Need single line aft.

[Sloop John B]

I hate to bring up something that was pounded to death last year, but I now recognize my need for running the main halyard aft with something like a sail caddy in place. Like to come back on starboard side and avoid conflict with centerboard line. I think the halyard has to be replaced with a longer one. I think its 3/8 or 1/4 braided. I think Ill need a couple blocks and maybe just a horn cleat. I need advice and sizes and locations from a satisfied past installer.

Just what prompted this recognition is a little long and worth hitting the page down button if in any kind of hurry.

Anyway, last week, I am caught in a real bind crossing Apalachee Bay in the Gulf. The forecast is way ahead of itself. The nice morning breeze turned into a mini hurricane and I am completely overpowered with main and full genny. Getting the genny furled is easy and provides good relief.

However, about that time, my port rudder 'pull up' line (elongated with a bungee insertion in the pull down section) came loose from its casual wrap at the cleat and wound around the prop, stopped the low revving engine with a loud shudder, and entangled itself in the ladder prong. The helm was literally locked hard to port and the line was inflexible. We began circling on this bronco and the gybes were lethal.

Im going to have to try to cut this thing loose. I have a vision of washing up in the Steinhatchee River basin maybe sometime early next week.

The mate grabs her gaff she intends to gaff big fish with and starts to work on the rudder line. I move the motor up and I move it down and I can hear the line straining in both directions. She pops this unbelievably taut line free and says, If you guys knew anything about crocheting, you might be able to get all these ropes untangled.

No way to douse the main without flying off the cabin top into the drink. Heavy spray every four seconds glazing the bifocals and I cant get over 26 hundred revs without having the boat go airborne before pounding into the next six footer. My hands have melded into the wheel and Im doing my best to keep her out of the trough.

So now what? she asks.

I point to the main halyard cleat on the starboard side of the mast. Gotta get that off.

She shoves the hatch forward and gets up on the aft dinette seat with the boat hook and starts poking at the cleat.

Kapluut!. And the back of the boom comes down on the middle of my hat. Ho, Ouch. Hey great!, get that canvas out of the air.

I lift the boom back and snap the pigtail.

We plod in to the white capped windward shore squinting to locate the channel buoys for Dickerson Bay. Shes up front with her hair in ringlets sopped down and her mascara has run down the outside of her nose. Shes tired and she looks back and says, John, Im not coming out here anymore when its like this. I mean, who can fish in this crap?

Yeah, well. I think to myself, Who are these guys that single hand? If I didnt have her aboard, I would be dead.

[Merrick White]

Sloop John B,

Leading the main halyard aft was one of my best mods.

I bought a new 3/8" halyard about 12 feet longer than the old one, 2 swivel blocks from West Marine and attached one with a link (like is used on the trailer hitch chains) on the boom vang bail at the mast bottom, and the same on the stanchion base opposite the mast. From there it comes back to a horn cleat on the stanchion opposite the winch.

It is out of the way for walking the deck, yet handy for a quick release. I can let it drop, whip on a couple sail ties and wait until I am at the dock to neaten it all up.

[HERNDON]

Anybody know how long the main halyard is?

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

John,

My main halyard looks stock and it just barely reaches back to the rope clutch. It is probably exactly twice the mast height. I wish mine were a few feet longer so I could clip it to a lifeline when not connected to the sail. Perhaps a dealer can sell you a whole "lines aft" kit as that seems to be a common dealer option. Definitely worth having and a necessity for single handing. Also, it sounds like you really need a topping lift or rigid vang.

[MMMike]

John : I am in the process of doing just that right now.

I plan a lot of single handed sailing the summer , and I saw the need for lines ( sheets are on my bed) run to the cockpit. Read all I could find and got to it.

1) installed local made lazy jack kit. 3 sets of ( got look up the correct name) got it ..eye straps, and a cleat .Will attatch the lines (sheet) (rope) to the mast and boom. On a mooring at R.I. yatch club the season. Don't have to rig it up and down each time I sail ( 18 minitues)
2) installed single line reefing lead aft. Which includes the main haylard (NE YACHT Rigging) I don't splice........ got better things to do . Mounted triple rope clutch to right side above the bathroom in the wrong place. SHEET.... too far back No wait I did that on purpose..... caus I can run it thu a block (pully) on the track and back to the winch ( yea thats the ticket.)
I am one sailor who ain't afraid to spend money on my FIGMENT.
I used to race cars....... This is cheap.
I got a ton of mods I did. Stole ( borrowed) all the mod from you guys THANKS I hope to get them posted ( pics ) soon


MMMike
2000 26X Figment

[Frank C]

I believe lines should be led along the hatch rails to keep them off the deck, because lines underfoot cause injuries. (This port deck showed a random line dragging smack down the center of the limited traffic area ... an illustration of what to avoid with good design.) Spinlock PX-powercleats fit well, mounting right atop the hatch rail is easy.

Originally, I led the main halyard along the port hatch rail to permit using a winch on it (as illustrated). After trying it, I so rarely used the winch that I switched the main halyard back to starboard. If the main halyard is your only need right now, you can simply stack an identical cheek block atop the factory's starboard centerboard block (port-stack illustrated). You can easily turn the halyard at mast-base with a simple Harken bullet block, shackled upward from the mast pivot bolt.

These are pictures of my approach, with another explanation in the Mods section, Lines Aft (along skinny decks), but there are half-a-dozen different approaches shown in Heath's mods pages. (note: the following image is 640x480.)



The mast is 28 feet tall and the factory main halyard should be ~52' , but I'm not sure. I bought West Marine's recommended NER StasetX. About 70' was way too much, 60' should be fine. StasetX has only 2% stretch, but it's very stiff. I wish I'd gotten just Staset (4% stretch -recommended for sheets) instead of StasetX. I doubt the difference in stretch has much meaning on a 26X.