halyard trick

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preston

New Member
i put a couple of nylon zip ties on my lower boom to help hold the mainsheet out way. i read that suggestion and it really works well. well i had a extra zip tie and i put it on the upper boom next to the halyard clove hitch and it seem to work well in stoping it from creeping. looks good to.
 
If you use a rolling hitch for the halyard you don't need anything to stop it from slipping: it doesn't slip if you tie it correctly relative to the strain (see the books).
Also, you can easily adjust it for wind conditions before sailing. Any tape or zip tie constrains where you can tie the halyard.

Fred
 
Thanks, I'll try rolling hitch. I probably also need to "break in" the new halyard, too. . . It's pretty stiff.
BTW, when I put the halyard at the recommended racing location, the boom end fitting is VERY close to the deck (about 1/8"). I'm afraid it'll scratch when I'm sailing. Any advice on how high it should be?
 
1/8th inch off the deck is too low, and the boom will hit the deck during a violent jybe. Adjust the halyard and gooseneck for about 2" off the deck and see how that goes.. A common setting these days with a racing sail and plastic board is setting the gooseneck 16" back from the tip of the boom and about 2" off the deck.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Also when setting the boom close to the deck watch it CAREFULLY as you start sailing. Tacking the fish turns the mast and tends to strech out the halyard and that means the boom ends up closer or in contact with the deck. Many a fish has the infamous half moon scar across the front deck from halyard sag.
A fix is adding a mast cleat to secure the halyard. Since the halyard is now secured to the mast when the mast rotates the halyard follows and no longer gets that extra stretch which drops the boom onto the deck.
before I "discovered" the mast cleat trick I tried at least 5 types of line for halyards and all stretched enough to scar the deck unless the rig was at least 4 inches off the deck before sailing.
You can sail for a minute or two and do some tacks and then reset the halyard but I always found that more trouble on the water.
 
Thanks for the helpful info. I was using measurements off the 'net, but the sail and the lines DO stretch, at least a little. I have put a cleat on my mast, as it was legal and just made sense to do so (the water's still a little cold here, and it's quicker.). NOW, which end of the halyard do folks use for vanging the gooseneck?
 
From the mast cleat through the deck fairlead, over the gooseneck, back through the fairlead to the deck cleat.
Believe it or not I always rig with a vang. Just in low wind with no tension, but just tight enough so if it's a drifter the boom doesn't rise up when you do get wind. It transfers all the power to the boat rather than losing some to the motion of the rig.
 
IMPORTANT NOTE TO USING THE ROLLING HITCH: Tie a stopper knot in the end of the halyard at the knot. This prevents the end from slipping through the knot under tension. You will still be able to easily loosen the knot to place the halyard where you want on the gaff.

Fred
 
Rolling hitch doesn't hold on new synthetic halyard. I thought one did on somebody else's boat, but it turned out that they added an overhand stopper knot to anchor it (It ran out all the way to the stopper.). I did find a topsail halyard hitch in a canoe rig book and that works! There's also a similar knot, the halyard hitch, taught to boy scouts (just google "halyard knot") that works. The rolling hitch is apparently designed for steady longitudinal pull.
 
I never had a problem with new or old halyards. Note that a stopper knot was advised as an important part of the knot. The stopper knot is for slippery masts and I expect will also work for slippery new halyards.

Fred
 
Yup! . . it is. Reason I used "knot" for the search is that Google is a tremendous resource for finding knots, hitches, or bends for specific purposes.
 
I also found this as "halyard bend." Tried it on a round piece of wood and it looks like it will work OK on an aluminum 'fish mast.
Thanks, it's always nice to find new things that work.

Fred
 
FYI: I also found a "jam hitch" in Royce's Sailing Illustrated which is said to do the same job as a rolling hitch.

Fred
 
While the zip ties do the job, if you're going to race, guess what? Not legal. Not specifically allowed by the rules (tape is). If it's not specifically allowed, it's not allowed ... But for the everyday day sailor, HAVE AT IT!

A rather well known lady sailor (not me) had a really neat screw on nylon gadget, nylon threading that went around the gaff, both ends of it fit into the screw handle, screw it tight, tie the halyard below it, and she had a great time and changed it all with ease. Until someone read the rules and looked at it. That's when it was realized it wasn't tape, so it's specifically allowed, so it's not allowed. Kinda sorta silly, but if all you can spend on is tape, then you don't need a $3.99 nylon gadget ...
 
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