Running Main Halyard to the Cockpit

[Scott Gammon]

The current set up, with the swagged on bead locking into the fork on the mast is effective, but It takes all my might to get the bead low enough to catch the fork, and then pulling it low enough to disengage the fork is too much of a challenge for me.

I'm looking to run my main halyard to the cockpit so that i can avoid going to the mast to raise the main.

I will likely mirror the set-up of the spinnaker halyard.  Is this what others have done?  Is a cam cleat sufficient?

My main concern is whether to switch to a dynema line, or get a new wire/rope halyard made. 
Is a new sheave needed at the mast top (aluminum mast) if switching to dynema?

Thanks for your input
Scott

[Allen Townsend]

Scott,
I have the tack of my main sail loosely fastened to the boom, and use the Cunningham to adjust the tension in the luff.  When raising or lowering my sail, I release the Cunningham and this takes the tension off of the luff and halyard.

I usually pull my main up while standing in the cockpit.  when it is up, I go forward to the mast and set the ball in the bracket on the mast.  Then return to the cockpit and set the Cunningham for tension.

To drop the main, I release the Cunningham, the line is in the cockpit, and then go forward to the mast to release the halyard and pull the sail down.  From the cockpit I can release the halyard from the first bracket, but unless I am at the mast to free it, the ball almost always catches on the reefing bracket.

Allen Townsend

[Dean Nelson]

Has your main halyard ever been replaced? Sounds like it might be an inch or two short between the shackle and the ball swedge, making it difficult to get the ball in the fork.  Getting this addressed should fix the problem. FYI, I raise and lower my main from the fore deck.  The halyard comes out of the cheek block running forward.  This way I can use my foot on the halyard, when lowering the main, to control the drop, while at the mast I am rolling the sail from the bottom and my crew is at the back rolling the sail.

[Chuck Ballew]

Scott, I replaced the Halyard with the ball and hook setup years ago. We raise and lower the main from the cockpit with the pictured setup enclosed. Hope this helps!! 

[Scott Gammon]

That looks great, Thanks Chuck.