Halyard

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Halyard

In sailing

Sailing

Sailing is the art of controlling a boat with large pieces of canvas cloth called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and dagger or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to change the direction and speed of a boat....
, a halyard or halliard is a line (rope

Rope

A rope is a length of fibers, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength ....
) that is used to hoist a sail

Sail

A sail is any type of surface intended to generate thrust by being placed in a wind—in essence a vertically-oriented wing. Sails are used in sailing....
, a flag

Flag

A flag is a piece of cloth, often flown from a pole or Mast , generally used symbolically for signaling or identification. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium....
or a yard

Yard (sailing)

A yard is a spar on a mast from which sails are set. It may be constructed of timber, steel, or from more modern materials, like aluminum or carbon fiber....
. The term Halyard comes from the phrase - to 'Haul yards'. Halyards, like most other parts of the running rigging

Running rigging

Running rigging is the term for the rigging of a sailing that is used for raising, lowering and controlling the sails - as opposed to the standing rigging, which supports the Mast and other spars....
, were classically made of natural fibre like manila

Manila hemp

Manila hemp, also known as manilla, is a type of fiber obtained from the leaves of the abac? , a relative of the banana. It is mostly used for pulping for a range of uses, including speciality papers....
or hemp

Hemp

File:Industrialhemp.jpgHemp is the common name for plants of the entire genus Cannabis, although the term is often used to refer only to Cannabis strains cultivated for industrial use....
. Today, polyester is most often used, but stainless steel or galvanized steel may be found on some older yachts, and lightweight carbon fiber on racing vessels.

ards can be attached a number of ways to the head of a triangular sail.

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Halyard'

Start a new discussion about 'Halyard'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

In sailing

Sailing

Rope

Sail

A sail is any type of surface intended to generate thrust by being placed in a wind—in essence a vertically-oriented wing. Sails are used in sailing....
, a flag

Flag

Yard (sailing)

Running rigging

Manila hemp

Hemp

Sail types

A triangular (Bermuda or "Marconi") sail has only one halyard which is attached at its uppermost point (the head).
A gaff rig
Gaff rig

Gaff rig is a sailing rig in which the sail is four-cornered, fore-and-aft rigged, controlled at its Parts of a sail#Non-triangular fore and aft sails and, usually, its entire Parts of a sail#Non-triangular fore and aft sails by a spar called the gaff....
ged sail has two; a throat halyard to lift the end of the gaff nearer the mast, and a peak halyard to lift the outer end.
A square rig
Square rig

Square rig is a generic type of Sail-plan in which the primary driving sails are carried on horizontal spars which are perpendicular, or , to the keel of the vessel and to the masts....
sail with a halyard is mounted on a lifting yard
Yard (sailing)

A yard is a spar on a mast from which sails are set. It may be constructed of timber, steel, or from more modern materials, like aluminum or carbon fiber....
that is free to slide on a short section of the mast. The halyard is used to raise the yard when setting the sail.

Fastenings

Halyards can be attached a number of ways to the head of a triangular sail. The most common methods are as follows:

A shackle
Shackle

A shackle is a U-shaped piece of metal secured with a pin or bolt across the opening, or a hinged metal loop secured with a quick-release locking pin mechanism....
through a headboard
Shackle

A shackle is a U-shaped piece of metal secured with a pin or bolt across the opening, or a hinged metal loop secured with a quick-release locking pin mechanism....
on the sail.
A bowline
Bowline

The bowline is an ancient but simple knot used to form a fixed loop at the end of a rope. The structure of the bowline is identical to that of the sheet bend, except the bowline forms a loop in one rope and the sheet bend joins two ropes....
through a hole in the head.
A half hitch
Half hitch

The half hitch is a simple knot. If tied by itself, it slips very easily and cannot hold anything. However, it occurs as a component in many more complicated knots....
with a figure-of-eight knot
Figure-of-eight knot

The figure-eight knot is a type of knot. It is very important in both sailing and rock climbing as a method of stopping ropes from running out of retaining devices....
, this knot is preferred over a bowline because it allows the sail to get closer to the top of the mast.

The other end of the halyard is usually attached to the mast at its foot by way of a cleat

Cleat

Cleat may refer to:* Cleat , a fitting on ships, boats, and docks to which ropes are tied* Cleat , a type or part of a shoe* Cleats , a comic strip by Bill Hinds...
. It is convention in some places to fasten the main halyard (for the mainsail

Mainsail

A mainsail is the most important sail raised from the main mast of a sailing vessel.On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast....
) on the starboard

Starboard

Starboard is the List of nautical terms that refers to the left and right side of a vessel as perceived by a person on board a vessel and facing the Bow ....
side of the mast and the jib

Jib

A jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremost mast of a sailing boat. Its Tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow , or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast....
halyard to the port

Port

||-||-|-||-||-||-||-||-||-|}A port is a facility for receiving ships and transferring cargo. They are usually found at the edge of an ocean, sea, river, or lake....
side. This allows quicker access to the lines in a time-critical situation.

Jumping the halyard

"Jumping the halyard" is a technique used to raise a large sail quickly by employing a few crew members to work simultaneously on the halyard. The person jumping stands next to the boom and manually grabs the halyard as high as he can (sometimes this necessitates jumping) and pulling it down as fast and far as possible. While this crewperson reaches for the next heave, a second crew 'tails' or takes up the slack created by the jumper, on a winch

Winch

A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in or let out or otherwise adjust the "tension" of a rope or wire rope . In its simplest form it consists of a spool and attached hand crank ....
. When the person jumping can no longer pull up the sail simply by hanging on the halyard, he must pull the line laterally from the middle and let the tailer take up the new slack. Inevitably, the tailer will alone finish the hoist with the winch. Jumping the halyard is also known as "sweating the halyard."