Spinni halyard routing

[zoidberg]

I'm about to re-run my spinni halyard, and my mast has a slot high and lower, to permit the halyard tail to route down inside the mast.
Master rigger Brion Toss recommends keeping that halyard entirely OUTSIDE the mast.

What does the hive mind think?

 

[Refueler]

Both my boats have it run down inside mast .....

But I also have other halyards for storms'l .... genaker etc. that are external - basically not enough sheaves to have inside mast.

 

[geem]

Mine runs down the outside. A 2 tonne Selden block at the top. We use it for the spinnaker obviously, but also to lift the dinghy using the rope drum on the windlass. Something you can't do with an internal halyard so easily

 

[Pye_End]

I'm about to re-run my spinni halyard, and my mast has a slot high and lower, to permit the halyard tail to route down inside the mast.
Master rigger Brion Toss recommends keeping that halyard entirely OUTSIDE the mast.

What does the hive mind think?

Does the halyard go to a block regardless?

If so, is it just a matter of a bit of extra rubbing if you bring it inside?

 

[dunedin]

A lot less tapping noise overnight if halyard internal to the mast.

 

[johnalison]

If your boat is equipped for internal halyards, then that is the obvious route. I fret enough about frapping the lazyjacks without wanting another line to deal with.

 

[William_H]

not sure what OP means by slot high and also low. If it is a fractional rig it may be set up for a normal spin. just above fore stay and another for light winds at top of mast. In which case need 2 halyards or just ignore the top one. However OP may be referring to slots for halyard to exit mast near bottom. Best arrangement here is an exit from mast at above head height. Thus a crew can grasp the halyard above his head and use his body weight tom pull halyard down so getting quite hoist of spin. Use a clutch just below the slot to lock off halyard. Once spin is set the halyard is pulled through down to deck and back to closed clutch at cabin top and the first clutch is opened. This enables spin halyard to be released from cockpit. That is the way racers do it on 30ft plus boats. However you may choose and be able to hoist spin from cockpit (accepting friction of halyard path) so use lower exit slot.
I prefer internal spin halyard but external is perhaps less trouble (simpler). I found over 40 years that spin setting and retrieving is a matter of try one method then another until you get a satisfactory arrangement. (on my little boat (raced) I use internal spin halyard pulled from cockpit (yes some friction) and launched and retrieved to anchor hatch.) ol'will

 

[Neeves]

It may depend on 'how' you sail and with how many. Halyard rattling on a mast are easily managed but having a clean drop is more important - especially if you sail single or short handed. If you tidy the halyard before dropping the spin - it should run free - but its a yacht, it will go wrong (sometime) and the last thing you need, short or single handed, is a spin neither up nor down. We found that clutches, for the spin, were a menace (too easy for half a twist in the halyard to spoil the drop) and replaced the clutch (only for the spin) with a cam cleat (which is either locked or not). If the cam cleat has a inverted 'U' to feed the halyard - remove.

Jonathan

 

[DownWest]

The thinking I remember is that the block should allow wide angles for the spinny, so outside the mast. If inside, the halyard will be likely to wear much more unless the spinny is only set dead downwind, unlikely...

 

[B27]

Racing dinghies, sportsboats etc, are probably more demanding in terms of the angles a kite halyard must work with.
All get on fine with internal halyards.
Some use a final block (or fairlead) external to the mast to feed the halyard up to the actual sheave box.

External kite halyards can do bad things if allowed to go slack while preparing to set the kite.
I learned this on a boat with a solid wooden mast.

 

[geem]

Racing dinghies, sportsboats etc, are probably more demanding in terms of the angles a kite halyard must work with.
All get on fine with internal halyards.
Some use a final block (or fairlead) external to the mast to feed the halyard up to the actual sheave box.

External kite halyards can do bad things if allowed to go slack while preparing to set the kite.
I learned this on a boat with a solid wooden mast.

We have never had 'bad things' happen with our external spinnaker halyard. I can't think of how that would happen. Like anything, there are good spinnaker handling techiques and bad ones. We routinely fly a 165m2 spinnaker with just me and the Mrs. We are still alive to fight another day

 

[zoidberg]

I'm looking to rig for single/short-handed. There are two fixed masthead sheaves plus a stubby-U for a spinni block, and I intend to run two headsail halyards over them. I've inserted a Selden T-toggle mast wall fitting about 52cm below the masthead crane for an inner stay/T-toggle, and the spinni halyard 'inward' slot is another 50cm below that - offset a couple of cm. from c/line. I'll certainly expect to make use of halyard diverters.

Perhaps the prudent option is to run the spi halyard OUTSIDE until I see how the two headsail halyards' runs work out.

 

[Neeves]

I'm looking to rig for single/short-handed. There are two fixed masthead sheaves plus a stubby-U for a spinni block, and I intend to run two headsail halyards over them. I've inserted a Selden T-toggle mast wall fitting about 52cm below the masthead crane for an inner stay/T-toggle, and the spinni halyard 'inward' slot is another 50cm below that - offset a couple of cm. from c/line. I'll certainly expect to make use of halyard diverters.

Perhaps the prudent option is to run the spi halyard OUTSIDE until I see how the two headsail halyards' runs work out.

and tell us the outcome......

I suspect you will find it works well and then not bother to make a comparison.

Jonathan

 

[William_H]

Racing dinghies, sportsboats etc, are probably more demanding in terms of the angles a kite halyard must work with.
All get on fine with internal halyards.
Some use a final block (or fairlead) external to the mast to feed the halyard up to the actual sheave box.

External kite halyards can do bad things if allowed to go slack while preparing to set the kite.
I learned this on a boat with a solid wooden mast.

Yes my spin halyard comes out of the mast then down through a fairlead to the spin. Yes I regularly run spin on a reach. ie up to 90 degrees in light winds. ol'will