replacing wire halyards with spectra

[ytd]

our 2003 Bav 44 has wire genoa and main halyards spliced to rope as they appear from the mast. The main halyard wire is getting a bit rough and chafing anything it touches so I would like to replace them with spectra. The wire is about 5mm dia spliced to 12mm double braid. Only the braid goes on the winch. To fit over the masthead sheaves I'm thinking of using 8mm dia spectra. This should be strong enough and reduce weight aloft. The only disadvatage I can see is that it will make it harder to bounce the main halyard. Might need to check the teeth in the clutches too.

Has anyone done this? Anything I should look out for?

 

[michael_w]

It's best practice to replace the sheaves as they are probably a bit chewed up from the wire. A job best done with the mast down. The new halyards may well need extra covers so the clutches grip; your rigger can advise.

 

[wotayottie]

did this a couple of winters ago. no problems - the hard plastic sheeves in the mast had not worn at all despite the wire halyards being there for 15 years so I re-used them ( I was able to compare a used one with the unused one for the second genny halyard to confirm no wear).

The new halyards are both stiff and slippy - I used 10mm ones on a 36 ft boat not for strength but for handling. Being from yorkshire I decided to splice them myself and that was a mistake. They are an absolute cow to splice with the full cover in place. Yes I know the racers remove the cover except where the halyard goes through clutches and round winches and that might make splicing easier but I didnt want to do that and risk my expensive new halyards

I initially had a little clutch slip despite the boat having upmarket clutches but that seems to have gone.

 

[knuterikt]

our 2003 Bav 44 has wire genoa and main halyards spliced to rope as they appear from the mast. The main halyard wire is getting a bit rough and chafing anything it touches so I would like to replace them with spectra. The wire is about 5mm dia spliced to 12mm double braid. Only the braid goes on the winch. To fit over the masthead sheaves I'm thinking of using 8mm dia spectra. This should be strong enough and reduce weight aloft. The only disadvatage I can see is that it will make it harder to bounce the main halyard. Might need to check the teeth in the clutches too.

Has anyone done this? Anything I should look out for?

Make sure that the rope diameter will fit in your halyard clutch - going from 12mm to 8mm seems a bit optimistic.

You need a rope with cover, at least in the part going into the clutch. There are two (at least) types of covered dyneema rope constructions.
-Dyneema core with cover (single cover)
-Dyneema core with two layers of cover (triple braid)- more diameter & softer with the same strength as single cover - cheaper than single cover with same diameter.
For both constructions it is only the dyneema that give strength to the rope.

Check sheaves and replace if needed.

I would use splice to a attach the halyard shackle, dyneema and knots is not a good combination.
Go here http://briontoss.com and read "How to terminate the working end of the halyards – splices vs knots" on the front page.

Splicing:
Since it is only the core giving strength you need to splice the core to the core (core dependent splice)
This can be done as an eye splice
-without the cover (the easiest one)
-With cover, Harder to do (impossible on some ropes), but give some more protection against UV and chafe, the triple braid is better suited for covered splice since you can remove the intermediate braid at the end where you splice giving more room for the increased bulk inside the cover.