My rope and wire main halyard needs replacement. I don't want to have to deal with wire if possible. I'm also thinking of going with a low-stretch polyester/dacron line. (I've been told that the specta/technora/etc. stretches so little that it will rapidly increase the wear of the dacron main, while low-stretch polyester/dacron will act as a shock absorber.) So I'm wondering:
1. Will a 3/8" all-rope halyard, with the cover on, still fit into the sheaves? I've done eye splices on double-braided rope and found that after the splice, the rope is thicker and doesn't bend as well; will that cause a problem when hoising the main?
2. My existing main halyard had a rope part that looks larger than 3/8", possibly 7/16". Are the rope clutches on a 1981 J/30 compatible with 3/8" line? (I tried it, and the clutch did close and grip the line, but I'm not sure how tightly....)
Thanks,
Ryan Pierce, #337
