Halyard Change?

[RON SCHERER]

Getting ready to change the halyards. When you sew the new to the old what end works best to pull up through and over in order to have the easiest and best chance of success? I fear the new and old coming apart halfway through the process and having to go up the mast for a simple thing that should have been done another way. Thanks for the help. Ron Scherer

[Ron Hill]

Ron : I've changed my halyards and end to ended (by attaching a small tag line to) the old ones and the new ones every 3 or 4 years.  I sew the the new one to the old one at the cockpit end and slowly pull it thru from the mast.  
Just eliminate the turning blocks and guides by coiling all of the new halyard at the base of the mast and Pull Slowly.  Keep some light tension on the new halyard as you pull it thru.  

[Jon Schneider]

I don't think either end makes much difference.  What will make a difference is how the ends of the line are finished.  If they've been melted into a lumpy globule of polyester, you'll want to cut that end off of your old line.  If it's just modestly crusty, you can sew the ends together without cutting them.  Use a quality wicking thread and don't over sew it; it won't  break going through once.  If you're still concerned about the nexus bulge, use one wrap of duct tape to smooth it out.  Don't worry; it's a pretty easy task.

[Jon Schneider]

In a similar vein, does anyone know how hard it is to "thread" a jib halyard if it's been pulled all the way out?  I'm thinking about permanently removing my port jib halyard.  I'm not a racer, so it's unlikely that I'll ever be in a position where I'll need to raise a second jib while blanketing it (thus needing the second halyard).  I just don't want to do it if I or some future owner will want to re-thread it but would find it impossible.  What's involved?

[Ron Hill]

Jon : It's not hard at all.  I completely pulled out my spinnaker halyard and re threaded it.  You just need to go to the top of the mast, drop a weighted (fishing sinker) tag line, fish out the tag line at the bottom thru an one of the exits by another person and pull the tag line and the attached halyard thru - from top to bottom.  

[Stu Jackson]

Jon

You may want to reconsider removing your spare jib halyard.  We have one and have used it for a whisker pole and also for going up the mast.  We keep it tied off to a shroud mounted cleat, and it never makes any noise.  Always good to have a backup.

[Jon Schneider]

Thanks for that input, Stu; I was hoping someone would chime in on that aspect.  I typically don't pole (this is a relatively new boat to me and didn't come with a pole, although I used to use one quite a bit on a prior boat).  I have a reacher now, and I tend to fly it (polelessly of course) where I would have poled my genny in the past.  My current genny is a 135 (on a standard rig), which is great for 75% of the time on the Block Island Sound.  I'm considering a 155 for the summer, which I might then want to pole, but I think by the time I figure that all out, I'd be able to run back up the mast (have an ATN Top Climber) and follow Ron's advice.  

It certainly also makes sense to use it to go up the mast, but I've replaced my other halyards, so I prefer to use the main halyard (I know how strong it is, versus what I believe might be original equipment for my port jib halyard).  Of course I could change it as well, but given the negligible amount of use, I think I'd rather spend my boat bucks on other things (like a down payment on a 155 genny).

[Dale Thompson]

I haven't been up my mast and don't intend to  ...hate heights

But does a stock Cat mast have a pulley installed for a port jib halyard as standard?  Or if I want to install one do I have to modify, add or what to install?

[Jon Schneider]

I believe a double-headed jib sheave configuration was standard.  Not sure, though, if that's changed since mine is a 1990.

[John Gardner]

I remove my halyards every winter and re-install them in spring.  I attach a thin tag line during removal, and then use it to pull the line back in in spring.  I use a clove hitch near the bitter end of the line and then a series of two or three half hitches at intervals of about two inches back along the line.  I have sometimes threaded the line through the weave of the rope, but seem to have given that up now.  The secret as far as I am concerned is to use plenty of tape (usually electrical tape) to "fair" the change of diameter from halyard to small line, and then I also use it on the last half hitch.

[Ted Pounds]

I also remove my halyards every winter.  To make it easier the tail end of each one has a reeving splice.  To make a reevng splice remove about 6 inches of core then make a small loop by splicing the cover into itself and locking in place with some stitches of whipping twine.   The resulting loop is no thicker than the rest of the line.  Then I tie my messenger line on to the loop with a bowline and haul away.  I got the idea from Layline.  They put reeving splices in two of the new halyards I bought from them.   I did the spinnaker halyard myself and it was very easy.

[Jim Price]

I found it easy to just do two constrictor knots on each end of line, using same tieing line, and a couple of wraps of electrical tape and haul away.  I slow down when joint goes over sheaves and at exit point to mast.  You need to be careful but this is surprisingly easy.  Keep It Simple.....