Staysail halyard

Hunter34

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7 Nov 2003
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Circumnavigation starting Long Island July 2005
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The staysail halyard on my boat currently goes up the inside of the mast then comes out from a block at the masthead, down the outside of the mast and then through another block at the top of the inner stay.
It works OK but its inpossible to stop the halyard slapping the mast where it comes down the outside from the masthead to the block at the top of the stay.
Is there somekind of roller I could buy to insert in the mast at the top of the stay so the halyard wouldnt have to go to the mast head and down the outside of the mast to the stay?
I am sure there must be but I cant seem to find then anywhere.
Any help or other ideas much appreciated.

Andrew
 

William_H

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28 Jul 2003
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hello Andrew. I would have thought a halyard should always present from just under the stay it is hanked on. The guiding sheave above the stay would leave the halyard twisting around the stay to get at the jib head under the stay when sail is hoisted.
I imagine the builder used the method you have as it avoids the need for an exit sheave box. These tend to require a hole be cut in the mast which is quite large probably 1.5 by 2 inches. This is a bit of a concern as it may weaken the mast. However as the mast will be supported by side stays and the forestay at this point it is not so much of a concern. ie not a place where mast will break. You could fit an exit sheave as most boats with fractional rig have (mine) or the other option is use an external halyard. This will probably slap worse than your existing arrangement but should be less friction. You can get for dinghys a fitting that goes between the mast tang and the forestay with a sheave mounted in it. A stronger version could be fabricated. Imagine two plates say 1 inch wide 6 inches long with a sheave mounted between them in the middle and lower than centrline with holes at one end to attach to the mast and holes at the other end to attach to the (shortened) forestay. The usual design is to run the halyard down to the mast base externally howevetr you could use it upside down to run the halyard to the mast top. This arrangement could move the halyard several inches forward of the mast which may solve the slap problem. PM me if you don't follow the description. regards olewill
 
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