Main Halyard to Cockpit on 26M

[keving]

What do I need/How to run main Halyard back to cockpit....what blocks etc do I need new to 26M

[Moe]

There was an extensive thread on this here in the Performance & Tuning forum.

Main halyard aft - 26M

In essence, you need a block on the deck or mast base plate (but not on the mast) to turn the halyard from its vertical run down the mast to a horizontal run out to the side of the boat, another block on the deck to turn the horizontal run back toward the cockpit, and a rope clutch at the cockpit to secure the halyard.

While you're doing the main halyard, it's also worth doing a reefing line next to it with double blocks and a double rope clutch. And if you want to use it to fully down the mainsail, doing lazy jacks or a sail caddy is a good idea.

[RandyMoon]

Here is how mine is set up:

Block at the bottom of the mast:



Double cheek block (halyard & board):



Clutch at the cockpit:



The caveat I have found is that under heavy wind, the sail is hard to get down by releasing the halyard, requiring someone to climb up on deck to pull it down. So I have bought the same hardware to mount on the port side which will feed a line tied to the headboard and when the sail needs to come down, pulling this line should bring it right down. I am concerned about being out single handing and having to leave the cockpit if the sail does not come down easy.

If anyone has a better approach, I am all ears.

[Moe]

I think the other thing that needs to be said for a new owner is that the sail really needs to be attached to the mast with sail slugs rather than a bolt rope for the sail to fall when the halyard is loosed.

As Randy mentions, even heavy winds can cause the slugs to bind in the track. Here are some tips you might want to try before adding a downhaul.

I took Frank C's advice and got some of that Liquid Wrench Dry Lubricant with PTFE at Home Depot for the track. Much less expensive than SailKote.

Motoring into the wind to lower the mainsail increases the pull on the slugs and their friction more than heaving to into it.

Not loosening the vang and mainsheet pulls on the slugs and increases their friction, especially higher on the mast. Don't forget to do this.

Even the weight of the boom can pull on the slugs and increase their friction, so raising it slightly with topping lift, Boomkicker, or rigid vang can help.

Not loosening the clew outhaul pulls on the lower slugs and increases their friction.

[RandyMoon]

Excellent info. I have used SailKote and it helped. But I did not loosen the vang and I'll bet you are right Moe. I'll do that and lift the boom a tad.

Thanks!!!!

[Moe]

I might also add that without a cunningham, these things are important when hoisting the main for getting the halyard tight and good luff tension to help move the draft forward in higher winds.

[RandyMoon]

Moe, if you want to make extra money, you ought to offer a weekend deal where trailer sailors bring their boat to your location, and sailors get an intensive care seminar on the ins and outs of getting sails tuned and props pushing the Mac over 17 mph. Kind of like going to a weekend Juilliard seminar on violin tuning. If you take Discover, I'm in.

Thanks for the help!

[Moe]

Thanks, Randy, but there are many others here who could do that, and even do a better job of it.

[keving]

Randy & Moe thank you for the info........as usual this site is a wealth of information....

[delevi]

I just set up my halyard aft to the cockpit. I used a swivel block attached to a small shackle, which I fed through the starboard loop where the mast raising pole attaches. Of course, you will need to remove the block when using the mast raising pole, but it only takes a few seconds to remove or install. Then I attached a cheeck block to the bottom of the starboard stantion post with a large D shackle... no holes drilled so far. The only drilling was to install the rope clutch, which I ran to the right of the winch on the starboard side. The nice thing about this location is that there is a mirror in the cabin which you can remove, which will give you access to the area underneath. It also gives yo rome to operate the halyard without a lot of other stuff being in the way. Drill two holes in the deck to mount the rope clutch from the top and install washers and nuts underneath where you can access the opening where you removed the mirror. Before installing, fill the newly drilled holes with marine grade caulking. The setup works great and I didn't have to tear the boat apart doing it. Total cost of blocks and rope clutch was $110 from West Marine and about an hour of work. Of course, you need sail slugs to make it work as others mentioned. When I realease the main sheet and sail into the wind and release the halyard, the sail usually drops about half way, giving me enough time to quickly go up on deck and pull the rest of it down. Heaving to is safer but takes a bit longer and gets your main sail caught up in the shrouds and spreaders. I prefer the first method, but you have to move fast.

Leon

[DLT]

Ok, here is my setup:

I have sail slugs.

I have a double block attached by SST snap link (yeah I know it isn't as strong as a snap shackle, but it is plenty strong for this application) to the starboard side hole that the mast raising system attaches to. The Snap link makes for real easy detachment, for when you need to lower the mast.

I have a double block attached by its own shackle to the ring on the stanchion, where the mast raising baby stays attach.

I use Bill@Boats4Sail's Genoa Track mounted cam cleats, for the head sail sheets.

Which frees up the 'stock' cam cleats. So, I secure my main and jib halyards there.

Now, you ask, why the double blocks? Well, I use 100' of line configured in a loop, so that the main halyard goes:
from the sail's head board,
up to the cheek block at the top of the mast,
down to the double block at the mast base,
out to the double block on the stanchion,
back to the cam cleat at the cockpit, with the excess slack in the cockpit,
then back out to the double block on the stanchion,
to the double block at the mast base, and
finally, back to the head board.

This allows me to give the sail a bit of encouragement, should it get hung up on the way down, although it likely really isnt all that necessary...

You could use single blocks and just forgo this 'downhaul'. In that case, the stock main halyard might be long enough for the job...