Jib halyard issue….

[SV-Perseverance]

Hello! New owner here air a 1984 Hunter 31. When I purchased the halyard for the jib had “snapped.” Over the weekend a few friends and I ran a new halyard (always have friends on hand who don’t mind dangling from a top a mast on a rope is my new motto &#129315. Anyway… we hoisted the sail and wrapped her with the furler anticipating taking her out on her first sail today.

I wanted to double check everything was working before releasing from the mooring (glad I listened to my gut) and pulled the sail out. Just as we did the sail came sliding down. The halyard had snapped (or was cut by something) when it rolled up last night.

Now, I think the problem may be the shackle, it doesn’t swivel so I think it is causing the halyard to rub against something as it exits the mast head and is sawing through the line… it’s only a guess but I think that is the cause. Any thoughts from the community on what could cause this? I’ve added a pic of the break in case that helps.

[cal40john]

Watch the top furler swivel carefully as you roll and unroll. If the halyard wraps around the forestay because the swivel doesn't turn or if the angle is wrong so the halyard wraps anyway, that will chew through the halyard quickly.

I've seen pictures where it doesn't do the forestay any good either.

[bensolomon]

The head of the jib is connected to the underside of a swivel. The jib halyard is then connected to the top part of the swivel. The reason your rope is breaking is there's no swivel between the halyard and the jib. I'm sorry if that's confusing. There has to be a swivel between the head of the jib and your jib halyard. Otherwise you will continue to twist the halyard around the forestay and the halyard will break every single time.

[bensolomon]

What type of furler do you have?

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

The head of the jib is connected to the underside of a swivel. The jib halyard is then connected to the top part of the swivel. The reason your rope is breaking is there's no swivel between the halyard and the jib. I'm sorry if that's confusing. There has to be a swivel between the head of the jib and your jib halyard. Otherwise you will continue to twist the halyard around the forestay and the halyard will break every single time.

Right

The halyard doesn’t connect directly to the jib. That’s what your photo looks like

[Charlie]

I agree with Bensolomon. In fact I just had a similar problem. The jib halyard on most roller furling systems does not connect to the jib directly. The jib halyard connects to the top of the swivel on the furling system. The jib is then connected to the bottom of the swivel. In addition there has to be a mechanism to stop the halyard from wrapping around the headstay above the swivel. My guess is that your halyard is wrapping around the headstay somewhere and cutting itself. Without knowing what type of furler you have it is difficult to ascertain the problem.

[SV-Perseverance]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

The head of the jib is connected to the underside of a swivel. The jib halyard is then connected to the top part of the swivel. The reason your rope is breaking is there's no swivel between the halyard and the jib. I'm sorry if that's confusing. There has to be a swivel between the head of the jib and your jib halyard. Otherwise you will continue to twist the halyard around the forestay and the halyard will break every single time.

Exactly what I was thinking when I was connecting, but I thought “they guy who sold it muuuust have known what he was doing. LOL! Live and learn, I guess.

[bensolomon]

He probably took the swivel and used it somewhere else or it broke and fell of and was never replaced.

If it's the latter, he may just use the jib halyard and hoist the jib in the groove of the foil as if it were a hank on jib. If you want to just go sailing, honestly, you don't necessarily need a furler. You just need someone on the fore deck to help you hoist the jib and then take it down when you're done sailing.

I recommend getting a can of Mclube dry lubricant for the luff tape and the bolt rope of your jib. It will make the hoisting process much easier.

[Fullbore]

Originally Posted by bensolomon

He probably took the swivel and used it somewhere else or it broke and fell of and was never replaced.

If it's the latter, he may just use the jib halyard and hoist the jib in the groove of the foil as if it were a hank on jib. If you want to just go sailing, honestly, you don't necessarily need a furler. You just need someone on the fore deck to help you hoist the jib and then take it down when you're done sailing.

I recommend getting a can of Mclube dry lubricant for the luff tape and the bolt rope of your jib. It will make the hoisting process much easier.

...that, or get a swivel.

[DougR]

So where did the swivel go?? All that I have ever seen are captive on the foil, and don’t just fall off...

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by DougR

So where did the swivel go?? All that I have ever seen are captive on the foil, and don’t just fall off...

Maybe it is sitting on the drum. My boat came with some full hoist racing sails. To use them I take off the feeder, let the swivel slide down the foil until it is resting on the drum, then put the feeder back on. Now it's just a foil and not a roller furler.