Halyards for furling headsail and main

[jrussill]

Hi all

We bought a boat over the weekend and it has furling headsail and in-mast furling main. First time with such kit for us.

A previous owner has cut the halyards so short that they only go once around the cleats on the mast, and then cable tied them in place. If we need to drop the sails for whatever reason then we'll loose the halyards up the mast unless we add an extra bit of line. Also, I want to get some more tension in the headsail but this has made it very tricky.

I'd be grateful to know if this is normal practice. Surely you'd want a normal halyard length even with furling sails?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Biggles Wader]

I would change them for proper length ones. I dont know about in mast furling but my furler genoa comes off every time I leave the boat for more than a few days and gets stored away. Id also hate the thought of not being able to get the sails down in an emergency without taking a knife to something.

 

[VicS]

Hi all

We bought a boat over the weekend and it has furling headsail and in-mast furling main. First time with such kit for us.

A previous owner has cut the halyards so short that they only go once around the cleats on the mast, and then cable tied them in place. If we need to drop the sails for whatever reason then we'll loose the halyards up the mast unless we add an extra bit of line. Also, I want to get some more tension in the headsail but this has made it very tricky.

I'd be grateful to know if this is normal practice. Surely you'd want a normal halyard length even with furling sails?

Thanks for any advice!

Seems odd but presumably you do not then have a coils of halyard hanging on the mast cleats

I have cut my head-sail short, although not that short, because it is one of those old fashioned furlers where the halyard comes back down the spar. There is nowhere to hang a coil of halyard with that arrangement although one idea is to use it as the furling line, but is that difficult to set up . When I drop the sail I tie the cut off length of halyard back on with a double sheet bend. It has proved to be a secure way of re-attaching the cut off length. Perhaps you can do the same with both of your halyards.

I tension my head-sail using a the lashing on the tack corner.

My system would probably not be any good for a large boat but is certainly Ok for a small boat.

 

[johnalison]

I would expect to have enough line to secure the bitter end and make a secure tie to the cleat. In the short term, a light line rolling-hitched to the halyard should be adequate until you feel like replacing the halyard.

 

[Tranona]

Hi all

We bought a boat over the weekend and it has furling headsail and in-mast furling main. First time with such kit for us.

A previous owner has cut the halyards so short that they only go once around the cleats on the mast, and then cable tied them in place. If we need to drop the sails for whatever reason then we'll loose the halyards up the mast unless we add an extra bit of line. Also, I want to get some more tension in the headsail but this has made it very tricky.

I'd be grateful to know if this is normal practice. Surely you'd want a normal halyard length even with furling sails?

Thanks for any advice!

I expect you will find the rest of the halyard secreted somewhere on the boat ready to be attached when needed.

No, it is not normal to cut them off and normally at least the jib would be long enough to go back to the cockpit if you have clutches and a winch to handle them. On my boat I have the jib like that and the furling main long enough to go back although it has a clutch on the mast and the tail goes back to a winch as the halyard needs to be really tight for the furling mechanism to work properly. When set up the tail is coiled and stowed at the mast.

Suggest you buy a 100m reel of the correct size (probably 10 or 12mm depending on size of boat) from one of the discount chandlers - I use Marine Scene as you will need at least 30m per halyard. don't bother with splicing eyes, but use the Selden Halyard Knot. Instructions on the Selden site or just google it.

 

[Neeves]

I'd replace the halyards, now, and keep the 'old' halyards to replace sheets, or give you extra sheets. I'd do as Tranona suggest and check pricing but look at buying 100m of whatever diameter is appropriate. If you are feeling flush buy the new halyards to length and then you can have them of different colours (and sadly I prefer the more expensive option of different colours for control lines - then you can shout - 'release the blue one!' as opposed to the other colours - to any neophyte you have as crew).

If you can splice, or enjoy the effort - I'd suggest splicing eyes (but I confess they defeat me) or Selden's knot, which I think is also a scaffold knot.

Jonathan

 

[jrussill]

Thanks for all the tips everyone! Certain some useful ideas here. I'm going to replace them with the proper lengths, at least until I've got used to this furling gear!

 

[Tranona]

Thanks for all the tips everyone! Certain some useful ideas here. I'm going to replace them with the proper lengths, at least until I've got used to this furling gear!

Why would you not want them full length?. Halyards have little to do with the furling gear - you need them full length for any sail .