MacGregorSailors.com

I bought a $8 green poly rope from Harbor Freight, 3/8" and put on as my main halyard. My MacX is still in the driveway, so this is my experiment. There certainly is a lot of stretch in it and it says 400# rating, but here is my question: If I just sail to please myself and friends and don't really care if I go 6 kts or 6.5kts, does it really matter if I try this out on the water soon?

Polypropylene quickly degrades in sunlight. Disintigrates in about a year give or take a bit. If you just need it for a few months should be OK, but be aware it will very likely fall apart in about a year.

Seems like they should not be allowed to sell it without a huge warning on it (kinda like on cigarettes).

Unfortunately, it's not a question of a half-knot sailing speed. Polypropylene rope is subject to exorbitant stretch ... maybe 6 to 8 percent (?? -- can't find any real stats). Remember that a 25 foot mast means 300 inches of halyard to the masthead. You'll want your mainsail luff taut, and if you're in stiff breeze you want it especially taut. In really brisk winds, that halyard can stretch several inches in the 25 feet to masthead, which is WAY too much for a good luff trim. You'd be way better off using the original factory halyard, regardless of its age.

What Uncle Frank said

Rick

Opie,

One of the sites I learned about from this site is the Cajun Trading Company, They have great prices on lines. It isn't an 8 dollar option but at 51 cents a foot for 3/8 they sure beat most prices per foot as far as I have been able to tell. Just an option for you.

Gary

I actually just went the other way.
One issue I was having last year sailing was looking up and seeing my mainsail about 4 inches from the top of the mast after I know we pulled it tight. This made for bad sail shape especially in heavier winds. The heavier the wind the more stretch there seemed to be.
I just ordered a new halyard it is Yale Crystalyne: Strong, low stretch, Vectran core. I think I paid about $1.15 per ft. I was looking to color code my lines anyway. It is a little expensive but I heard a professional boatbuilder addressing this issue and he says it is a key element for proper sail tuning. I have not tested this yet but it makes sense to me

Like most things you get what you pay for in lines. Identical looking lines may not be equal. Better quality lines will be prestreched, lubicated and use better material. Most dealers arn't making much profit on lines. In the marine store I work, I get a 25% emplyee discount on most things but none on line, because the profit margin is too low. A good quality, low tech line will probably last 10 years.

I was interested in the endless halyard/downhaul someone mentioned ... Has anyone done this, have photos / descriptions, hardware associated if any ?

I have the endless halyard/downhaul. Works great in my mind. Especially since I singlehand and can pull down the main from the cockpit.

No real special hardware. One end tied to the top of the headboard goes up over the roller at the top of the mast and then down to the base of the mast and through a couple of turning blocks to bring it to the cockpit through a clutch...

There is about 4' of line in the cockpit which turns 180 and heads back to the base of the mast through turning blocks and then to the bottom of the headboard (actually tied around the topmost sail slug).

At the cockpit it goes through a clutch to "lock" it when raised. And I have a cleat attached to the front of the cockpit to secure the 4' loop of line in the cockpit.

Over all I think the halyard/downhaul is 75' long. I will check my computer to see if I have anything that shows a good photo or two...but I don't think I have any. And my boat is over 3,000 miles away.

Feel free to PM or email if you have any questions.

Jim

Found a couple of pics:

The blue lines are the halyard/downhaul. I assume the turning blocks are pretty standard for lines led aft...not sure cause I have never seen another Mac before.



And in this pic that's me at the wheel and my Dad holding on for his life (one of my first times on the water...I don't blame him). But you can sort of see the clutch that the line goes through. Only the "halyard" part of the line goes through the clutch. There is a cleat in front of his chest that is used to secure the loop.

I bought some cheap rope from Home Depot, but I only use it on the traveler and the furler.
It makes it much easier telling my sons to pull the red or the green cord. As opposed to trying to explain which line to pull because all my lines are always a big tangle mess. When the colors fade I have plenty left stored in the cabin. Also I like the looks of it.

I have done the same with cheap lines. They do look pretty for the first year or two. I use them as reefing lines for the main. Good value and I don't mind replacing them for the service they provide.

Hey since we are on the subject of lines. Is there a way to clean lines that have fallen into the drink and might be little bit dirty from {in my case} GEORGIA RED CLAY.

I throw them in a big plastic container with some laundry soap and water, then agitate with a plunger for a while then hose em off.

Thanks. I will probably try that but with a little bleach. That red clay is tough stuff. I wander if the sails can be washed with detergent bleach and a brush?

If I'm recalling correctly, someone once suggested tossing the line into a standard laundry bag, the kind with lots of holes (made of a netting material). Then you can toss that whole bag into a washing machine, gentle cycle, with some detergent and Downey softener.