Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

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Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby StevePDX » Fri Oct 23, 2020 5:54 pm

DS 1 with Balenger tapered mast. I have a stainless wire main halyard that exits the mast above the deck and beads on the wire cleat to a mast mounted fitting. The bitter end of the wire is connected to 25 fr of 5mm double braid. This is the connection that has failed. It looks like the double braid has had the core removed for 2 ft and the wire somehow threaded inside the outer braid sheath. Not sure if it’s somehow glued or just “finger trap” tight. The rope has failed in the middle of the overlap.
Anyone know how to replace the rope on this kind of connection? I’ve played around with a bit of 5mm line with the core removed, but threading a wire inside and securing it seems tricky....Perhaps this is this the time to convert to rope halyard??
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Re: Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby GreenLake » Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:28 pm

You could convert to a combination Amsteel (wire replacement) and braided tail. That would give you the same low-stretch characteristics as the wire w/o the weight. Splicing suggestions can be found at https://l-36.com/halyard_splice.php

I've implemented those for both main halyard and jib halyard on my boat, and overall it's not too difficult.

Here's a link to a YouTube video if you want to try to splice the existing wire (I have not tried that process myself): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7AsfJkLFUY
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Re: Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby Anstigmat » Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:27 am

Someone who knows more can correct me if I'm wrong, but those dyneema (sp?) options look perfect for this kind of thing. I am taking delivery of a Proctor mast at some point soon, and my plan is to go that route when I set it up.
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Re: Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby GreenLake » Sat Oct 24, 2020 12:59 pm

Why should we correct you, when you are right? :D

For a halyard, your goal is to get low stretch and low weight. Dyneema delivers both; you can replace wire diameter for diameter. And it's rope, so splicing a connection to add a tail works well. Also, splicing an eye at the end is dead simple. Anyway, I'm sold. (But you knew that).
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Re: Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby StevePDX » Sat Oct 24, 2020 8:45 pm

OK I’m convinced. Switching to Amsteel for the main halyard. While I’m at it I’ll switch the jib wire for Amsteel, too. Thanks for the good tips.
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Re: Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby jalmeida51 » Sun Oct 25, 2020 8:37 pm

You should check the condition of the sheaves in your masthead if you are going from wire to line (rope ). After years the stainless steel wire will put groves or cuts in the sheaves which could damage your new halyards. A rigger told me that there is a difference in sheaves for wire and line. You should use the proper sheaves. I have never had a boat with wire halyards always line. When I replaced my halyards a few years ago, the sheaves were cracked and pieces missing out of them. John
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Re: Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby GreenLake » Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:23 pm

Replacing the sheaves isn't that difficult. If they are riveted in, you may need to drill out the rivet and replace it by a SS clevis pin of the correct diameter. Wire sheaves may be V shaped which doesn't work for rope, but note that Dyneema can be sized for the same diameter (while other rope would be wider).
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Re: Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby bilbo » Wed Nov 04, 2020 11:18 am

I just did one of these last night; 1/8" Amsteel to 1/4" XLS with the instructions GreenLake posted. My boat had halyards made solely of double braid and they were noticeably stretchy. The weight difference between the two ropes is astounding. I had a 50' coil of 1/4" XLS in one hand and an 80' coil of 1/8" Amsteel in the other and couldn't believe how heavy the XLS felt.

The process is fairly simple; I found that using slippery tape to attach the rope to the fid is imperative. I had been using some automotive masking tape I had lying around but it didn't work well for this. Also the direction the tape is wrapped on is important, especially for the last step. If you wrap from the fid back up the rope, the leading edges of the tape wraps catch the inside of the rope. If you go the other way, they will slide through the rope better. Maybe that's common knowledge, but I didn't know and learned the hard way. That seems to be how I learn most things. All I have left to do is lock-stitch it. I couldn't find a big needle last night to do that.

2802
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Re: Main Halyard Wire to Double braid connection failed.

Postby GreenLake » Wed Nov 04, 2020 2:35 pm

Looking good. Good point on the tape and how to wind it. I tend to use electrical tape for a lot of tasks and so that's what I've been using w/o thinking about it further. Has worked for me.
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