halyard length

[AllThumbs]

I am installing new halyards on my 20' sailboat. The old ones are gone. I plan on routing them to the cockpit. The mast is 3' from the cockpit. My plan is to double the mast length plus 15 feet, that should leave 10 feet dangling in the cockpit when the sails are down. Is this about right? Too much, too little?

What say you?

Eric

[dgr]

Eric,
Where you planning on storing your halyards when the sails are down? Mine go to the pulpit and to the end of the boom. The mast side of each gets flipped over a spreader. No halyards banging at night to disturb my sleep.

If I was going to guess on measurement, I'd go from the end of the boom to the masthead to the deck to the cockpit + fudge factor for the main. I'd go the same on the Jib but instead of the end of the boom I'd go to the pulpit where I hook the shackle.

[sailingdog]

On a 20' boat that's probably overkill. I would only add an additional 5-7' or so, rather than 15'. The boom isn't at the base of the mast... it's a few feet up, and the distance from the mast step to the forward end of the cockpit can't be more than seven feet or so. The jib halyard doesn't go all the way to the top on most boats this size—since they're usually fractionally rigged—so the fact that the jib may have to go down to the deck shouldn't matter.

[AllThumbs]

I am not really seeing what you mean by your description of what you do with your halyards when the sails are down.

My "fudge factor" is about 10 feet. Just wondering if this is too much or two little line. I plan on hanging bags or whatever on the bulkhead for leftover halyard. I guess my real concern is that they are not too short at 10 feet. I can always cut some off...I don't have a lot of sailing experience.

[AllThumbs]

ok so:

boom to masthead, down mast to cockpit plus 6 or 7 feet is good for main.

bow to mast sheave then down mast then to cockpit plus 6 or 7 feet for jib

No need for them to be any longer I guess. Just making sure

[blt2ski]

This would be my way.

I store the main halyard at the back of the boom. So, leach distance of main, mast to cabin top, mast to back of cabin top, plus 3-5'.

Jib similar, but luff distance plus mast height plus distance to the back of the cabin plus 3-5'.

Altho for a boat you size, doubling the mast plus 15', should get you the luff/leach of the appropriate sail plus distance to the back of the cabin. Plus more than you need in reality!

marty

[DrB]

2X Mast Height above Water Line OR 3X Boat Length.

Example My Boat:

Pearson 10TM

Length 33' and Mast Height Above Water Line: 50 ft.
3x Length = 99 feet 2X Mast Height = 100 ft. Actual = 97 ft.

Pearson 26: Overall Length 26.1 ft. Mast Height: 35 ft.
3X Length 78.3 ft, 2X Mast Above Water = 70 ft.
Actual (back to cockpit) 70 ft.

Pretty quick estimates that will get you enough rope to hoist from cockpit.

DrB

[sailingdog]

DrB—

Not a bad estimate... btw, did you hear back from Donna??