Halyard and reefing line sizes query

LittleSister

LittleSister

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I'm looking to replace the worn halyards and reefing lines on our fairly heavyweight cruising 23 footer. Some of those fitted to the boat when we bought it seem rather excessively thick. Can anyone suggest appropriate sizes using standard type braided ropes for these?

Main halyard - mainsail area 10.5 sq m (113 sq ft)

Mainsail slab reefing lines (non-single line reefing - leech only)

Genoa (r/r) halyard - genoa area 13.5 sq m (44 sq ft)

Thanks in anticipation.
 
Halyard sizes

This is not a simple question to answer.
If you are using ordinary polyester braided rope then you need the larger size to minimise stretch.
Consider that your main sheet is pulling down with probably a 4 part purchase against the halyard. Any stretch will allow the boom to droop down and or the luff to become loose (not stretched out). A looser luff will give more camber in the sail which is bad then for the stronger winds when you need to be able to depower the mainsail. Do you have a winch to enable the main halyard to be stretched and tightened. This will help if halyard is smaller but you will have to retension after a little sailing.
On my 21fter with similar sized main I stick with wire halyard with rope tail. When this needs replacing I will go for spectrra/dyneema non stretch probably in 8mm size.

The jib halyard is much the same story.Except you will probably raise the jib and leave it. A tight halyard means tight luff which means camber further forward. Again desirable when wind gets up.
using much smaller hank on jibs I use an 8mm spectra/dyneema halyard. I found with 6mm spectra the halyard did stretch after a few minutes of sailing and had to be retensioned for best pointing.

Now you are probably not a mad racer like me but these things really make a difference and there is no reason why a cruiser should not have the best performance especially as more performance can mean you need less sail area which means less heeling and stress.

Reefing lines again need to be big enough to not stretch. Again you have the main sheet pulling against the reefing line. However there is another factor in chafe at the clew eyelet. I have fitted a piece of 10mm outer braid over the 6mm spectra line because the previous reefing line broke through chafe 2 weeks ago. It was blowing hard and we reefed before departure. I called for the reefing line to be tightened
to raise the boo0m and flatten the main sail more only to have it let go. We had to finish the race under full main. Which was a lot more stressful. I have seen on big ocean racers where the reef is pulled in using rope but this is backed up/ replaced by wire rope once reef is in place.
good luck olewill
 
LittleSister said:
I'm looking to replace the worn halyards and reefing lines on our fairly heavyweight cruising 23 footer. Some of those fitted to the boat when we bought it seem rather excessively thick. Can anyone suggest appropriate sizes using standard type braided ropes for these?

Main halyard - mainsail area 10.5 sq m (113 sq ft)

Mainsail slab reefing lines (non-single line reefing - leech only)

Genoa (r/r) halyard - genoa area 13.5 sq m (44 sq ft)

Thanks in anticipation.
Click to expand...
Quite a few forum members buy from me and I'm happy to recommend in detail. A PM or email (below) might be best. The Samphire is a David Cannell design I think and its builders used fairly generous fittings. That allows you to use a generous diameter if you need very low stretch as mentioned by others. Oversizing is a risk though if you have smaller jammers at the cockpit fitted after new. My guess would be 10mm for both halyards and 8mm for the reefing lines but send me a PM or email and I'll ask a few more questions.
 
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Its the handling as well as the stretch.
I agree that 10mm for halyards and 8mm for reefing lines is a godd compromise.
Will give you lots of safety factor in breaking strain!
 
I went for 12mm on my 27 footer so 10 sounds about right. As I was likely to need to dangle off it at some point I wanted it fairly strong!

BUT...make sure whatever you choose will go through your sheaves at the top OK! Mine did...just!
 
The Marlow ropes website has a table for this but be careful as you need to be certain that the blocks etc are wide enough. 10mm Halyards and 8mm sheets would be right for the size boat I think but when I replaced mine recently the halyards were a bit too wide for the mast fittings. Also, wider ropes are easier to handle for sheets.
Cheers
Dave
 
10mm Halyards and 8mm sheets would be right for the size boat
Click to expand...
Other way round surely ?

You dont need 10mm halyards on a boat less than 30 ft, if even then, and you'd be lucky if they fitted the sheaves on the mast of a 23footer.

On the other hand I would not want sheets as small as 8mm on anything bigger than a dinghy.
 
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