I have had occasions when the halyard slack raps around the mast and hangs up on the radar reflector. This happens when the halyard is released from its stored position on the pulpit and fastend on to the head of the sail. If this is done before motoring out of the harbor in preparation for hoisting when heading up to the halyard sometimes raps when trying to hoist the main.
I attach the halyard to the sail and then hoist it up a few feet. This puts tension on the halyard and stops it from wrapping around the radar. It seems to work in all but the roughest of conditions.
Jamie Morrison
Dexterity II
30U 225
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Try keeping the halyard under tension away from the mast by running it under a sail tie back from the luff before you attach it to the head of the sail.
John Zinner
POLARIS NS30U #505
Annapolis
I have homemade sailcover and on the cover cradle lines I installed fender hooks. I pulled the halyard back and hook the two cradle lines together. When I go out to sail, I hook the halyard with same clips with a rubber band. As I raise the sail, the rubber band breaks and let’s halyard go. I have a picture of setup if interested.