New Halyards; material, etc.

[Steve Darwin]

Apparently, I violate accepted norms by rigging the main halyard to port and the jib halyard to starboard. Reason is that we almost always sail off the mooring, and always on starboard tack. It's convenient to raise the main from the port side of the mast, and then raise the jib while standing on the windward side of the boat when I cast off and she bears away (I am not the helmsman).

The tails of the halyards are tied off to the grab rails. Otherwise I do the same as Steve Laume: the jib halyard shackle goes to the upper life line attachment point on the bow pulpit and the main halyard shackle goes to a stanchion base. Halyards are snugged up before leaving the boat. A short line passed under the halyard and around a shroud prevents the halyard from slapping/pinging/frapping (there is a device made for this purpose, but I forget its name).

The main and jib halyards are flecked red and green, respectively. Makes it easy to identify them when they've been removed from the mast for winter storage.

[Jim Walsh]

Apparently, I violate accepted norms by rigging the main halyard to port and the jib halyard to starboard. Reason is that we almost always sail off the mooring, and always on starboard tack. It's convenient to raise the main from the port side of the mast, and then raise the jib while standing on the windward side of the boat when I cast off and she bears away (I am not the helmsman).

Heresy

[tjr818]

Apparently, I violate accepted norms by rigging the main halyard to port and the jib halyard to starboard....

Different ships; different long-splices.

[Steve Laume]

Having the main halyard on the starboard side allows you to reef on the high side when on a starboard tack. This gives you the right of way when you are the least maneuverable.

My main and stay sail both go up when I am still secured to the mooring. Once I sail into a clear space I unfurl the jib. I follow a reverse order when sailing onto the mooring.

If I am coming in under power and want to lower the main or even when it is done at the mooring I like to stand on the starboard side to flake the sail. Being right handed I like to hand the halyard with my right hand while managing the sail with my left. I would feel awkward standing on the port side and to tie up the sail. I certainly would not want to lower the sail on the port side and then have to move around the mast to flake the sail. It might be an entirely different situation if I was left handed.

Even though the right of way rarely plays a role, it is probably the reason for the conventional set up of the main halyard being on the starboard side, Steve.

[Steve Laume]

When I took over Raven all the tails were lose. It scared me to think about how easy it would be to lose a halyard up the mast.

The tails of every line on the boat are now captive in basically one of two ways. For sheets and most of the other control lines a figure eight will keep it from getting past the first block in the system. For the halyards and some of the other lines that are cleated, the tail goes through the eye of it's respective cleat and a figure eight is added. This keeps the entire line associated with the cleat it goes to. You might have to pull out a bit of the tail to make room to cleat off but this never seems to be problem.

The tails to the grab rails seem like they would create a tripping hazard, Steve.

[John Stone]

I attached a padeye to my mast just above the deck, but you could just as easily install it in the deck. I then installed a shackle through the pad eye. I rove the ends of the halyard through the shackle and tied stopper knots in the ends. The advantage to this is the line can spin as you coil it so you get less tangles in the line between the coil and the end of the line. You can size the shackle to handle as many lines as you want. I think I have three lines running through a shackle/padeye installed on each side of the mast. So far, it works fine. It accomplishes the same thing Steve does by running the line through the cleat . . . but I don't have cleats.

[Jim Walsh]

I use the "tail through the cleat with a figure eight stopper knot" trick also. Watched a halyard run up the mast on a 26 footer I owned back in 74.....not very entertaining . Well, perhaps it was to anyone who witnessed it, but not to me.

[Steve Darwin]

Interesting thread and I'll be re-evaluating my setup for next year.

On a related topic: Reefing line/ downhaul/ the line that holds the tack to the gooseneck. I've been passing a line with a bowline in one end through the tack cringle and then under the boom and back to the bowline and tying off as tight as I can. It does not work very well, but better than the reefing hooks, which seem to need constant halyard tension or they slip out of the cringle. Anyway, I'm looking for a better way. Adding a cleat (maybe two) to the mast below the boom would seem to be be an obvious alternative, but I'd be happy to have advice and suggestions from this board. - Steve D.

[John Stone]

There should be a shackle on the gooseneck between and just forward of the reefing hooks for the tack of the mainsail. However, to keep the reefing cringle on the reefing hook get a length of fuel line, probably 3/8" ID but you'll have to check to be certain, and push it on to one of the reef hooks. Then, bend it down and across to the the other hook and cut it just long enough so you can push that end of the fuel line on the hook. That should keep the reefing crinkle on the hook. Some people use surgical tubing instead of fuel line.

[Jim Walsh]

I have mainsail tack "earrings". They exhibit a reticence to slip off the reefing hooks, and never do, once the main halyard has tension on it.
The photo I've included is not my mainsail but an image from the Internet to illustrate the concept.

[John Stone]

Mr Walsh, I am always interested in learning something new. I have, of course the same set up. Very common. But, I'd never heard the webbing with rings called an earing. I am familar with the term "earing" from reading about square riggers and as immortalized in the great sea chanty "Don't Forget Your Old Shipmates." " . . . tugging on the flappin' sail, to the weather earing." But I always associated it with a line run from the tack of a square sail to the end of the yard as described in my naval dictionary.

If one reeves a line through the reefing clew cringle and around the boom a couple times, as I do to serve as a safety line, is that not also an earring?

Perhaps OJ will weigh in and share his knowledge with us.

[Jim Walsh]

Mr Walsh

I had a lot of high school teachers address me in the same fashion. Usually what followed was me being asked to report to the Principal's office.
Now that I think about it most of my junior high teachers had the same affliction.

[John Stone]

LOL. I knew that would get a response!