2 Part Main Halyard

[j34035]

I'm getting old. Hauling a mainsail up a mast is getting to be a pretty good load for an old fart. I have seen the Wichard halyard shackle that allows a 2 part main halyard that could help with the amount of effort it takes to pull that 70 pounds of main up the track. Does anyone here have experience with this hardware, or of any other 2 part main systems out there? Any ideas or feedback would be appreciated. Thanks
DD

[emoney]

I've not used one, but they're supposed to drop the load in half, aren't they? I'd like to see one in action, so if you do it, don't forget pics (and or vid?). Of course, there's always the electric winches.

[tdw]

Work well, make raising the main a hell of a lot easier but with the downside of half a mile (exageration) of line all over the deck. Yes that is quickly tidied away but it is a bit of a bore when it is cluttering up the deck. Overall though the ease is worth it.

(we did it on our old boat when we had her re-rigged.)

Other than that I'd suggest that perhaps a decent set of cars would make life easier without the need for all that extra halyard.

I think that is what I would do now.

[NortenoSailor]

I put cars on the mast of my 37' Pacific Seacraft mostly to help getting the main down, but did find that they also make raising it somewhat easier. When I bought my boat, the surveyor also suggested using a smaller diameter halyard to reduce friction, but i have not yet done that.

[Faster]

If there are always at least two aboard, 'jumping' the halyard at the mast while another tails in the cockpit makes a huge difference as you can use your weight (and your reach if the exit is high enough) to pull the main up quickly avoiding all the drag of clutches, turning blocks etc. The tailer need only keep up, once the main is within 6 in or so you can sweat the last bit on the winch.

If not two aboard, you might do the same by adding a clutch on the mast just below the halyard exit... then jump it yourself (the clutch will hold between pulls) and tidy up the rest afterwards.

I can see the extra halyard length of a 2 part being a pain... the 'batt car' or similar systems will help a lot, too, as tdw suggests, but there's a definite cost there too...

[sidney777]

Can someone go up the mast or can you lower the mast ?
I would call a rigger,sail maker and ask them while buying the extra long Halyard and Blocks, etc that you will need..... Do what you want to do and when and if these naysayers get old see how they feel about pulling up the sails. The place I am recommending( I have nothing to gain and no affiliation with them). They are in Florida where there are lots of OLD people and they helped me. Toll Free: 800-428-1384

[US27inKS]

The Lagoon 44 I chartered last year comes standard with a block at the head of the main, and the halyard attaches to the mast head. It still takes a great big electric winch to raise it, and it won't do it in high speed.

[pdqaltair]

I fitted a 2:1 halyard on my last boat; though only a 40-foot mast the main used a bolt rope and could be fiddly to hoist. I changed from wire to fiber a the same time.

Unless your main truely hits the mast head when raised no special shackle is needed. Simply fix the end of the rope to a shackle at the top of the grove and add an ordinary block (perhaps one size smaller than the line size would call for) to the headboard. The load on the this block is signifigant but steady. I used a bullet block while tensioning the high aspect main with an 8:1 mainsheet. Larger boat = larger block.

Make certain the block has smooth edges; it will chafe the halyard at full hoist. Knoting is preferable to splicing as the splice would have to go through the block and a knot is much shorter. Yes, the mast must be climbed, but only once every 5 years, when I hope it would be climbed anyway. The halyard may be down sized, as the load is now 50%. Compression on the mast is also reduced. Yes, there is more line, but I think you will find you no longer use the winch, so it goes very quickly.

[zz4gta]

+1, just add a block to your main, or onto your halyard.

[j34035]

I think the block idea will be the best as the wichard shackle has the line run through directly on the metal, no roller. The block should have a lot less friction. A lot of good feedback here, thanks.
DD