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Main halyard sheave

DGA

DGA

Active Member
In an effort to make my new main sail easy to raise, I want to replace the mast top main halyard pulley sheave. Does anyone have dimensions of that; OD, width and shaft diameter? I will make a new one from bronze, I have a 3.5" dia piece of bronze bar in stock. Would be great to replace it on the first trip up the mast.
 
No, I would like that, but just paid $2900 for the sail, so the budget for that is gone for now. But my last use of the main, was difficult to raise, so I want to get rid of one friction point at least.
 
DGA said:
In an effort to make my new main sail easy to raise, I want to replace the mast top main halyard pulley sheave. Does anyone have dimensions of that; OD, width and shaft diameter? I will make a new one from bronze, I have a 3.5" dia piece of bronze bar in stock. Would be great to replace it on the first trip up the mast.
Click to expand...
Ordered from http://www.zephyrwerks.com/ - fit perfectly!

Purchase Order #, Boat name, or Customer name: S/V Checkmate
Quote or Order?: Quote
Type of Boat: 1979 Morgan 382
Application: masthead
Quantity: 2
New Sheave Diameter: 3.75 Inch
New Sheave Width: 0.75 inch
Pin Diameter: 0.50 inche
Line Size: 0.5 inch
Wire Size:
Groove Depth:
 
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Yes, it's slightly too small. But I also have some 4" aluminum 6061, and can press sealed stainless ball bearings in with a 1/2" bore, so think I will do that instead. Plus would rather have something lighter that high up on the mast, and shouldn't be much salt water that far above the water, I'm in fresh water anyway.... For now.
 
CNC machined a new pulley for this, stainless sealed ball bearings pressed in.
 

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That is damn nice!
If you haven't already, the idler sheeves under the steering pedestal need replaced on all of these boats, unless they already have been. The bushings of the sheeves will be worn causing them to wobble, and they are mounted to a mild steel plate with will be rusted an about to fail.

You have the skills and tools to do a better job than the very expensive repair parts from Edson.
 
Thanks for the tip Warren. I had glanced at those two sheaves last year and was shocked to find one of the axles had worked it's way out of one mount block and the pulley was twisted around. Someone forgot to replace one of the split pins.
But a full service is on the list for sure. Definitely want to get some grease on the chain and cables.
 
Don't bother greasing the cables, they need replaced. If you replace the sheaves so there are no burrs on them to cut a rope, dyneema is a better solution than cable. The issue with stainless is that as it bends back and forth around the sheave, it will fatigue and break without warning or visible signs. I had this happen, as I replaced my cables and chain in 2018 just before leaving on my circumnavigation. I checked them several times, and in 2020 before leaving Virgina, they seemed fine. However, I did replace my sheaves at that time.
On the very next voyage my ss cable broke. I replaced with Dyneema while under way. I am not switching back.
 
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