There are several different types of halyard rope used on sailboats. They come in a variety of sizes and colors.
There are a few key decisions you need to make when selecting your halyard rope. These decisions include the fibers it’s made from, length, and weight.
Fibers
Sailboat halyard rope is a type of line used for rigging sails. It is spliced into a rod, sheet or luff, and may also be a painter.
In order to be able to function as a sailboat line, a rope must have properties that make it suitable for sailing applications, including low stretch, high strength, and resistance to abrasion. These properties are determined by careful engineering and testing.
The most common sailboat halyard ropes are made from polyester (Dacron), nylon or HMPE fibers. These fibers are available in a wide range of weave and braid constructions, including single, double, and multi-braided strands.
Dacron is a soft touch and low elongation material, often used as a classic sheet or halyard rope on sailing boats. This rope has good UV resistance and long life.
Length
A sailboat halyard rope is a long length of rope used to haul a jib or main up the mast. It is also used to secure a rope to a deck cleat as a Cleat Hitch.
A halyard is an essential part of any sailing boat. Without it, the jib would flail wildly in the breeze and the main would flop lifeless to the deck.
Sailboat halyard rope is generally around 600 feet in length. Once it’s cut from the spool and designated for a specific job on a boat (sheet, halyard, anchor rode, etc.) it becomes a Line.
For halyards, jib sheets, and guys, it is important to use a strong blended braid line like Vectran or Spectra. Choosing the right line for these high-load applications is critical for efficient performance.
Weight
Sailboat halyard rope is one of the most important ropes on board a boat. It is used for a variety of purposes, including standing and running rigging.
A sailboat’s halyards should stretch as little as possible, which helps to control the sail and the draft. Over time, a halyard that stretches can result in uneven wear on the fabric of a sail, which could shorten its life.
Many boat owners choose to go with double-braid polyester, which is durable, relatively inexpensive and provides a low stretch. However, if you want to spend a little more money on your halyards and are a club racing sailor, you can opt for high-tech rigging material like Dyneema or Spectra.
The choice of halyard materials is a compromise between factors such as cost, stretch, weight and ease of handling. In the long run, the right halyard for your boat will be the best choice. But, in the meantime, if your halyards are old and worn out, it is well worth replacing them with new ones.
Breaking Load
A halyard is a rope attached to a sail at one end and the mast at the other. It is used to hoist the sail to the top of the mast and also to lower it to the bottom of the mast.
Most sailboats have at least one halyard for each rigged sail. A gaff-rigged sail has two: a throat halyard to raise the sail nearer the mast, and a peak halyard to lift the outer end of the sail.
For cruising boats, halyards and jib sheets are typically made of polyester 12-strand or blended braid Vectran(r) or Spectra(r). These types of lines are cost-effective, strong, UV-resistant, and resist abrasion.
To ensure that your halyards will hold up over the long haul, select a rope with a breaking load several times its safe working load. For live loads (such as a human), the rope’s rated breaking strength should be twelve times its safe working load, i.e. a breaking strength of around a ton.
