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Interested in a boat for 2018 TransPac

jamottep said:
D-83
Oh, and anyone has a (very) specific suggestion for wool to wool spinnakers? Like a link ... Mine is just too strong.
Click to expand...

Baby Yarn

Main halyard chafe in the SHTP can happen as the headboard swings outboard when running downwind, rubbing the halyard against the protruding ears of the masthead sheave box. Preventative is to radius the edges of the ears with sandpaper, use the inboard grommet on the main headboard, and cover the main halyard near the shackle with chafe preventative, tape or otherwise.
 
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D-79

I looked at my main halyard and it looks like the halyard shackle is attached to the halyard through the reeving eye aka Flemish eye splice. I learned today that this type of eye splice is non load bearing. I'm going to have to fix that. Any preference for the knot I'll use to attach the halyard to the shackle? I've read about the halyard hitch, the buntline hitch and the halyard knot :-).

http://www.wavetrain.net/techniques...scure-but-ultimately-very-useful-halyard-knot
http://www.animatedknots.com/halyard/index.php
http://www.animatedknots.com/buntline/index.php
 
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jamottep said:
I looked at my main halyard and it looks like the halyard shackle is attached to the halyard through the reeving eye aka Flemish eye splice.
Click to expand...

That's hard to believe - that boat last raced in a windy (2016) Pacific Cup. Have you talked with Jason about their prep and what should be checked/refreshed?
 
For spinnaker wrapping yarn I visited the fabric store in Alameda (Joann, Beverly, Michaels - whatever is most convenient, Beverley is in alameda so I went there) and investigated all the wool yarns looking for the thinnest, easiest-to-break stuff. I pull tested them right there in the aisle, hoping that nobody would be too upset if their yarn skein was 4" shorter than average. I bought several skeins of the easiest-to-break thin wool they had - worked great. For use, take a plastic water bottle that the skein will fit in, cut off of the bottom of the bottle, insert the skein standing up with the yarn end sticking up out of the top, and tape the bottom back onto the bottle. Instant yarn feeding device that won't tangle.

I was more concerned about the main halyard shackle somehow coming unscrewed/detached/breaking away from the headboard than chafe; I did my normal attach-the-halyard-to-the-sail then ran a bunch of loops of thin diameter spectra through halyard eye splice loop and the headboard as a safety. If the shackle breaks/unscrews/detaches the load will shift over to the spectra line. To wrap it up I put a bunch of rubber rigging tape (same stuff you'd use over turnbuckles to hide the cotter pins) around the spectra - no way that knot was going to come off.

And Skip is right, watch out for halyard cutting/chafe at the masthead when the sail is full hoist and plastered against the rig whil sailing downhill - the halyard is coming out an almost-90 degree angle to the sheave and can wear on the sheave, the surrounding metal structure, etc. Be sure that all is smooth. If chafe is a known problem plan to drop the sail daily and inspect the halyard for chafe. Be prepared to shorten the halyard 6" every couple of days if the halyard starts to be eaten by the masthead.

- rob/beetle
 
For the main, I use hefty screw shackles on the halyard. These are moused with black cable ties so there's no way they can unintentionally shake loose (Yeah, right.)

There should be a protective sheath over the last 6 to 12 inches of halyards going through the sheave.
https://www.marlowropes.com/product/chafe-sleeve-dyneema

Eye splices are stronger and less bulky than knots but can't be moved the way a knot can. Resplicing a pre-tensioned rope is difficult to impossible. I use splices with abrasion protection...can always knot it if necessary.

Putting smooth stainless lips past where the halyard exits the sheaves also helps.

Bear in mind that if an internal halyards breaks it is a pain to repair at sea.

These halyard chafe problems are usually encountered only on a long downwind passage.

BTW, spinnaker halyards take way more tension than main or jib. You're pretty much towing your boat to Hawaii with them.
 
Because I'm in a mood today -
regarding wool/yarn/buntline sail stops that will land in the water-
see RRS 55

just playing troll this morning ;).
please continue
 
DaveH said:
Because I'm in a mood today - regarding wool/yarn/buntline sail stops that will land in the water- see RRS 55 just playing troll this morning ;). please continue
Click to expand...

Oh, that one: TRASH DISPOSAL
A competitor shall not intentionally put trash in the water. This rule
applies at all times while afloat. The penalty for a breach of this rule
may be less than disqualification.

I'm interested in why the SSS never addresses this rule:

APPENDIX H
WEIGHING CLOTHING AND
EQUIPMENT
See rule 43. This appendix shall not be changed by sailing
instructions or prescriptions of national authorities.
H1 Items of clothing and equipment to be weighed shall be arranged on
a rack. After being saturated in water the items shall be allowed to
drain freely for one minute before being weighed. The rack must
allow the items to hang as they would hang from clothes hangers, so
as to allow the water to drain freely. Pockets that have drain-holes
that cannot be closed shall be empty, but pockets or items that can
hold water shall be full.
H2 When the weight recorded exceeds the amount permitted, the
competitor may rearrange the items on the rack and the member of
the technical committee in charge shall again soak and weigh them.
This procedure may be repeated a second time if the weight still
exceeds the amount permitted.
 
Heh, heh - it appears the Commode D'Or isn't the only one "in a mood" today.

Regarding the yarn - generally it's not the hoists that are the challenge.
 
"I'm interested in why the SSS never addresses this rule:

APPENDIX H
WEIGHING CLOTHING AND
EQUIPMENT
See rule 43. This appendix shall not be changed by sailing
instructions or prescriptions of national authorities.
H1 Items of clothing and equipment to be weighed shall be arranged on
a rack. After being saturated in water the items shall be allowed to
drain freely for one minute before being weighed. The rack must
allow the items to hang as they would hang from clothes hangers, so
as to allow the water to drain freely. Pockets that have drain-holes
that cannot be closed shall be empty, but pockets or items that can
hold water shall be full.
H2 When the weight recorded exceeds the amount permitted, the
competitor may rearrange the items on the rack and the member of
the technical committee in charge shall again soak and weigh them.
This procedure may be repeated a second time if the weight still
exceeds the amount permitted."[/QUOTE]

Great mental tactic !
Pre-moisten your gear, that way you don't get depressed when your dry skivvies get wet! HA!
 
Are you sure about the shackle using the reeving eye? I would think that just trying to raise the main using a reeving eye would break it. As for the knot, keep in mind, an eye splice is the best knot for such items and offers the best strength. From my reading every knot with diminish the strength of the line, some as much as 40%, and the eye splice is the best at retaining as much line strength.
 
SeanRhone said:
As for the knot, keep in mind, an eye splice is the best knot for such items and offers the best strength. From my reading every knot with diminish the strength of the line, some as much as 40%, and the eye splice is the best at retaining as much line strength.
Click to expand...

When using hi-tech line, even if a knot diminishes strength by 40%, the line is still so incredibly strong that it don't matter....just sayin.' For example, the BS of 1/4" Spectra is 9,700 pounds....reduced by 40% the BS is still 5,820 pounds, likely stronger than any piece of rigging on your boat.
 
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BobJ said:
Regarding the yarn - generally it's not the hoists that are the challenge.
Click to expand...
That's what I was thinking. I've never used wool or (horrors) rubber bands on a spinnaker, and I think mine is a fair bit bigger than Philippe's. I've never had big problems on the hoist ... jibes and douses are another story!

I bought a used spinnaker once that had several Velcro strips sewn onto one of the luffs for banding. In a light-air Vallejo 2 start, the top strip failed to open, so I never used them again.
 
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D-78

Great feedback everyone, thank you! I have not used the spinnaker in strong wind and I've always hoisted deep downwind, with no problem. I'm now dousing using the letterbox drop method deep downwind again and have had no problems there either. Gybing, ah, yes ... That's something else.

I'll try to snap a picture but agree with Skip, considering that the cover itself may account for a good chunk of the rope's strength, that may explain why the halyard held. Having seen what happens when the cover tears apart I'm going to cut a foot off to move clutch chafe somewhere else.

One (other) thing I need to get better at is "les petits bobos". Most every time I go sailing I come back with a few scratches, cuts, bruises, knocks, you name it. They heal in time of course, but at sea it could become problematic. Most common offenders are skin rashes on the non skid deck (knuckles in particular) and scratches on the tibia (I still don't know how I get these). Maybe I'll use gloves again.

Almost done with "party of one".
 
Can some share their experiences, techniques and cautions for handling spinnakers when the wind comes up? Who recommends socks? Do you do inside or outside jibes and when, why? Or do you douse, jibe the main and then reset the kite? Do you run halyard and tack back to the cockpit? Do you always letterbox the douse? Have you tried running the control lines from a sock back to the cockpit...Does this work?

I thinking in the context of long runs, day after day, on the open ocean.

Inquiring minds want to know.
 
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