HI Selkie,
Are the turning blocks at the upper end of the mast different sizes? Match your rope to the block if so.
If not, I wouldn't be too worried, I would go for comfort, you will use the headsail more than the kite halyard, put the most flexible one to the headsail.
Some other basic considerations:
Breaking strain wise, a kite halyard has a higher load, so the highest breaking strain to the kite.
but do the two ropes look like the same construction? Dyneema or Spectra, are typically a bit thinner than double braid but much higher breaking strain (double braid stretches more and looks pretty different in their construction.) but they hurt your hands more. Double braid is used for sheets for this reason.
Nothing wrong with double braid for halyards either unless your racing really.But if I wa to go up a mast, and only be clipped on with one halyard for example, it has to be Dyneema or Spectra. Double brad has too high a chance of breaking in comparison.
So, if they are different: Dyneema/Spectra for main and kite halyards, and double braid for everything else is a nice general statement.
If they are the same, double check your block sizes, then fill your boots and go for comfort. Check to make sure the halyards fit all the way through any jam cleats or deck runners too.

Edit: I just thought of something else. I like my halyards positioned, when cleated, starting inboard the boat closest to the centreline, as: main, headsail then kite halyard outboard-most.
Don't know if their position is relevant or makes any difference on your boat or not, but where they are positioned when cleated off (which is normal sailing position) may help your decision??
SB

Mmmm....yes is my default answer if the mast is down and they're old and stiff.
I love good new rope, especially on halyards. Having the sail go up without tight spots that kill you is heaven.
You probably already know, but I find giving old halyards and sheets a freshwater soak in the bath can do absolute wonders as an alternative if they're pretty shagged.

SB

Not sure how you work things on your yacht but on mine we tend to not use a winch when hoisting the kite. We just hand over hand the halyard then cleat it off. For this reason I would use the thicker of your ropes for your spinnaker.

Re replacing your halyards whilst the mast is down. If you feel there is reasonable life left in the ones you have stay with them. Once you have them moused in correctly it is a fairly simple process to attach a new halyard to the end of the old and just pull it through. No need to pull the mast out again or climb the mast.

morningsun said..


Does the spinnaker halyard exit the mast above the jib halyard, that might explain the slight variation in length.

Yes. Fractional rig, spinnaker halyard exits above jib.

Have moused all halyards back through today.

frant said..

If working static a good Bosuns chair is acceptable.

By good you must mean a chair that has a base board in it. Soft ones (ie without a base board) will in very short order squeeze your pelvis and it's appendages into a world of pain.

Be extremely careful using safety harnesses like those used on construction sites. With most of your weight bearing on the groin straps, the pressure there can render you unconscious within three minutes and kill you within 30 minutes.

"I suspect that most people probably should pull their Bosuns chair from the bowels of its locker and from there directly to the dumpster."

Sigh, I guess you are right, and my 35 year old bosuns chair should go. It never squeezed me in the wrong place though. The squeeze was on the side.

Thanks for confirming that about the harnesses Shaggy. I would hate to see anybody here harmed through ignorance.

I was working at the Gladstone power station some years ago where working at heights was common. We got a safety lecture from an expert on harnesses etc who gave us the facts like how just a flick on the safety line can unhook a spring clip/hook so easily. Threaded carbineer hooks are the only thing to use. He also gave us examples of the "safety" harnesses maiming and killing people.

If ever using a harness at height, make sure it has foot stirrups so you can take the weight off your groin.

In the meantime watch this video for a little dose of vertigo.

I have always been going to make one of these.

As previously stated climbing/construction harnesses are great for backup safety but downright dangerous to sit in for any real length of time.

See "harness hang syndrome" - en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_trauma

GalahOnTheBay said..
As previously stated climbing/construction harnesses are great for backup safety but downright dangerous to sit in for any real length of time.

See "harness hang syndrome" - en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_trauma

There is another danger.

In my late teens I was quite involved in Venturer Scouting, we did a lot of abseiling and caving. In those days, the "harness" was just a single piece of webbing, stitched to form a loop. You would hold the loop behind you and pull around each thigh and through the crotch to make the harness held with a caribiner.

After one outing I was left in incredible pain from a torsion of the testicle. It's an emergency condition that requires immediate surgery, the pain is almost indescribable. Fortunately I made a full recovery.