Hello!
Last year i changed genoa and mainsail halyards on my C-34.
In the manual they said 3/8 ropes. I did it.
The genoa halyard is rather ok ... Because i have a Harken roller furler . I don't have to raise the sail every time.
But the main is a problem...
If i don't pull with my other hand the rope slip in the st-winch.
What is the diam. of halyards ropes on your Cat-34?
Thank
I believe I'm using 9/16 on the Main halyard. I have one of the old double line furlers on my headsail and the rigger thought 9/16th was OK for it too but it caused major jamming in the furling drum, when I had him change it to the specified 7/16 it worked great. Haven't had any problems with the main being 9/16 though. I just wish I'd been a little faster on the draw when Ron sold his single line drum.
Good Luck,
Mike
Mine are 3/8" also. I suspect the slippage is due more to the type of line you bought. Depending on the rope clutches you have, though, I think you should be able to move to 7/16" line. For perspective, the 1988 and 2004 manuals on this site (download here at http://www.c34.org/manuals/index.htm) indicate 3/8" line.
Fou : Jon is correct, 3/8" is the size that the factory installed. Yes, you can move up to 7/16" IF your sheaves can handle that size and still have no binding.
If you go to a low stretch line like West's Stay Set X you'll probably have less slippage in the winch than a less stiffer line.
I don't engage my main haylard rope stopper until the head of the mainsail is about 3 feet from being in place(at the top). Otherwise you add unnecessary wear to the haylard line. A thought
Martial - You mentioned the rope slips "in the st-winch." I'm not quite sure what you mean, or how it is slipping. We usually take three wraps around the winch body and then through the jaws and have not had any trouble. We use 3/8 inch Sta-Set. I should have used StaSetX. The Sta-Set (regular) stretches too much.
As another alternative, I use Sta Set T-900 for my haylards. Size is 10mm that is around 3/8". Expensive but almost zero stretch, has never slipped in clutches or on self tail winch. Line is stiff when new (and still a little stiff after 4 years). My clutches are new Garhauers and winch is Lemar that Catalina installed in 1991.
The line slips in the winch jaw... not in the rope clutch.
My halyards winches are Maxwell no.22 - ST 2 speed.
I think that i bought a bad quality rope, And i will go with Stra-SetX 3/8 inch.
If everybody don't have any problem with. It will be ok for me to.... :clap
3/8" if fine if you use a quality low stretch line. I used 7/16" to stay with a low cost line. I used Sta-Set X but don't recommend it. It's stiff and awkward to splice. I'd use 7/16" again just because it easier on my hands and fits my clutches better. Take a look at the Sampson XLS Extra. I have had good results (very low stretch) and it handles and wears well.
Bill