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New guy intro and main halyard question

Started by Djwpe, September 20, 2014, 08:30:47 PM

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Djwpe

Greetings, VX One people. My name is Don Winston, and I've just acquired #145.  I sailed it today in western Long Island Sound in a 12-15 knot breeze. Great boat!!!

The main halyard keeps slipping 3-4", despite taking 5 wraps and 3 figure-8's around the cleat. I'm not sure what material the halyard is currently, but it's slick, thin, and tangles easily if that helps.

Are there any ways to keep the halyard better secured, or suggestions on different material to change to?


Thanks,

Don Winston
VX 145
Port Washington, NY

kpike

Hi Don
You have asked a great question because the halyard is a source of frustration.  I had a little slipping too but found that I had to pay attention while making fast which seemed to fix it.  The slippery line and tangles are still a challenge.  Some people put it a bag or wrap it around a card.  I ordered a kite reel to try. 
I have found there are times when a quick drop of the main would helpful with docking and I currently do not have a good solution.
Scott on 144 sometime ties it off to the lifting ring on the keel plate.  Share the fun, we are learning.
Kelly #143

vernon green

As for the slipping, I have found that three wraps on the horn cleet and then three half hitches seems to fix the problem quite well. When doing the wraps keep the really tight and really get the halyard tight before you start.

As for the tangles, we roll it very carefully and then when it is time to take the main down we get it out of the small bag and throw it out the back of the boat allowing it to follow us in the water. If we are already at dock I do the same and it seems to keep if untangled.

The main halyard just takes some time to get used to but after several times out you won't even think about it.

davidreich

The main halyard can be a source of learning curve like any of it. Good news is that it is 2:1 which makes it easy to hoist and allows for a very small diameter that is still easy in the hand. The line is spectra so it is quite slick., Vernon is correct. I take 2-3 turns around the base paying attention to get good cinches in each one and then I go to 2-3 locking figure 8's doing the same. make up the line neatly and stow in the side pocket of the storage bag.
One the drop, start before getting to the dock. remove the line from the storage bag and pay out the line in the cockpit. some folks even pay it out and throw it over the stern. A few times getting it right you'll see that it all works and is kept quite simple. Thanks for throwing this out on the forum.
David Reich

AussieMick

I find 4 wraps around the horn cleat then 4 figure eights then 3 half hitches works best.
Really pull the line after each of the initial wraps around the cleat.


To stop the tangles permanently I have the tail tied off to the middle of the horn cleat and roll it up doubled over, i.e. start at the base of the mast with both lines and do a normal coil job with it. I also find that the person that coiled the halyard should be the one that uncoils it as they will know how it has been coiled and the coil secured.

Intensitysails

I use a plastic kite string winder and wind up the tail of the halyard and put it in the side pocket of the under deck bag.  Never an issue since I started with this.  I got it from Walmart with the cheap truing on it and took off the string.  Andy Walford had the idea originally.

kpike

Following up on Intensity Sails, a kite string winding reel works real well.  I made a few mods to adapt it for the boat, it works crazy good.  The mods were; a spliced loop in the end of the halyard so it can be attached to the reel, removing the small metal line guide and opening up the hole for the halyard, adding a loop and hook to hold the reel onto the hiking strap during use. I can start the main down and it will fall all the way without the halyard snagging.  The reel stores in the starboard under deck pocket. I'll post some pictures if you are interested.

malcthom

Not a solution for the halyard tangling but a useful one for the slippage - i have set up a halyard fine tune exactly like the jib halyard. Works great, never slips and can allow for stretch in the dyneema halyard. Attaches to the hiking strap eyelet (next one down from jib system and lives tucked away under the spinnaker chute). Not class legal (as yet) I guess but a way better solution than the horn cleat (which I use for the tweaker system for the halyard on my masthead kite setup anyway).

kpike

Can you post a picture?  I would like to see how you attached the halyard to the tweaker.

malcthom

Hi pike
Sorry re the late reply, not on the forum often.
Not sure if you are asking about fine tune for main halyard or tweaker for MH kite halyard?

I have always thought the main halyard locking off on the horn cleat was the one & only dysfunctional piece of equipment on the VX.
The fine tune for the main halyard is setup identically to the one on the jib halyard.
You need to put a locking brummel eye-splice in the main halyard just beyond where it exits the mast foot when the main is fully hoisted. Into this eye splice you splice the tail of the main halyard. The locking eye-splice is where the fine tune block and tackle hooks into to tension the main halyard (see first pic). The other end of the purchase system connects to an eyestrap for the hiking strap one eye aft of that for the jib fine tune system.

Re the MH spinnaker halyard setup - pics attached. When using the std kite need to lock tweaker down to fractional halyard exit. Tweaker is an elasticated dyneema line which exits front of mast at level of horn cleat (last photo) To use standard kite, tweaker is tensioned and locked off on horn cleat; this holds the Antal ring at the lower halyard exit as per pic attached.

malcthom

Quote from: kpike52 on October 20, 2014, 11:48:31 PM
Following up on Intensity Sails, a kite string winding reel works real well.  I made a few mods to adapt it for the boat, it works crazy good.  The mods were; a spliced loop in the end of the halyard so it can be attached to the reel, removing the small metal line guide and opening up the hole for the halyard, adding a loop and hook to hold the reel onto the hiking strap during use. I can start the main down and it will fall all the way without the halyard snagging.  The reel stores in the starboard under deck pocket. I'll post some pictures if you are interested.

Would like to see some pics of this please.

kpike

Mal-
I like it. Thanks for the pics. 
btw I asked a question about pole extension.  Your thoughts; go for the max or it's not that important.

Pictures of reel attached. I made more mods. Removed the original handle and replaced it with a small knob. also replaced all screws with stainless, and bearings are now plastic.  Works great.  I store it in the bag, pull it out and clip it to the shroud for drop.  First pic is the reel full of line.  Second pic is current mod.