Chances are, if you’re reading this article you need some new yacht halyards or sheets. Maybe some new sails have arrived which require an upgrade in the performance of the rope on your boat. Or winter has taken its toll and your rope has mildew or chafe damage.
Firstly as always, its important to identify chafe points before replacing rope.
Upgrading your yacht halyards with Ocean Rope is easy, we have the knowledge and experience to guide you through the process. We know the process can be bewildering due to the huge choice in the market, however Ocean Rope take the time to advise our customers on the best product for the application.
We have a few different options to choose from when it comes to yacht halyards or sheets. Our 4 main products are Braid on Braid, Cruising Dyneema, Dyneema Braid and Technora Braid.
Braid on Braid
Braid on braid uses an all polyester construction method, this is a very economical option, hardwearing and good strength properties. This rope provides a quick splice option due to its loose cover. However is very susceptible to stretch. When used for Jib Halyards for example, the stretch will be very noticeable and continuous re-tensioning of the halyard will be required.
Cruising Dyneema
Our cruising dyneema is the first upgrade option from our braid on braid. This rope uses a UHMwPe (dyneema) core and polyester cover. An ideal solution for stretch problems onboard cruising yachts. All in all this product provides a very cost effective performance upgrade.
Dyneema Braid
A similar product to our cruising dyneema, however the core has extra pre stretching (heat setting) before delivery, this gives the rope a higher break load and better stretch resistant properties. This product also has a mottled polyester cover. The core is coated with a polyurethane coating to improve UV resistance, this allows the cover to be stripped to expose the core in low wear areas, ideal for sheets. This is our most popular product and chosen by many customers for both racing and cruising yachts.
Technora Braid
Using the same UHMwPe (dyneema core) as our dyneema braid, this rope has a different cover construction for increased performance. The cover on this rope has a 50/50 blend of polyester and technora. Technora provides excellent heat resistance, this provides excellent grip around winch drums and in clutches. The technora also provides good heat resistance to avoid melting og the cover for fast moving lines
Choosing a Shackle
An important finishing element for a halyard is choosing the correct halyard shackle. For main halyards and topping lifts, a standard key pin shackle from Wichard works very well. Spinnaker halyards require a snap shackle such as our Tylaska T range.
Another good alternative for Halyard attachments are our range of soft shackles. These can be made to a variety of different break loads. This method is a very cost effective solution to a comparable stainless steel shackle.
It is important to select an attachment method that is easy to use, reliable and has a sufficient break/work load for the application
End Finishing
Another important aspect to consider is the end finishing of your new yacht halyard. At Ocean Rope we pride ourselves in offering a custom service for every order, we specialise in rope splicing and custom rigging. We highly recommend adding a splice, this helps to retain around 90% of the ropes original strength. Visit our splicing page to view the options available. We can advise on many different splicing options during the purchase process. Other items to consider are messenger eyes for ease of mousing the halyard into your mast, also whipping markers at set points in the rope for full hoist marks or repeatable halyard settings
For more information about replacing your Yacht Halyards please contact us now at info@oceanrope.com
