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Slipping halyard rope clutches

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Jeff
1st Mate

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37 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/27/2002 : 17:40:28

After installing new 5/16" Sta-Set X halyards I've noticed that my halyard stoppers (both jib and main) are slipping when the wind pipes up.

I've got a '85 tall rig/ fin. The clutch is a Scandvic EasyLock two holer, mounted on the starboard aft cabin top. It came with the boat. I'm guessing it is original equipment.

They never slipped before. I'm guessing the new line is a little slipperier (is that an English word) than the old fuzzy stuff that was retired. I've called West Marine, Catalina Direct, Catalina Yachts Customer Service and Scandvic - all very friendly, but no practical solutions. Has anybody out there run into this problem and come up with a good fix? I'd like to avoid replacing the old unit with something that has a different hole pattern. The boat is moored 100 miles from home, so I need a fix that will avoid multiple trips if at all possible.

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Douglas
Master Marine Consultant

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1595 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2002 : 21:38:33

Its either change the clutches or go up one size in halyard like 3/8. On a slim chance you could bag the halyards and run them through the washer. It might fluff tham up just enough to do the trick.

Doug&Ruth
Wind Lass
Tacoma Wa.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2002 : 22:04:15

Most low-stretch lines, including Sta Set X, have dacron covers over a slippery, low stretch core. The cover stretches as much as dacron always has, which causes "creep" in the line--the core isn't stretching, but the cover, which is held by a rope clutch, does. After a while, the cover stretches to the point where it tightens around the core and stops stretching and slipping (like a straw Chinese handcuff). You may find that after you've kept your halyards under tension and retensioned them, the problem abates. One way to check this theory is to mark the halyard just past the clutch. If the cover is holding and the halyard is slacking, the core is probably slipping while the cover is holding. That should be a temporary problem.

If the cover is slipping, your clutch is probably not correct for the line size. Every clutch model has a range of sizes it can handle.

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2002 : 08:18:00

The clutchs were not standard issue original equipment. Dave's comment is great about upsizing to 3/8ths, if and only if you have sheaves in the mast head that will allow for it. If your halyards run internally you probably do have the larger sheaves.

Try this too: Fire up the outboard and tie the lines off to a stern cleat and go. Just trail them behind the boat in the water for ten or fifteen minutes. (just don't turn into them and foul your prop.) This is on of the easiest methods to get rid of the slickness of the outer core, undo tangled line spaghetti and take the kinks out of slightly used lines.

dw

Duane Wolff
"The Flying Wasp"
C-25, #401 std,sk
Chief Measurer C-25/250 National Assn.
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b1ce23b3127cce9b043565af3d0000004010" border=0>

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John Mason
Admiral

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USA
687 Posts

Response Posted - 06/28/2002 : 12:58:15

If it's an EasyLock "1" or Mini the line range is 1/4" to 3/8". A Midi the line range is 1/4" to 1/2". If it's a Maxi (don't know why it would be, they put these on Americas Cup boats) the line range is 3/8" to 9/16". It should be labeled on the side, if it hasn't worn off.

They are still available, if it turns out that yours is worn out. Might be the best chance of the hole pattern lining up with existing holes.

John Mason - Ali Paroosa
1982 - FK/SR #3290

Edited by - John Mason on 06/28/2002 13:08:04

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Jeff
1st Mate

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37 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2002 : 21:11:39

I appreciate all the input. I still haven't got a fix but I think I'm coming closer.

I've got the Easylock-1. It's designed for a load of 660 lbs. I don't have any way to measure the load I'm generating with my little Lewmar-6 winch, but I have to crank like crazy putting anybody up the mast, and the biggest gorilla that's gone up that tree has been less than a third of 660lbs. Anybody got an idea of how much strain we have on our halyards when we crank 'em tight?

I took the rope clutch off the boat, disassembled it and took it to the local West Marine Store to talk with the experts. Everybody thinks the wear on this unit is minimal. And everybody agrees that Sta-Set X is slipperier than other lines.

I also called Catalina Yachts Customer service, Scandvik, Garhauer, and a couple of riggers. The guy at Garhauer says they are having to redesign their hardware to be compatable w/ Sta-Set X. It looks like evolution is at work.

I spent awhile looking for the rope clutch test article in Practical Sailor to see what they recommend. The back issue guide says July 15, 2001 has the article, but not the July 15,2001 copy in my bookcase. So I just shot an email to New England Ropes to ask for a recommendation for a rope clutch that will hold Sta Set X w/o slipping. I have to catch a flight tomorrow morning early and won't get to check my email (or the forum) for a week. It'll be interesting to see what info comes in.

Edited by - on

Bruce Baker
Captain

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USA
402 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2002 : 10:22:59

I raised this question with regard to the IMX-38 I race on. What we did was:

1. Lubricate the clutch with a bit of silicone spray, giving the clutch more "pop".
2. Give the clutch a good blast of fresh water, removing all the "crud".

That made a big difference. I suggested we might also sprinkle some rosin on the line where clutch meets line, but nobody else thought that was a good idea.

Cheers,
Bruce Baker
"Yee Ha" 3573

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2002 : 23:47:03

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
...a good blast of fresh water, removing all the "crud".

I suggested we might also sprinkle some rosin on the line where clutch meets line, but nobody else thought that was a good idea.
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>
Bruce: That crud your friend removed... That would be your rosin. <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Dave Bristle - 1985 C-25 #5032 SR-FK-Dinette "Passage" in SW CT

Hey--I made "Skipper"--now maybe the crew will listen to me!

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 07/02/2002 23:49:10

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