Lines & Ropes: For Halyards

Get the perfect hoist with one of the many ropes we carry at Mauri Pro Sailing. Dyneema, polyester, and vectran lines are recommended for us as Halyards. Splicing is available throught the Mauri Pro Rigging Shop. An extra two feet of line is needed for each splice or messenger loop. Technical assistance is available to help you get the best halyard for your boat and sailing style.

Matherials used in Sailboat Halyards
Polyester Double Braid is a common material used in Halyards for Cruising Boats. Polyester Double braid lines, such as New England Sta-Set are a common line to use as a halyard for a cruising boat on a budget. Polyester double braid lines are soft on the hand and are durable. They may stretch under high load, requiring adjustment of the Halyard after it is set.

Dyneema lines offer much lower stretch and higher strength than Polyester lines. Dyneema lines are especially good at handling dynamic loads and are frequently used as spinnaker halyards. Dyneema is a brand name for Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, which is also produced (and commonly referred to) under the brand name spectra. It is common for Dyneema double braid ropes to have a polyester cover, as is the case with samson warpspeed. This is useful as it allows the core of the halyard to be made from hight strength Dyneema while the cover is made from durable and hand-friendly polyester.

Vectran Halyards are one of the lowest stretch options available and are frequently used on Racing Boats. Vectran has very low stretch and creep when subjected to static loads which makes it the perfect material for Main and Genoa Halyards. Like many Dyneema double braid halyards, Vectran halyards also frequently have a polyester cover that protects the core and provides a better gripping surface for hands and rop clutches.

A major advantage of using either Vectran or Dyneema double braid halyards is that they have the majority of their strength in their core. This allows the halyards to be tapered wihout hurting performance, saving weight aloft and allowing for lower friction hoists.

Other considerations when selecting a Halyard
Besides the strength of the material, other considerations when selecting a halyard for your sailboat includes the diameter and color. When using high tech Dyneema and Vectran lines with their high working loads you can often use a smaller diameter halyard than you may have had previously when using a polyester line. The diameter of a halyard also affects the comfort of the sailor using the line as well as the ability of rope clutches to hold the line. In general, larger diameter Halyards are stronger and easier to hold while smaller diameter halyards are lighter, go through blocks more easily and can have more turns on a winch. Color plays more than just an aesthetic role when it comes to lines on boats and it is reccomended to have a variety of halyard colors to easily identify lines to crew members.

We at Mauri Pro Sailing are fully committed to be your Sailboat Halyard specialist not only providing the sailing community with a comprehensive and easy to use web site but with all the appropriate technical information that you might need to select your sailboat hardware and equipment. If you need any assistance selecting the appropriate Halyard for your boat and application please contact us. Our crew is ready to help!