked out exactly what's caused the wear, but it seems to have happened alarmingly quickly, maybe even over the course of a few nights as the fraying is very obvious and I noticed it between one sailing and the next. Also it did seem to be stiffer when hoisting the mainsail that day, although I was quite tired.

 

[conehead]

Thanks everyone for the sensible advice. I will replace asap and try to find out what caused the wear in the first place.

It does look to me like the outer sleeve has taken all the damage. Unfortunately the damage is about in the middle of the halyard, so no way to salvage the length to keep using it.

 

[Boathook]

That's my concern - I haven't yet worked out exactly what's caused the wear, but it seems to have happened alarmingly quickly, maybe even over the course of a few nights as the fraying is very obvious and I noticed it between one sailing and the next. Also it did seem to be stiffer when hoisting the mainsail that day, although I was quite tired.

If the damage has happened quickly I would find out what caused it before spending money on a halliard. The new one won't last long either !

 

[TiggerToo]

on the subject of halyard chafe.

Here is what happened to mine: a new jib halyard. It seems to be in correspondence with the masthead block (inside the mast). This is what it looked like after ~24h beating to windward.

I sewed a piece of sailcloth to try and reduce the damage, but that was chafed through too.

The sheaves were all new and replaced in spring...

Does anyone have any idea about what might be causing this?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

on the subject of halyard chafe.

Here is what happened to mine: a new jib halyard. It seems to be in correspondence with the masthead block (inside the mast). This is what it looked like after ~24h beating to windward.

I sewed a piece of sailcloth to try and reduce the damage, but that was chafed through too.

The sheaves were all new and replaced in spring...

Does anyone have any idea about what might be causing this?

Worn Halliard diverter for the furling system?

 

[Boathook]

on the subject of halyard chafe.

Here is what happened to mine: a new jib halyard. It seems to be in correspondence with the masthead block (inside the mast). This is what it looked like after ~24h beating to windward.

I sewed a piece of sailcloth to try and reduce the damage, but that was chafed through too.

The sheaves were all new and replaced in spring...

Does anyone have any idea about what might be causing this?

No idea unless you want to take me to your boat.

Just need to put the halyard back up and see where ever the damage is and what might be causing it. Might need to go up the mast at the same time for a good look.

 

[jdc]

Unless you are using very high tech rope indeed, or your boats are very large, £400 for a halliard seems excessive. My halliards are all about 25m long - to get up to £400 I'd have to be paying £16 a metre for rope (I too do my own splicing and whipping). The stuff I use is around £6 a metre, and is easily strong enough; indeed strengthwise it is considerable overkill. I use cruising dyneema for my jib halliard to avoid stretch, and even that doesn't approach £16 a metre.

I use Marlow D2 Racing dyneema, 10mm dia, and need 40m of the stuff. Jimmy Green quotes £11 per metre, but I got it for slightly less.

OTT for me possibly because we're not often racing. But it's a decent size (41m²) fully battened main with a considerable roach, and we have (and appreciate) slightly high tech sail cloth. So, as I said, the main halyard is the one line I really care about and will 'waste' money upon. The last one lasted 10 years, so overall not that bad value. It shouldn't get any chafe - diagnose and cure it at once!

 

[Metalicmike]

If you ever had to thread a new Halyard from the top of the mast you would never ask this question.

 

[john_morris_uk]

If you ever had to thread a new Halyard from the top of the mast you would never ask this question.

I think that’s a little harsh. I’ve had to thread several halyards and wires from the top of the mast. It’s not really a hassle and you often end up with them threaded better than before as you can eliminate crossing lines/wires.

 

[Sandy]

Anyway, I'm wondering how much life is left in the halyard at this point. Should I stop using it immediately and get a replacement, or will it be serviceable for a while to come and I should just keep an eye on it? I've not been sailing very long and I'm new to boat ownership too, so I don't really have any experience on this and would welcome (friendly) advice.

Cheers

Like many have said if it is just the outer sheath then its fine until the end of the season, but take the time to put a whipping on it.

If the central core has been cut then replace it ASAP.

 

[Sandy]

If you ever had to thread a new Halyard from the top of the mast you would never ask this question.

As long as you can get to the top of the mast then what is the problem?

Some thin cord with something to weight the line and the job should be done in an hour.

 

[awol]

If the damage ends up inside the mast when the sail is hoisted then failure of the cover can cause jamming as it bunches up - a situation that can make a good day into a bad one, make reeving a new halyard into a marathon, but it's your boat. If the damage remains visible, sail up or down, then carry on.

 

[oldbloke]

100% replace, especially for the reason William H gives. If you cant/won't replace immediately then cut a bit off the business end so that whatever is rubbing will rub on a different bit