Question Halyard rigging question…

C

Cascadian505

Active Member
Isn’t there some way to reduce the halyard load on the deck block? I think I saw it in a Lee Montes but he has dozens of videos and I can’t remember which one. It involved a block lashed to the mast I believe.

Thanks in advance.

Erik
 
Install a mast cleat.

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sunfish mast upgrades

this spring (and sadly now dragging well into the summer) I have spent some time working on repairs and upgrades to my Sunfish sailboat, and a little bit as well for the Super Porpoise sailboat (sl…
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I thought there was a way to do it with a block lashed on the mast kinda down low, but above the gooseneck, where you run the halyard through that, and then back up to ??, and then back down to the deck. That 2:1 created halves the load on the deck mounted block. But what does it go back up to (before going down to the deck block)?

I’m reluctant to mount a clear on the mast because it weakens the mast. In the video I saw, but can’t find, Lee said he’s broken a mast or two by mounting that cleat. And I have a very old mast.

Does anyone know which video I am referring to? Or how to get in touch with Lee?
 
Two tiny holes in the mast to mount a horn cleat that the class rules allow will not weaken the mast. But you still need to run the tail of the halyard to the deck as usual, all be it with less tension, so the rig does not come out of the boat in a capsize.
 
Midwest Sailing said:
Two tiny holes in the mast to mount a horn cleat that the class rules allow will not weaken the mast. But you still need to run the tail of the halyard to the deck as usual, all be it with less tension, so the rig does not come out of the boat in a capsize.
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I dunno that’s just what Lee said.
 
I don’t think he’d have published an article about something that is not class legal, and a block would not be legal. You can put a truckers hitch in the halyard above the gooseneck. That way you take the tail of the hitch, thru the deck eye, back up to the hitch, down to the deck eye and to the cleat. But I have no idea if that reduces the load on the eye.

I think there is some new rule that somehow involves tying a line around the mast with the halyard and then doing something to reduce the load on the eye. Maybe Lee’s video explains that.
 
beldar boathead said:
I don’t think he’d have published an article about something that is not class legal, and a block would not be legal. You can put a truckers hitch in the halyard above the gooseneck. That way you take the tail of the hitch, thru the deck eye, back up to the hitch, down to the deck eye and to the cleat. But I have no idea if that reduces the load on the eye.

I think there is some new rule that somehow involves tying a line around the mast with the halyard and then doing something to reduce the load on the eye. Maybe Lee’s video explains that.
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I found the video. He didn’t use a block but a thimble. He did say he has broken a few masts where the cleat was but he still uses a mast cleat curiously.

This is the video:
 
You can use a stainless steel hose clamp to mount the cleat. I'd probably use a thin rubber material or tape to help prevent corrosion just like the gooseneck.

The truckers hitch idea will not reduce the load on the deck fairlead but gives you a 2:1 ratio when tightening the halyard. However, two loops thru the fairlead might cause the halyard to bind up on itself.
 
sailcraftri said:
You can use a stainless steel hose clamp to mount the cleat. I'd probably use a thin rubber material or tape to help prevent corrosion just like the gooseneck.

The truckers hitch idea will not reduce the load on the deck fairlead but gives you a 2:1 ratio when tightening the halyard. However, two loops thru the fairlead might cause the halyard to bind up on itself.
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If you mount something on the mast to turn the halyard around (whether it is a thimble or block tied on, or something screwed into the mast) and you run the halyard down from the top, through that turning point, and back up through a trucker’s hitch, you create a 2:1, which will reduce the load on the line when it goes through the deck mounted block. So think that is what some people might do.

But a problem I envision is raising the sail, and then you have to put the truckers hitch in while holding the sail up with one hand. Not sure how people do that of sailing by themselves.
 
“you have to put the truckers hitch in while holding the sail up with one hand. Not sure how people do that of sailing by themselves”

It’s not a problem. Lots of Sunfish racers do it who don’t have a mast cleat - and even some who do - just takes a bit of dexterity.
 
beldar boathead said:
“you have to put the truckers hitch in while holding the sail up with one hand. Not sure how people do that of sailing by themselves”

It’s not a problem. Lots of Sunfish racers do it who don’t have a mast cleat - and even some who do - just takes a bit of dexterity.
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I think I’ll give it a shot! Thanks everyone!
 
I have found it pretty easy to tie off on my mast cleat using the method shown in the video below (about the 2 minute mark). I attached my mast cleat last year using a hose clamp as suggested in Lee's video- it has worked well for me so far.

 
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Cascadian505 said:
I found the video. He didn’t use a block but a thimble. He did say he has broken a few masts where the cleat was but he still uses a mast cleat curiously.
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The broken masts he displayed had the cleats screwed into the mast.

Any "insult" to the mast's integrity will invite failure at that site.
 
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