Main halyard broke!

Mast, Boom, Standing and Running Rigging, Furler System, Reefing, Barberhauler, Lazyjack etc
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gminkovsky
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Main halyard broke!

Post by gminkovsky »

Yesterday my main halyard snapped at the top of the mast where it enters the mast.

I was beating into the wind. The wind was around 15-16 kn. The seas were very choppy 3-4 feet (.9 - 1.2 m) right on the nose. Suddenly, the main just come down on us. Luckily, the lazyjacks were adjusted high enough that the boom did not reach our heads.

We were 20 miles out of home port on our annual cruise. The conditions were too rough to contemplate any repairs. So I turned around and surfed back home under jib at 8-12 knots on a very deep broad reach.

When we arrived to our mooring I started to examine everything. My halyard is 8 mm Dyneema. It is almost 8 seasons old. I checked the halyard at the beginning of the season all along its length EXCEPT at the top of the mast. (I also repaired extra covers as necessary.)

In hind sight, there were symptoms: for the last 3-4 sailing days it was very difficult to raise the main the last 1-2 meters. I thought that I need to spray the mast track and cars with lubricant and was going to send my son up the mast on the main halyard to do it. I am extremely glad I did not do that!

I examined the halyard and here is what I found: it broke in a haphazard fashion with strands of core and cover broken in different length. The cover appears to have some UV damage (these are the last couple of meters of line at the top always exposed to sun). The rope is stiff and kind of chunky - if you run it through your fingers you feel thicker spots along the length at some uneven intervals. The most troubling is the condition of the Dyneema core. I pulled on the core and many strands just tore in my hands like cotton!

I suspect that chafe and UV caused the failure. Since I have not seen the top of the mast, I don't know if the sheave contributed to the failure or if the rope somehow jumped the sheave. I will have to figure out what caused the chafe.

For now, I have to figure out how to put in the new halyard. Going up the mast is not an option without 2 halyards. I don't have access to a dock where I could tilt the mast down. Hauling out the boat and taking the mast down is expensive...

Meanwhile, I am wondering whether the adjustable backstay lines and folding lines should be replaced preventively. All of these ropes are the same size, make and age.
Double Horizon
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Re: Main halyard broke!

Post by Double Horizon »

gminkovsky wrote:snip
For now, I have to figure out how to put in the new halyard. Going up the mast is not an option without 2 halyards. I don't have access to a dock where I could tilt the mast down. Hauling out the boat and taking the mast down is expensive...

Meanwhile, I am wondering whether the adjustable backstay lines and folding lines should be replaced preventively. All of these ropes are the same size, make and age.
Hi George -
Glad nobody was hurt and your damage is limited to some rope. As to your questions above, I think you have very limited options:

1) Without the main halyard you cannot tilt the mast down. You need to hire a boat yard with a crane or cherry-picker truck.

2) You can do the preventive maintenance, as the need is now obvious, or you can keep wondering until the next failure. Your story is a reminder to me that PM is due and I will replace ALL my running rigging soon.

Update: I just spoke with my rigger, who said that hi-tech cored ropes tend to hold up indefinitely so long as the cover is in good shape. Based on his advice I may just swap mine end-for-end, or shorten and re-tie.
Last edited by Double Horizon on Mon 23 Aug 10, 18:39, edited 2 times in total.
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
Christian
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Yearly cut

Post by Christian »

I had a similar accident with a DF800 more than 10 years ago. I think it is recommended to cut and remove the top part of the halyard every year! At least I do it now.
/ Christian
Mario
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Post by Mario »

you can reach your mast-top by comming close to a boat with higher mast and climbing on it with your jib hallyard in the hand. than just pull a bit and you will get your mast top as close as you wish.
gminkovsky
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Post by gminkovsky »

Larry,
Thank you for that info. I was going to use a brand new (and very expensive line). Instead, I will just swap end-for-end.

Mario,
This sounds like an interesting idea. I have a friend with a large mono moored next to me. I have a few questions:

Does my boat have to be folded?
If my boat is folded and I pull the top of the mast, will my boat capsize?
If my boat is open, is the expectation that the other boat will heel enough for masts to come close?
Will the rigging tangle, i.e. will the masts, backstays and sidestays all touch and potentially get damaged?
Do you know anyone who has attempted this?

Thanks,
George
Double Horizon
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Post by Double Horizon »

Mario wrote:you can reach your mast-top by comming close to a boat with higher mast and climbing on it with your jib hallyard in the hand. than just pull a bit and you will get your mast top as close as you wish.
Mario -- Just how close do you think you can come to the mast of a multihull, while hanging from the mast of another boat? :lol: If George can accomplish that he should join the circus!
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
Mario
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Post by Mario »

just fold in!
Mario
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Post by Mario »

George,
no, I havn't tried to do this with my 35. But many many years ago I did it with a mono-35 and it went without any problems. So, I can't tell you how it will be with your 920 and what kind of problems you can meet. It is just idea, but should be possible.
Mario
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Post by Mario »

... and one thing more: dont be affraid of capsizing. You need only a few degrees (+ few degrees from onother boat). But you can fold out on the opposit site if you are affraid. Look at us sailing at more than 20 degrees: http://www.jvv.dk/page368.aspx?recordid368=154
Double Horizon
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Post by Double Horizon »

Mario wrote:... and one thing more: dont be affraid of capsizing. You need only a few degrees (+ few degrees from onother boat). But you can fold out on the opposit site if you are affraid. Look at us sailing at more than 20 degrees: http://www.jvv.dk/page368.aspx?recordid368=154
If he does it, it would be easier with both sides folded, since the folded side of the hull will be higher out of the water.

Mario you are crazy or brave, and (I hope) skillful. That's an amazing photo! You are quite a risk taker, considering the consequences of a capsize.
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
Mario
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Post by Mario »

No, no, not brave, just desperate. All the last year we got 2.places, so at the end of the season we desperately wanted to win Mumms Cup (first weekend in October). Unfortunately in 20-23 m/s wind the stainless steel ring of the jib broke just after this photo was taken. The rest of regatta we sailed on the main only. Our boat can not cross against strong wind and waves on the main only, so we gybe instead. We came no. 2 again. :cry:
gminkovsky
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Post by gminkovsky »

Main halyard is fixed now. I turned it end-for-end.

It turned out to be a fairly involved procedure. 2 riggers worked on it: one in a bosun chair suspended from a crane, the other at the bottom of the mast. They first threaded in a messenger line with about 50 cm of bicycle chain attached to it. Then they used magnets, skinny pliers and a variety of short pieces of wire to guide the chain into the right sheave. From then on it was simple.

The rigger examined the halyard. He thought that the Dyneema core failed inside the line due to persistent point load in one spot. He said that it was a compression load on the line that caused it. His suggestion is to just cut off 10 cm of the line every year.
tpaliwoda
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Post by tpaliwoda »

George,
Are you able to run a spare main halyard? I know on my 1000 I did this.
The main - main halyard is a 2-1 halyard, while my spare ( I use as a topping lift) is 1-1.
It has bailed me out on a few occasions. I also use it as a tag line while working at the top of the mast.

On another note - if your interested there is a multihull race off Staten Island the last weekend of September. Richmond County YC, look it up on their site if your interested - Poco Loco race.

Ted
Ted Paliwoda
D'Fly 1000 ; HN #1
Nice Tri
Raritan YC, Perth Amboy, NJ, USA
Double Horizon
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Post by Double Horizon »

tpaliwoda wrote:George,
Are you able to run a spare main halyard? I know on my 1000 I did this.
The main - main halyard is a 2-1 halyard, while my spare ( I use as a topping lift) is 1-1.
It has bailed me out on a few occasions. I also use it as a tag line while working at the top of the mast.

(snip)
Ted
I had a similar setup on my 1000, and also had a topping lift that was installed by a prior owner. It was reassuring to have a tag line to use when going aloft. As for having a topping lift, I have always found the lazy jacks adequate for the brief periods the main is lowered and the main halyard is still attached to the sail. When leaving the boat I always hook the primary halyard to the aft end of the boom, regardless. Having a topping lift AND secondary halyard AND main halyard made for a lot of clutter.

I removed the topping lift after the first year I owned that boat, but still the secondary halyard (if left attached to boom end) would interfere with the roach of the mainsail unless I was careful to raise the sail so the secondary halyard was on the same side of the sail all the way to the top. We also had to be careful not to snag a batten in the lazy-jacks, so I had a lot of "practice" raising the main. :wink:

Bottom line -- having a second halyard isn't ALL good. But it's nice to have when going aloft.
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
gminkovsky
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Post by gminkovsky »

I am thinking about installing a second halyard. I would need to attach a block at the top of the mast and just keep a thin messenger line in it which would be used to put a real halyard when going up. Not sure what is the easiest way to attach a second block, though. Richard S. said that some people attached it directly to the mast with a backing plate. I don't really want to drill carbon mast... Will examine my options during the winter when the mast is down.
extravert
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Post by extravert »

My main halyard failed at 9 years. A large section of the outer cover came off. I suspect that 8-9 years is their life, and they are ready for replacement by then.
EarthBM
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Post by EarthBM »

George, did you end up putting a second halyard up? Also, could you post pictures of your covers that you stitched to the main nalyard around places where they go into the Easylock? (if hard to post, could you email them to my forum name at gmail dot com?)

The last 2 feet of raising the main a pretty hard on my boat, too hard (50% of sailors wouldn't be able to do it with a manual winch). And when I forced it last weekend the main got stuck up there and wouldn't come down. At the end this was resolved by me (200lb+) hanging on the reef line (which has 2:1 purchase). After reading this thread I want to go up and cut a foot off the main halyard. This also brought to my attention the issue of not having an alternative way to get to the top, so now I want a second halyard as well, or to use a lighter topping lift as messenger line thru the mast for an emergency halyard.

An unrelated question -- would the gennaker halyard block at mast top support the weight of a person going up in emergency such as the one I almost had?
Ivan -- DF 35 #29 "Lykke"
Mal
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Main Halyard Broke

Post by Mal »

I have DFD920. My main halyard has not broken, but these posts make me think that I should at least shorten it at the masthead. I seem to remember a post some time ago that suggested it was possible to go up the mast on the main halyard, then lash oneself in the bosun's chair to the masthead, allowing the load to be taken off the halyard whilst it is shortened.

Any one done it? Is it too 'dodgy'? If make a cock-up of the halyard, e.g. drop it accidentally, can't get down in any way that doesn't hurt!

The costs of craning off the mast are horrendous here in UK;- have to employ a qualified rigger as well as use of crane. Maybe best to replace the halyard in that case, so don't have to mess with it for a long while?

Whadya think, boys?

Mal
DF920 Pelican, Swansea
Steve B.
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Tying oneselff off to the masthead

Post by Steve B. »

I've done it several times on various boats when shortening the main halyard, re reeving lines, or fixing stuck masthead sheaves.
No big deal.

Steve B.
Mario
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Post by Mario »

Mal, you should have made this last year! Look at your own note at:”About dyneema ropes” here in this section… there you can find the answer too.
gminkovsky
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Post by gminkovsky »

@ EarthBM

i did not put a second halyard on my 920. I examined the top of the mast and could not come up with a reasonable way of attaching a block and not having line interference.

I will send Bo pictures of the halyard covers.

Genakker/spinnaker halyard and block are strong enough to support a person. The problem is this halyard will reach to about 4 feet below the top of the mast. This means free climbing the last couple of feet and supporting yourself by some means while at the top.

Before my halyard failed, the last few feet were also very difficult. I suspect that it was caused by the cover that split and separated from the core.

I suggest you take care of the halyard ASAP: cut off the top of the halyard until you reach solid completely undamaged cover and solid core.

Last week I completely replaced my halyard with a new line. Looking at this Dyneema rope, I can see a few spots where the core appears to be compressed and/or out of shape. Considering how expensive the labor and crane were to re-install a halyard, I think preventive maintenance and preventive replacement are in order!

My new halyard and a new high-load halyard block were less money than what I spent last summer.
Please click on any of the photos to see them enlarged!

Image Image Image
tpaliwoda
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Post by tpaliwoda »

Mal;
Have you thought about taking down the mast - same way you would do if it was on the trailer? Lower it using the boom and main sheet.
I have done it once on a 920, not all that difficult. Just need a lot of hands.
Once you get it down, you should be able to rig a new halyard using an electrican's conduit snake.
Just an idea.
Ted
Ted Paliwoda
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sjschweitzer815
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Main halyard block

Post by sjschweitzer815 »

I am replacing the block that travel on the main halyard while attached to the head plate. The current(original?) is a Frederikson and has no markings indicating load capacity.

Can anyone tell me what this sleeve should be rated for?
gminkovsky
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Post by gminkovsky »

It's a high load block. I replaced it with a this: http://search.defender.com/?expression=603513&x=0&y=0

It's rated for SWL 2200 lbs, breaking load 4410 (2000 kg).

Make sure to lock it in NON-swivel position.
Mal
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Main Halyard

Post by Mal »

As per earlier posts, wanted some way to get to top of mast on my 920, to cut off the last couple of feet of halyard, and re-tie.

Dawned on me that as a two-part halyard, could go up in the bosuns chair using halyard as conventional single line, by tying a bight/loop in it. Hard work for the person winching, but allows the tied-off end at top of mast to be not under load. So halyard end could be cut off at masthead, shortened, and re-tied in a fresh place.

Why didn't I think of that before......
DF920 Pelican, Swansea
Steve B.
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Bight/loop idea

Post by Steve B. »

Get cranked up on the 2:1.
Tie off at masthead with a temporary extra piece of line.
Ease halyard, chop, shorten and retie.
Retension halyard, untie your temporary extra line, descend.
Mal
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Main Halyard

Post by Mal »

Steve B;- forgive me, but I prefer my method:- no tying extra bits of line onto masthead and chair, so less to go wrong. If you messed up cutting the end of the halyard and dropped it, you're stuck up at the top of the mast. If I messed up cutting the halyard and dropped it, I could still be lowered safely down the mast!
DF920 Pelican, Swansea
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