I keep a headstay that is almost broken on my trailer at all times to remind me how often these need checking. The stock rigs have no toggle at the top of the headstay, and flopping jibs will tear them apart up at the top where you cannot easily inspect them. The top of your headstay should be inspected EVERY YEAR, and don't expect them to last decades (or even a whole decade).

Modern cordage is great and you should be able to run 5/16 halyards with spectra or vectran cores. These will run through the stock wire sheaves, and can be stripped and will run even better. Anything fatter than 5/16 is likely to get stuck in the stock sheaves. The sheaves should be inspected for sharp edges and filed smooth if necessary. Use very strong tag line, as it can take some force to pull your 5/16 reeving splice through the old wire sheave box...

If you are feeling flush, Buzz Ballenger will make you nice new sheaves that fit perfectly and are better shaped for rope for around $25 / each (see their website or call them for details). But I'm using the original sheaves and the clutches eat the halyards long before the sheaves do.

I'm not sure what you mean by "mast step fiberglass", but if there is anything wrong with the mast base, it should be fixed while the mast is out. Nothing at the mast base should be terribly expensive, but neglecting problems down there can lead to more expensive repairs...

--brendan

:: Hi all,
::
:: With a race looming next Saturday I just found out my
:: forestay was in dire need of replacement and quickly
:: dropped the mast to fix it.
::
:: Now my head is swimming with other things to do to the
:: rig while it is down and switching the jib and main
:: halyard sheaves from wire to rope is high on the list.
::
:: If I swap those out to rope, but keep my wire halyards
:: for the time being what will happen? Would the wire ones
:: immediately damage the rope sheaves? Will wire on rope
:: sheave be functional at all?
::
:: I'm about to replace the mast step fiberglass and don't
:: have the funds to do that AND switch to rope halyards at
:: the moment. I just loathe taking the rig down so this is
:: a perfect time to swap out those sheaves.
::
:: Thanks for any feedback.
::
:: Bryan