I’m interested in hearing thoughts on the value of a backup halyard for Soave. It seems most Nonsuch boats are fine with a single halyard and in a pinch they use the flag halyards for mast ascents.
Maybe a second halyard is overkill ?
I’m replacing Soave’s Fairlead Collar for the upcoming season so it’s not a big job to add the 2nd halyard. With the exception of the exit plate I have all the necessary parts on hand.
Currently, to ascend the mast I use the flag halyard to pull a lifting line up to the flag halyard cheek block, then use the main halyard to lift the lifting line for safety.
An alternative came to mind, which would be to setup a forward facing halyard to gain the ability to hoist a free-flying downwind sail for grins on light days and to provide an easier safety for mast ascents.
I may punt this season, but I’d appreciate thought from the Nonsuch braintrust.
A backup halyard seemed like a good idea to me. Note the past tense. I’m no longer sure.
When I bought the boat it was only setup for one halyard. The mast was down (unusual event here on the west coast) so I had the rigger add the second sheave at the masthead (it did have a place for one) and the exit hole/plate. He put in a messenger line so I could add the halyard when I was ready.
The messenger line he used was nylon and stretchy. It got caught in the main halyard when I was raising the sail one day and was sucked into the masthead with it. It jammed and was a very difficult thing to fix while out on the water with the sail half-raised and a friend at the helm who had never even been on a sailboat. I ended up having to cut the messenger line and so I abandoned the idea.
…Until the mast was out again to replace the heel block or whatever that big casting is at the bottom of it. I had the rigger run another messenger line, but this time it was 1/8" dyneema which I am able to keep tight. In the mean time I also replaced my fairlead collar and Mike Quill supplied it with the double halyard block at my request.
Now all I need to do is haul in a second halyard, right? Except, where is it going to go when not in use? So the next project is to add some guides on the cabintop. But then it needs to be manageable in the cockpit, which means adding another clutch. It would work as a backup halyard without the clutch, but if you want to use it for anything else and in conjunction with the main halyard, then it seems like you’d need that. Oh, and the entry point under the dodger would need to be enlarged.
I’ve used the boat for over three years with just the one halyard and (hubris alert!) have never needed a second for anything. So it has a very low priority and I doubt that I’ll ever really get it installed.
As for the forward facing one, I’d say it seems weird to me, but to each his own. I know that the racing catboats of the late 1800s and early 1900s would certainly have had more halyards than we have on Nonsuches. Some of them flew such clouds of sail you could hardly see the tiny boat beneath. But I think to really take advantage of a headsail, you’d probably need one of those narwhal-looking extendable bowsprits to go with it. Etc. Seems like a lot of business for a boat that is designed to be so easy to sail.
You asked for thoughts. Those are mine, though I’m not sure that I fit into the “braintrust” category.
You make good points about the value of simplicity.
Soave’s clutches are labeled but the cabin top looks kinda busy while sailing. Especially when adding or shaking a reef. ( Which we don’t get to do very often on LIS)
I think I have some open spots on Soave’s deck organizers, the the extra halyard wouldn’t have it’s own clutch, it would need to be secured on one of the spare cleats.
Maybe I’ll think on this a bit more before adding the halyard.
Thanks for sharing your experience, as usual I underestimated the cost and impact of the change.
That’s an interesting thought, how much tension do you us on it while sailing? I’m guessing the mast needs some bend to spill air in gusts.
Did you use the tab on the masthead casting ? I’m having some doubts about its strength. I just replaced a fairlead collar because of stress cracks. I was thinking running a band around the masthead collar to reinforce it.
Yes relaxed whilst sailing. Seems as though you have things in hand, fittings are old and your focus on them apt with them showing such signs.
CAKEWALKIII
(Peter Grabow CAKE WALK III 30U #430 SHYH - Stamford, CT)
7
Hi Rob
I had a second halyard installed many many years ago. My boat was made with double sheave at the mast head (but not used) which made the decision easier.
I use the 2nd halyard fairly often and I am very happy I have it. It is used when I ascend the mast (I use an ATN Mast Climber which ‘clamps’ onto the 2nd halyard, not a traditional bosun chair), also to hoist our anchor sail whenever we anchor. On occassions if the front of the boom (or the entire boom) needs to be lowered or raised makes it very easy to wrap the primary halyard around the forward end while climbing with the ATN up the 2nd halyard.
We also us it every season in conjunction with the primary halyard to place or remove our dinghy to/from the coachtop.
In the event the primary halyard shackle ends up at the top of the mast, you have a way to easily retrieve it.
It is also used to as additional support to hold up the aft end of the boom during the winter off-season.
When it was installed, the exit ‘port’ was placed on the opposite side of the mast than the primary’s, and at a different height (lower I believe) than the primary’s to avoid creating a weak point on the mast. A turning block was added to the mast collar and I added a new deck organizer with additional sheaves, a fairlead and a rope clutch. Sounds like a lot but it reall wasn’t, and I am very happy I installed it all those years ago.
SusanK 2 had a second pulley at the top of the mast. Since it was down when she landed over land from Canada I installed the second halyard and I’m glad I did for one reason so far. At the end of the season I take the topping lift off the end of boom by having the spare take the weight and main halyard attached a temporary lashing just aft of the mast and I’m able to lower the boom to the deck by myself safely.
Peter does bring up other interesting uses as well and I will keep that in mind. Thank you Peter and Susan for showing us their boat in Kennebunkport few years ago. Without you SusanK 2 will not be in our lives.
CAKEWALKIII
(Peter Grabow CAKE WALK III 30U #430 SHYH - Stamford, CT)
9
One use I forgot to mention -
When I go up the mast and have someone assisting me ( the ATN mast climber I use is designed for solo use, no one needed to hoist you) I climb on the 2nd haylard (as I have some concern about introducing wear to the halyard from the crampons (do not recall the actual name) but use the primary halyard as a ‘safety’… I loop the primary around my torso under my arms and close the shackle over the halyard and whomever is assisting me keeps slight tension on the primary using it’s winch and can stop or slow my fall if needed… now, granted, this could get very tight if the ATN or 2ndary halyard fails, but it’s better than crashing to the deck!
I know that the racing catboats of the late 1800s and early 1900s would certainly have had more halyards than we have on Nonsuches. Some of them flew such clouds of sail you could hardly see the tiny boat beneath. But I think to really take advantage of a headsail, you’d probably need one of those narwhal-looking extendable bowsprits to go with it. Etc. Seems like a lot of business for a boat that is designed to be so easy to sail.