Prevent run-a-way halyard

[Dave22q]

Having an inexperienced crew fail to secure my main halyard on a rough passage, I experienced a run-a-way. Took the opportunity to replace the 40 year old wire/line with new line. In replacing it occurred to me that putting a simple knot on the back side a few feet below the mast head would prevent any future run-a-way. I doubt that the loss in breaking strength would matter. My rigger says he wouldn't. Am I missing something?

[thinwater]

More details, please.


Do you mean the halyard shackle went to the masthead (common--you just need to climb up and pull it down) or that the halyard end ran through the masthead and all the way down to the deck? If the latter, I gather the sail was attached with a knot and thus there was nothing to catch at the masthead?

[Calif.Ted]

I'm unclear on which would be the "back side" but vote with your rigger, you MUST already have a figure eight or other stopper knot on bitter end of halyard so must have been working end right ?

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

I'm unclear on which would be the "back side" but vote with your rigger, you MUST already have a figure eight or other stopper knot on bitter end of halyard so must have been working end right ?

Yeah, that question too. Is this an internal halyard? Did the tail run up the mast? Unusual, since the tail nearly always has a knot on it for that reason... and the rigger would not have objected to that.

[LittleWing77]

I would respectfully disagree.

Halyards should never have any kind of stopper knot at the end of them. For the same reason as the OP experienced: when you actually need to dump a halyard, it should be free to run and bring the sail all the way down quickly.

As the rigger said, no knots.

Fair winds,
LittleWing77

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

I would respectfully disagree.

Halyards should never have any kind of stopper knot at the end of them. For the same reason as the OP experienced: when you actually need to dump a halyard, it should be free to run and bring the sail all the way down quickly.

As the rigger said, no knots.

Fair winds,
LittleWing77

??


This is a main sail. Unlike a chute or free flying reacher, you would never wish the halyard to run all the way out (assuming the tail is long enough so that the sail can be lowered to the deck). There is no such circumstance, other than replacing the halyard. For that reason, the end stopper is loose and easily untied. And you have a knife handy, right?

Perhaps we are misunderstanding each other. Or you are quoting a rule that isn't actually a rule.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by thinwater

This is the mainsail.

And you have a knife handy, right?

Perhaps we are misunderstanding each other. Or you are quoting a rule that isn't actually a rule.

Yup. All halyards.

Yes, knife just inside companionway and also Leatherman always on my person.

No, I'm not quoting a rule. Just secondhand experience where main halyard was not able to run freely and the loads took off the crewman's right hand.

Makes me sick just to think of it - and it was YEARS ago,
LW77

[Calif.Ted]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Yup. All halyards.

Yes, knife just inside companionway and also Leatherman always on my person.

No, I'm not quoting a rule. Just secondhand experience where main halyard was not able to run freely and the loads took off the crewman's right hand.

Makes me sick just to think of it - and it was YEARS ago,
LW77

Since EVERY line on my boat has a figure 8 on it's terminus in the cockpit your posts truly baffle me, how does a stopper prevent a halyard from running freely ? The "stopper knot" is laying inert when the sail is dropped with about 10' of "extra" halyard.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

Since EVERY line on my boat has a figure 8 on it's terminus in the cockpit your posts truly baffle me, how does a stopper prevent a halyard from running freely ? The "stopper knot" is laying inert when the sail is dropped with about 10' of "extra" halyard.

Got me puzzled too. If your main halyard is so short that the end of it ever comes into play, replace it immediately.

[capn_billl]

Losing a halyard up the mast is one of my nightmares as it will result in a very expensive rigger bill.

I'm not worried about the end in the cockpit as even with the main on the deck I have plenty of line left over.

I'm more worried about if the knot comes untied from the mainsail, or I'm deliberately untying it to prevent halyard slap, and it slips from my fingers, there is enough weight to suck it up the mast, and into the 70ft hollow inside making retrieval impossible.

A stop knot just above where it is tied to the sail, and maybe a lightweight leader tied into the knot with a 1/8" inch line would give me something to hook onto if that happened.

Of course it also adds just one more thing to tangle, but 1/8 could be broken easily if it came to that.

[chrisr]

even on my race boats we always had stopper knots in the end of all halyards - including spinnaker halyards

sorry but if you are inexperienced enough to need to let any halyard run all the way out of the mast, you need to go back to school on a smaller boat

of course spinnaker sheets & braces are another thing - never stopper knots there

cheers,

[marcjsmith]

Figure 8 knot about 12” from the bitter end. When the knot is at the exit plate on the mast near the cleat the sail is all the way down and there is enough line for the shackle end of the halyard to reach the deck. If the shackle goes airborne, then the shackle keeps it from disappearing into the mast.

The do make stoppers balls which can be fitted to the line to prevent eyes or shackles from jamming in the sheave

[ggray]

Lot of discussion without any further comment from the OP about what he really is asking!

But I agree, the should be a knot on the bitter end of all halyards.

[AKA-None]

Are talking about the bitter end or the sailboard end?

[Rucksta]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

Having an inexperienced crew fail to secure my main halyard on a rough passage, I experienced a run-a-way. Took the opportunity to replace the 40 year old wire/line with new line. In replacing it occurred to me that putting a simple knot on the back side a few feet below the mast head would prevent any future run-a-way. I doubt that the loss in breaking strength would matter. My rigger says he wouldn't. Am I missing something?

Stopper balls are a common way to prevent halyard run away.
Slide the ball over the halyard to rest just above the shackle.
This will prevent the shackle entering the sheave box and jamming.

If you are tying the halyard to the headboard with a knot then get a shackle.