Changing out wire to rope

[selene]

So, looks like my old rope/wire halyards are finally beginning to fail. The wire is becoming a bit 'rough' - not true meathooks, but getting there. Time to move to rope halyards.

I would welcome any thoughts from folks. Like, with my 1980-vintage mast, do I need to replace the sheaves at the masthead? How easy is it to do that?

Also, any rope size/material recommendations?

Thanks - likely have to send a rigger up, but would prefer to do it myself if possible.

[Quantum Leap]

Our 323 is a 1977 and had the same thought about changing to all rope halyards. We made  them internal several years ago and they can be noisy. There isn't much sheave width to allow for rope. I askes a rigger at the Chicgo"Strickly Sail" show, he didn't think it would work properly. I would really like to know if someone has done this on their 323.

[AnaMeg]

I changed mine a few years ago. The original sheaves are not good; will warp and chafe rope. I got new ones from ZephyrWerks. [http://www.zephyrwerks.com/] Ed was helpful and they were not expensive, I think around $60 for the two of them. Changing sheaves is quick and easy but my mast was down. If you do it aloft it will be easy to drop the sheave down the mast to rattle away at the base until you pull the mast. And if you drop the new sheave... oh how blue the air can get.

I put 1/2" line in for halyards. I'm going to change to 7/16" or 3/8". The 1/2" is stiff and seems to go over the top with difficulty. (I have other problems with raising/lowering the mainsail also.) I added a self tailing cabintop winch this year so the "hand" of the line is of little import. The halyards are run back to the cockpit. The 1/2" also leaves a very large and bulky coil of line to find a home for when sailing.

Geoff

[Caroleheller]

I changed to rope many years ago. didn't change the sheeves. Now using 3/8 as the newer (boat 1977) line is stronger. Have had no problems.