Jib halyard being cut by broken mast head block

[jlodolce]

Freedom 40/40 #16

We have a problem with our jib halyard being severely chafed/lacerated to the point where I have to cut a couple feet off every few times we sail. It is hard to pull the jib down. I can feel the halyard binding on something, presumably at the mast. We are wrapping it with a chafe guard to slow the process and not run out of line. The halyard is 2 years old 7/16 Samson SLS3. We have had 2 boatyards go up and look at it. The first one could not find anything wrong. The second said it looks like the roller in the block is broken and has sharp edges, which makes sense.

I don't think this can be worked on without taking down the mast and expect we are going to have to do just that over the winter, take the block apparatus apart, and have the roller replaced.

Has anyone else or known of someone who has experienced this problem ?

Any words of wisdom regarding this issue would be appreciated

[TonyB]

I just had to cut off a couple of feet and splice a new eye into my job halyard. It even had a special cover on it to protect it. I think it is being caused by the cotter pin in the clevis pin that the head stay attached to. We ran someone up the mast, replaced the cotter pin with a ring, tapped over it with rigging tape and over that with a super slipper chafe protection tape. We will monitor to see how it goes.

[jlodolce]

I am using a chafe guard

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LA ... UTF8&psc=1

Wrapped with clear T-rex tape

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y6 ... UTF8&psc=1

to get me through until winter. I have to re-tape it every time I sail. So far it is saving the halyard.

I am using a halyard hitch to avoid splicing an eye. Much easier and a very good permanent knot which has a small footprint

https://www.netknots.com/rope_knots/halyard-hitch