Main halyard

My main halyard on my 2006 hobie 16 broke this weekend.(bad timing as we had friends up from Minniapolis with their 16,s to do some sailing on Lake Superior).the halyard broke right at the rope to wire connector.Not sure what would have caused this as my sail goes up real easy and I do not use a lot of downhaul.My halyard on my 1985 hobie lasted 20 years.Is there any other precautions I should take with the new halyard?Has anyone else had issues?I hope this is not a pattern,were I have to replace it every season.

This is more common on a CompTip mast than on older aluminum masts. One year is pretty quick though.

Check the lock fork for sharp edges, but likely just a fatigue failure due to the bending of the wire as it goes over the sheaves. The wire to rope splice makes the wire bend at the connection as it rolls over the head sheaves. Not completely sure why some fail more than others. May also be related to how tightly the line is tied off while sailing? Perhaps a loose halyard banging and working the connection may have something to do with it also.

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Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

I have the original from my 83. Guess I got a GOOD one

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'83 H16 Tequilla Sunrise and Cat Fever

i've had one fray at the rope/wire connection a couple weeks ago, thank goodness for a local hobie guru here in va beach. he hooked me up with a old wire haylard, and its seems to work fine for now. i'm a little leary about this type of connection!

The sheath part of the rope halyard slides over the wire and a ball stop and then the sheath is swaged to the wire above the ball stop. If the swage is too tight or has sharp edges, it can cut into the rope sheath. If the swage is too loose the halyard sheath can slip out and the sheath slide over the ball stop. I just replaced the rope on my halyard and connected it the same way as Hobie, so have been watching that area for wear.

Did your rope break or just slip out of the swage and over the ball stop?