Sizes for running rigging

[Touchwood]

I recently sailed with a friend who has just purchased a 17'0" Sea Hawk, and was struck by how much lighter and easier to handle his rig was compared to that on my (recently purchased) 17'0" Hurley Silhouette.

I was thinking of replacing halyards and sheets for next year, but am wondering if I might make some savings by reducing the sizes from those current. Can anyone advise on how I determine what sizes I need? Clearly I don't want to compromise on safety.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I recently sailed with a friend who has just purchased a 17'0" Sea Hawk, and was struck by how much lighter and easier to handle his rig was compared to that on my (recently purchased) 17'0" Hurley Silhouette.

I was thinking of replacing halyards and sheets for next year, but am wondering if I might make some savings by reducing the sizes from those current. Can anyone advise on how I determine what sizes I need? Clearly I don't want to compromise on safety.

For the sheets, comfort of handling is more important than breaking strain - you're not likely to get close to the breaking strain of anything modern; your sails will probably rip first. Smaller ropes are harder on the hands, which is why most sheets are 10 or 12 mm - vast overkill in terms of strength, but comfortable to handle. Halliards are harder, but remember that the sheaves on the mast will be a particular size, and larger than that size will be stiff and cause wear. However, you don't want stretch in halliards, so they are often over-specified in terms of strength so as to minimize stretch.

 

[BAtoo]

Main halyard in 4mm dyneema including captive shackle £42.80.
Equivalent main halyard in 2.5mm flexible wire and 3-strand rope tail £29.90

Jib halyard in 3 or 3.5mm flexible wire and 3-strand rope tail £36.60

Spinnaker halyard in 6mm braidline £11.00

Pole lift in 4mm braidline £5.50

Jib sheets (pairs) in 8mm braid £14.10

Mainsheet in 8mm braid £13.6


The above are recommendations from White Marine who specialise in Squibs - 19.5ft Racing Keelboat for the uninitiated - and I suspect they would be suitable for your Seahawk.

If you go for braid-on braid then I would go for 1 size up on the halyards (6mm).

On my Squib I use 4mm Dyneema for all of the Halyards, 5mm Dyneema for the spinny sheets/guys and 10mm b-on-b for the main and jib sheets (for handling comfort) though I plan to drop that to 8mm.

 

[Seajet]

Agree with all the above.

As an example of how not to do it, I used to crew a trendy, 'state of the art' mega-expensive International 14.

The jib sheets were so thin, about 3mm ( saving weight & windage supposedly, posing more like ) it was agony to pull on them hard, leather gloves were absolutely essential !

This is the sort of thing which has a huge contraceptive effect in the unwanted way if taking the girlfriend out for a spin...

 

[Fantasie 19]

Just replaced mine with like for like - 6mm all over - with the bargain bin hanks I picked up at the So'ton Boatshow the whole lot (main/jib and topping lift) came to just over £15... boat is 19'

 

[sailing school and spars]

Halyards

I would avoid wire to rope halyards on this boat, the mast sheaves are possibly plastic and will not last long with wire halyards. Cheapest and easiest is 6mm braid on braid, not as good as Dyneema but far cheaper and will suit this boat. Anything smaller and handling will be more difficult. Also check the deck gear will work with this size of rope.