cordage confusion, sheet , halyard selection mind overload

[stevewitt1]

Hey All,
Let the spring fun begin!!!  Genoa sheet replacement, possibly a couple of halyards also.

What happened to just picking out the diameter?  Manual recommends dacron, most stuff out there is polyester.  My PO had 7/8" genoa sheet (yes, huge, barely fits in rigging) but I see the manual recommends 7/16".  Is that adequate or do most go 1/2?

Now, there's LS, LST, XLS, XLS Extra-T and Trophy Braid and those are just choices for the cruising guy, forget the Hi-Tech racing stuff (not me).

I have a 150 with furling.  I try to stay out of the Beaufort Force 12+ winds.
Which one of these seems to be the favorite of this group?  for sheets? halyards?


As always, any and all suggestions are appreciated. 


Sincerely
Steve
"Forget-Me-Knot"   

[Clay Greene]

We have Sta-Set for sheets and control lines, Sta-SetX for halyards because it has less stretch. The only exception is we used XPC for spinnaker sheets because they don't absorb water. We used the diameters in the manual - less room for error that way.

[Dave Spencer]

Steve,
Dacron is a trademark.  My chemistry isn't great but I think all Dacron line can be classed as Polyester, but not all Polyester is Dacron.

7/8" sheets are, um, robust.
I have 7/16" for my Genoa sheets. And the main.  The PO had 1/2" but I found it hockled in the turning blocks too often.  the 7/16 sheets do too sometimes.  Possibly higher quality line would be beneficial.  But, I'm not yet keen on paying a premium for high tech line, although I've heard it can pay off for halyards.  I don't see the benefit on sheets since they are adjusted all the time anyway.

My halyards are 3/8 polyester.  I notice some stretch sometimes in the main halyard in a spirited breeze.  It's no real problem to snug it up.  (oh drat... something else to fiddle with while sailing... gosh, darn!   )

[Jim Hardesty]

Steve,
Genoa sheets are not heavly loaded.  Some stretch is good (absorbs some shock load).  The size choice, what's the size range of your equipment (blocks, self tailing winch) then what feels best in your hand.  My guess the 7/8 on the boat, PO had problems with the self tailing winch not holding, Or liked the feel of 7/8, Or it was what he had.
Halyards should be low stretch.  Size to fit equipment.
Rope manfactures have charts showing the stretch and usualy the intended purpose.  If you want to know more, the West Marine catalog has a couple of pages of information.
Jim

[Ted Pounds]

Jim,
I agree with all you said except "Genoa sheets are not heavly loaded."  For that I must strenuously, but politely disagree.  When the wind piped up mine were often bar-tight.

Ted

[Jim Hardesty]

Ted,
It's not heavly loaded for the genoa sheets.  My reasoning, 7/16 double braid breaking strength is over 5,000 lb. Don't realy know what the genoa sheet loads are but estimating from what it takes to hoist a 200# person in a bosun chair, doubt that is 500#.
Now, heavly loaded for me, sure is.  At times, it's all I can do to trim in the sheet.  That's fun time.  Reminds me, I realy should start going to the gym. 
Jim

[Ted Pounds]

OK, not heavily loaded compared to the size of the line - that's true.  But in an absolute sense they're the most heavily loaded lines on the boat...

[Stu Jackson]

There have been reports that 1/2" jib sheets do not work on the newer Mark II Lewmar winches.  They do work on mine.  I use Stay Set for sheets.  I made the mistake of using Stay Set for halyards: they stretch too much.  Do NOT use Stay Set X for halyards, they are a horrible product, little stretch but horrible "hand."  Samson equivalent would be much better.  Our halyards are 3/8" and work just fine.  Our mainsheet is also 1/2".  All line manufacturers' websites have recommendations.  You should also check the C34 manual for your boat for the size of lines recommended by the factory.

[Ron Hill]

Steve : I'll guess that the PO way oversized the genoa sheets is because he couldn't keep the 7/16" in the self tailers of the primary winches (#46s).
I had the same problem and went to 1/2" yacht braid (single) which works great on staying in the self tailors and doesn't hockle.

I over killed on the halyards with 7/16" Stat Set X for both the genoa and the main.  To do it over again I'd only over size for the genoa halyard and go with the 3/8" Stay Set X for the main.

Yes, Dacron is a brand name, but it's basically a polyester material (low stretch).

On the new Ocean Series Lewmar winches the self tailer is spring loaded and the top piece clamps down on the fixed bottom piece - keeping the line from falling out like on the older models.  Therefor over sizing above 7/16" sheet line really isn't necessary and as Stu mentioned may be a determent!!

A few thoughts 

[SailingJerry]

I have also read a lot about how the StaySet X has a rough "hand" for the halyards.. Practical Sailor liked the Samson XLS better and it performed much better in the PS abrasion test. Even better,I found the Samson for $0.40 a foot less than the StaySet

[Craig Illman]

I used New England 3/8" T-900 for the main halyard and 1/2" Regatta Braid for the genoa sheets on my '91 Lewmar winches. The Regatta braid is heavy and isn't great for light air, but it didn't hockle through the turning blocks and I rarely wore gloves.

my three cents......

[Clay Greene]

I agree about the Sta-Set X not having a great feel and it does not coil well - too wiry.  Live and learn. 

[Ron Hill]

Guys : The problem that I have with the New England rope products is that they do NOT hold their colors. 
Sampson lines seem to hold theirs forever!!

My thoughts