[C320-list] replacing the main halyard

[John Meyers]

Gene,

I replaced my main halyard this year too. I don't remember the length but I
learned the length from this forum. I seemed long but I bought the amount
anyway. I also learned from these people who contribute that it is best to
sew the ends together. I used several loops of monofilament fishing line on
the heavy side and used electricians tape to make the butt joint smooth
between the new and old halyard. It worked real smooth and the whole job
was done in under 15 minutes. It was so easy that I plan to use some sort
of cheap line over the winter on all my halyards so they don't weather.

I used a good bowline to attached the shackle. Every spring I plan to take
the bowline off and cut off a foot and reattach the shackle. As I said
before there is a lot of line left over if you buy the recommended length.
(I am thinking it was 115 feet but check the past posts and verify.) By
shortening the halyard by a foot every year the part that gets eaten up
slightly by the clutch isn't in the same spot every year.

John Meyers
Muskegon, MI
Wind Chime - 406

On Sun, Sep 9, 2012 at 1:09 PM, Gene Helfman <genehelfman at gmail.com> wrote:

> Our main halyard developed a hernia that hangs up at the clutch, dodger
> eyelet, etc, so we figure it's time to replace it.  I'm concerned about
> proper threading through the invisible interior mast blocks and guides (no
> idea what's hiding in there).  My plan is to join (abutt) the new and old
> halyards end to end with strong threading, then place a section of duct
> tape that overlaps the joint and stitch that too to create one continuous
> rope.  Has anyone had experience with this?  Any recommendations on the
> best line to use for the replacement?
>
> thanks,
> gene
> Satori #398
> --
> Gene Helfman, Professor Emeritus
> Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia
> PERMANENT address:
>     498 Shoreland Dr., Lopez Is., WA 98261
>     (360) 468-2136
>     genehelfman at gmail.com
>
> "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day,
> Teach a man to fish and he'll deplete the
>       oceans."
>
> The Book of Bob, Ironies 24:7
>