Shackle or knot

[Roberto]

Wouldna dogbone be a good idea when ordering a new halyard?

Benefits include ease of attachment and remival, no shackle to impede hoist height, and low cost.

I've never used one.

I used it on a small racing boat, they work fine. Better to copy the type of attachment shown on the image above, sometimes people just thread the dogbone through the headboard hole and lay it flat against it, but that tends to keep the headboard slanted to one side. Also, as you will have to splice it, make sure the splice can pass through the sheave, it will be easier with a relatively smaller diameter dyneema halyard: I spliced a 12mm polyester halyard which used a 12mm sheave, the splice was too bulky and stiff and could not pass inside the sheave, I had to revert it and use the other unspliced end as the spliced one simply could not be used.

 

[dansaskip]

I have not removed the halyard on my last two boats. I use a knot and re-tie it to more the wear spots every 2-4 years. .....but the halyard did not come off for years at a time

What don't you even remove the halyard over winter or to to give it a wash and clean?

 

[johnalison]

Knot ... because on my 3 sailboats - if I have a shackle - the added length of shackle to knot will butt the masthead sheave.

The argument of quickness - to use a shackle - does not wear with me ... a shackle would have to be SECURE and that means not just by fastened by hand alone. The knot if carefully chosen can be as quick or quicker to fasten / unfasten.

I have never had a halyard shackle come loose in fifty years cruising. I can’t remember what I had before, probably one of those shackles with a lug that clicks into place. Currently I have an ordinary-looking D shackle captive in the halyard. When tightened the screw seems to engage firmly with the thread and requires extra effort to loosen. It came with the boat and I’ve had no reason to change it. Maybe if I were doing an ocean crossing I might think otherwise.

 

[Daydream believer]

Sailed for years and years on Dad's boats with single reefing. Take the time to mark the halyard and reefing was simple, even in the dark. Ease halyard down to mark whilst pulling through reefing line by hand, lock clutch, wind on reef line.

Similar effect to your system, but can do it easily from under a sprayhood at night.

I would not have a sprayhood. If I wanted a tent I would go camping in a field somewhere with cow dung

 

[flaming]

I would not have a sprayhood. If I wanted a tent I would go camping in a field somewhere with cow dung

My sprayhood days are long in the past... But Dad liked it.

There were times where it seemed like a reasonable idea to be fair.

 

[geem]

...

I would not have a sprayhood. If I wanted a tent I would go camping in a field somewhere with cow dung

Do you particularly like cow dung?

 

[winch2]

Wooden spars on ye olde Gaff dont particularly like shackles so HH's it is, and lets face it, they do look rather clever. Tho trying to undo it at the end of the season can be fun....often have to revert to the trusty Captain Curry....

 

[johnalison]

Wooden spars on ye olde Gaff dont particularly like shackles so HH's it is, and lets face it, they do look rather clever. Tho trying to undo it at the end of the season can be fun....often have to revert to the trusty Captain Curry....

We did a week with the Island Cruising Club at Salcombe in the '50s. We maostly sailed in their 13' dinghies which were gunter rigged. The only way of attaching the halyard was with a rolling hitch. If you couldn't do a RH properly you couldn't sail.

 

[Daydream believer]

...

Do you particularly like cow dung?

No , neither do I like sprayhoods

 

[thinwater]

What don't you even remove the halyard over winter or to to give it a wash and clean?

I sail all winter, since we only get a few weeks of ice. I wear warm clothes. The sail does come off every 1-2 years for inspection and a light cleaning as needed, though I have never had a dirty sail. I take the opportunity to clip a few feet off the halyard and either re-tie or re-splice as needed.

 

[johnalison]

No , neither do I like sprayhoods

I shared that opinion for thirty years, until I sank my pride and bought an HR. It might not be for everyone, but it's practical, giving decent shelter and being easy to see through, even with binoculars, with the option of folding the fabric away if desired.

 

[thinwater]

I would not have a sprayhood. If I wanted a tent I would go camping in a field somewhere with cow dung

LOL!

The last time I went camping was far above the tree line as a prelude to a day of alpine ice climbing. No cow dung, but there might have been a few marmuts around.

A full hard top beats spray hood. Hardly any need for foul weather gear. On the other hand, my F-24 has neither a hood nor top, though I do have a low removable hood for foul weather; it keeps the companionway accessible but I can see over it while seated.

 

[dunedin]

Knot ... because on my 3 sailboats - if I have a shackle - the added length of shackle to knot will butt the masthead sheave.

The argument of quickness - to use a shackle - does not wear with me ... a shackle would have to be SECURE and that means not just by fastened by hand alone. The knot if carefully chosen can be as quick or quicker to fasten / unfasten.

Like post #17 we use a Winchard trapped shackle. As we used on our previous boat. In about 35,000 miles and countless daily usage it has never come undone by accident.
And one very important difference from a knot.
If in some freak situation the shackle came undone, the sail would drop safely into the stackpack. Continue under engine or jib back to port. Then nip on the spinnaker halyard to retrieve the shackle and put the kettle on. Job done. Continue with cruise.

If a knot came undone (much more likely with dyneema cored modern ropes) the sail would again come down. But so would the halyard down the inside of the mast. It would be a major pita to rethread a halyard on our boat.

 

[geem]

Like post #17 we use a Winchard trapped shackle. As we used on our previous boat. In about 35,000 miles and countless daily usage it has never come undone by accident.
And one very important difference from a knot.
If in some freak situation the shackle came undone, the sail would drop safely into the stackpack. Continue under engine or jib back to port. Then nip on the spinnaker halyard to retrieve the shackle and put the kettle on. Job done. Continue with cruise.

If a knot came undone (much more likely with dyneema cored modern ropes) the sail would again come down. But so would the halyard down the inside of the mast. It would be a major pita to rethread a halyard on our boat.

We have been using modern dyneema ropes on this boat and the last so well over 20 years. No shackle. No lost halyards. If we did, it's an easy rethread for our boat.
People have there preferences. I don't think there is a wrong or right way

 

[William_H]

Shackle as it is normal to remove the halyard when the main is stowed. The shackle may be attached to the halyard with either a knot (my preferred method) or spliced.

Not on my boat. Halyard stays attached all season.
One consideration might be the sharpness of the edges of the head board. Either smooth off the dges or use a shackle with a thimble on the rope. Of course shackle takes up room at top of sail. ol'will

 

[Refueler]

The only halyards that are frequently connected / disconnected on my boats are : Flag halyards, Spinnaker halyard ....

Main and genny stay connected all season ..

 

[The Q]

Another vote for a ball stopper, I've used it for main and jib on several boats, my current boat has dyneema halyards.

 

[dansaskip]

I sail all winter, since we only get a few weeks of ice. I wear warm clothes. The sail does come off every 1-2 years for inspection and a light cleaning as needed, though I have never had a dirty sail. I take the opportunity to clip a few feet off the halyard and either re-tie or re-splice as needed.

Ah that explains it - I am rather envious of you being able to sail virtually all year round. It is a bit different here in UK.

 

[PabloPicasso]

LOL!

The last time I went camping was far above the tree line as a prelude to a day of alpine ice climbing. No cow dung, but there might have been a few marmuts around.

A full hard top beats spray hood. Hardly any need for foul weather gear. On the other hand, my F-24 has neither a hood nor top, though I do have a low removable hood for foul weather; it keeps the companionway accessible but I can see over it while seated.

I have a sprayhood, and a king seat in the port/aft corner of the cockpit mounted on the pushpit rail so anyone sat there while helming can see over the hood easily.

 

[ylop]

Ah that explains it - I am rather envious of you being able to sail virtually all year round. It is a bit different here in UK.

You can sail all year round in the U.K. if you want to. I dare say if you had a lid on your boat like thin water then it would be cozier!