F40/40 Main Halyard Chafe

jlodolce
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:30 pm
Location: Sackets Harbor, NY (Lake Ontario)

Re: F40/40 Main Halyard Chafe

Post by jlodolce »

At the end of the season we removed the jib halyard block apparatus at the mast head and found that the block itself was broken and that there were very sharp edges cutting the jib. We rebuilt the whole apparatus with a new block. We will be putting the sails on in a couple of weeks. Hopefully that fixed it.
Jim Lo Dolce
Lo Dolce Vita VII
Freedom 40/40 #16 1995
Sackets Harbor, NY (Lake Ontario)

Laisve
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:22 am

Re: F40/40 Main Halyard Chafe

Post by Laisve »

Our main halyard on our 40/40 had some chafing around 8" above the shackle. It didn't look bad, and the halyard is still somewhat new - 5 years old, supposedly a good quality one from Vela Sailing Supply (don't recommend them). Then it snapped this weekend beating into 20+ knot winds and heavy chop (the forecast was for 5 knots) at that spot. I had gone up the mast several times recently to replace a broken wind sensor, and looking at the main halyard block and box they seemed fine, I could not feel any sharp edges. Still not sure what caused the chafe...
Any advice on how to reave/fish for a new main halyard? Any recommendations for chafe-resistant halyards?
Freedom 40/40
Portsmouth, RI

User avatar
GeoffSchultz
Posts: 1135
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 8:39 am
Location: BlueJacket: Guatemala
Contact:

Re: F40/40 Main Halyard Chafe

Post by GeoffSchultz »

Laisve,

Sorry to hear that this happened to you. I don't have any good suggestions as to how you can fish a new halyard line, as the jib box is 7/8 of the way up the mast. I had thought about building a new masthead with a second main halyard in it, just in case something like this happened, but I never did. Unless you can somehow climb that last 1/8 of the mast, I think that your only option is to bring in a cherry-picker or a crane to get you to the top.

As far as what's causing the chafe, I would check the sheave to see if it has sharp edges. I've had the center pin on mine wear, causing it to not spin true, and chafe the halyard.
BlueJacket
1997 Freedom 40/40
http://www.GeoffSchultz.org

Laisve
Posts: 23
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:22 am

Re: F40/40 Main Halyard Chafe

Post by Laisve »

Geoff,
Luckily, we have a spare external halyard, which was the previous main halyard. I'll have to check the sheave more thoroughly, though I'm not sure how easy it is without taking it apart. Which I can't do while at the top of the mast.
Freedom 40/40
Portsmouth, RI

jlodolce
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2013 12:30 pm
Location: Sackets Harbor, NY (Lake Ontario)

Re: F40/40 Main Halyard Chafe

Post by jlodolce »

I just realized that I never followed up my post on the jib halyard chafing from 2 years ago. My rigger removed the masthead jib halyard block and found the wheel was broken with sharp edges which were cutting the jib. He was able to replace the wheel and it has been fine since
Jim Lo Dolce
Lo Dolce Vita VII
Freedom 40/40 #16 1995
Sackets Harbor, NY (Lake Ontario)

Post Reply