main halyard

[Sailmale]

I need to replace my main halyard, which for my 30-footer is made from both line and steel cable.

I''m not real sure how to determine what I''ll need to buy to replace the halyard -- such as it''s length, girth and strength, connectors, etc. -- and how to install it without dropping the mast.

Do I go to a marine supply store and say "I need a main halyard for a 30'' Morgan," or do I buy everything I need and assemble it myself?

Any tips?

[Sailmc]

You need to determine the length of halyard you need. If you don''t know what it is pull a messenger line through the mast attached to the bitter end of the halyard and remove and mesure it. Next you will need to decide if you want to use wire/rope or all rope. If you choose all rope which is prefered these days you will probably need to change the sheeve at the top of your mast. If you stay with wire /rope you just need to order the proper lenghts from a rigger or sail maker and use the messenger line to re-reeve it.

[harvh]

I had the same issue with my C&C 36. I went from a wire/rope combo to a all rope rig. The new ropes are strong enough to replace the older system.

The bad news was that my messenger line came off half way throught the process of pulling the new halyard through the mast. If I do this again, I''ll hire a rigger to do the job. It''s cheaper than nightmare you get if you do it wrong.

[Sailmale]

Ok, Sailmc...sounds simple enough.

But how do I check whether or not I''ve got the correct sheeve? Hook-up the chair and go for a ride to the top?

And, generally speaking, is the sheeve simple to change? Will I have to ride up on the jib halyard to allow me to remove the main halyard sheeve (I''m assuming that there''s a separate sheeve for both the main and the jib)? As you might be able to tell, I''ve never had to do this before, and while I probably take a ride in my chair perhaps once a year, I''ve never checked out how everything works at the top of the mast regarding the boat''s running rigging.

Thanks.

[paulk]

Sheaves are generally NOT easy to change, especially with the mast up, and it may not be necessary to change the sheave anyway. It depends on the sheave you currently have.
If your current sheave has a groove in it for the wire, with a larger diameter section for the line portion, you may want to make sure your new all-rope halyard won''t get jammed into the groove-- make sure the new line''s diameter is too big to fit into it. A line that would fit in the groove could probably still be strong enough, but it would be too thin to pull on easily. If there''s no groove in the sheave, don''t worry about it. The new lines take more kindly to larger diameter sheave sections, and so will probably work fine on the existing sheave. Technically, a flat-channeled sheave is supposed to be the best for the new non-stretch lines, (the channel has a flat bottom instead of a curved one), but this can create problems with the line jumping the sheave, which you do not want, and require redesigning the whole setup with guard bails and guides which you do not want either. We changed both our spinnaker halyards three years ago without switiching sheaves on our J/36, and have had no problems. The K.I.S.S. principle works for us.

[MaryBeth]

Dear Sailmale,

While I wish you the best in your getting the line and supplies that you need, PUH-LEEZE know more about it than walking into a boat supply store and saying that you need such and such for a certain boat. From someone who now deals with that kind of stuff all the time, without reference guides (most often available from the manufacturer) those at marine supply stores cannot possibly have in their head every rigging requirement of every single boat made in the last 100 years, sail and ski and house and bass, etc.

Do not assume that if you don''t know what your boat needs, someone in a retail store will just off the top of their heads. Know your own boat (you are the one who owns it and sails it, yes?) and have ready what you need, and you will be much happier and will be able to get the correct cordage and lines and rigging.

MaryBeth