Halyard positions for winter storage on the hard?

[letoile]

Hi, for the past 9 years we have hauled our boat and run retrieval lines to all the halyard lines and then raise all the halyards to the top so as to hide the halyards in the mast and under the winter cover. The reason being to limit the halyard exposure to the winter elements. On our round the marina last drive , we noticed everyone leaves their halyards exposed to the winter elements for the next 5 to 7 months before launch . Just wondering if I'm over thinking things? Comments would be appreciated. It was -10C here this morning.

[FuzzyLogic]

I ran messengers one year. Make sure your messenger line is robust. Mine was not and every messenger cut and I only had 1 halyard left in spring. Bad times. I still recommend it though.

[S/V Illusion]

Dont think there is any evidence winter expose significantly affect lines which means this is more a perception issue. My perception is - if we dont bother doing that here in Florida or in the Caribbean where UV is far more damaging, it seems like you are solving a non-existent problem.

[hlev00]

I pull my halyards for the winter and leave messenger lines. This lets me rinse the halyards at home. Definitely check for chafe though as a small messenger line won’t last long.

[thinwater]

The bottom line is this: what is your time worth? The life of the halyards will probably be extended by a year or so. You will spend several hours (down and up) 5-10 times to save that money.



Your call. A full day's labor to reduce your halyard expense by 10-20%. Of course, the messenger lines may cost more than this savings.


Sounds like a bum deal to me, unless you have stripped cover halyards of some material that does not like UV.

[Ardbeg]

My boat was built in 2011. The mast has never been down in the winter and I do nothing with the halyards except use to support the mast. The fore-stay and back stay are relaxed a bit. The halyards are not allowed to bang during storage. I have not noticed any degradation of the lines.

[letoile]

Thanks for your opinions and input. I have 4 halyards so thats only 20 minutes of work at the most. I guess I'll have a year to decide what to do next fall.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Ardbeg

The fore-stay and back stay are relaxed a bit.

Old myths die hard...
Although unrelated to this topic, you would be well served checking the coefficient of expansion of steel (stays) vs. aluminum (mast) which shows you are actually exacerbating the problem of winter's effects on a boat's rigging.

[meirriba]

I leave all lines installed - the rain washes out the summer salt deposits that succeeded to remain on the lines after flushing.
Just keep the halyard far from the mast to avoid slapping (noise & damage....)

[Bluejacket]

Been running messengers up the mast every year. Yes, FL and BVI weather may not be a big issue, well maybe a little UV issue. However, up north here, freezing rain and sub zero weather takes its toll.
When you run those messengers up, do not let them chafe on the mast or shrouds. Otherwise, you'll be going up there retrieving the little buggers
I pull them outboard and tie them off so they hit nothing when the wind pipes up.

[Clivevon]

Just a thought - what do you do with your halyard messenger lines to stop them banging on the mast all winter? Tie them back to the shrouds (chafe) or run them out to the guardrails?
Can't resist raising the related topic of (please) frapping your halyards when anchored/moored/berthed to stop them banging on the mast & keeping you & your neighbours awake at night. I think the word originates from the French "frapper" - to strike - very antisocial behaviour to leave them banging - & also wears the anodising on your mast. Leave the halyards in place but tie them tightly back to the shrouds so they cant hit the mast when the wind gets up at bedtime.

[letoile]

Cliveon, I bring the messengers out to the spreaders and around the upper shroud and then back to the mast cleat just under the winter cover, Thus no halyard slapping and have not experienced any chafe with 3/8" poly pro line( yes it breaks down quick but I consider it sacrificial). We are in a fairly sheltered location for the winter. I think halyard slapping is music to some people's ears and to others its like dog owners that don't hear their dog barking, its just background/ white noise. We have a small boat and our heads are within a couple feet of the mast support post when in the v berth. It telegraphs every little noise from the mast down to us so the only time I am religious, is when I make sure all halyards etc are secured to bow pulpits and/or are wrapped around the main sail cover, when at anchor and when we leave the boat in the marina. As with most marinas on a windy day our marina sounds like a wind chine super store all year round.

[Redline452]

My main halyard stays where it is - holding the top of the main furled inside the mast (after slacking tension a bit then re-furling.)


For my genoa and spinnaker halyards, I use an old length of 3/8 halyard (from two boats previous) as a messenger and run them back up the mast for the winter. Takes only a few minutes.



Last year I did that for the genoa; the spinnaker halyard was used to hoist the midpoint of a set of LED christmas lights, as the boat was blocked closest to the clubhouse dining room. Improved the view somewhat for the Christmas party. This year, as the building is closed under COVID rules; no lights. :-(

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Redline452

My main halyard stays where it is - holding the top of the main furled inside the mast (after slacking tension a bit then re-furling.)


For my genoa and spinnaker halyards, I use an old length of 3/8 halyard (from two boats previous) as a messenger and run them back up the mast for the winter. Takes only a few minutes.



Last year I did that for the genoa; the spinnaker halyard was used to hoist the midpoint of a set of LED christmas lights, as the boat was blocked closest to the clubhouse dining room. Improved the view somewhat for the Christmas party. This year, as the building is closed under COVID rules; no lights. :-(

Awww, put the lights up anyway. Especially if you have snow - it looks magical.

[David B]

Originally Posted by letoile

Hi, for the past 9 years we have hauled our boat and run retrieval lines to all the halyard lines and then raise all the halyards to the top so as to hide the halyards in the mast and under the winter cover. The reason being to limit the halyard exposure to the winter elements. On our round the marina last drive , we noticed everyone leaves their halyards exposed to the winter elements for the next 5 to 7 months before launch . Just wondering if I'm over thinking things? Comments would be appreciated. It was -10C here this morning.

Absolutely not. All our halyards are totally removed each year, being replaced by 5mm braid, that is run to the top of the mast, and stopped by colour-coded parrell beads. Then there is another braid that comes down and is tied off at the pulpit of pushpit, or arch.

The topping lift is replaced in a similar fashion, with a length of 10mm double braid - lose that, and we have a problem, as to scale the mast, the real topping lift is replaced by a length of 12mm Dyneema.

So, the halyards are stored away safely
The mousing lines are inside the mast away from UV etc degradation.
The retrieving lines are in the weather, but checked and tight against chafe - should one break, the parrell bead just has to be brought down from the mast top.

Our halyards are now eight years old and pretty well as new - with the expense of decent 12 and 16mm double braid, I am glad about that.

At some stage I will do a video detailing the procedure that works well for us, but this one shows some of what I refer to.

https://youtu.be/EuGQUR7qwGY