Dux Halyards

[Vincent DePillis]

Thinking about using Dux for some halyards. Wondering, however, if its additional breaking strenth and abrasion resistance might come at the cost of lesser bend tolerance. The typical luggage tag hitch puts some pretty tight bends in the line. Should I reserve Dux for allpications where I can use precourt/colligo style thimbles?

[Jack]

I have some 5mm Dux here right now and I was considering the same thing. I am going to have to checkout my blocks at the top of my mast to see what kind of diameter I have. I have been using Dynex 5mm with no problems. The Dux will "kink" on every strand that is in compession. You cannot over bend this stuff. It looks like rope, but it is another annimal.

Also how would you be attaching your sails to the halyard. I am having very good luck with "softies" that are attached to the dynex soft eye halyard.

http://www.hampidjan.is/media/pdf/Dy...intainance.pdf

[Vincent DePillis]

Hm. Interesting-- they want 10 times diameter for blocks-- so for a 5mm halyard, you would want a 50mm block. Easy. But at the point wherethe halyard actually goes over the mast sheave, it will be more like 8 or 10 mm because of the tail of the splice. That is more problematic. and as for a luggage tag hitch- that does not sound great. Is gray or blue amsteel more tolerant of bending?

[Jack]

Dynex, Amsteel, Spectra are all the same stuff. SK-75. They are dyed different colors. They are much more flexible than Dynex Dux. I have used 5mm Dynex for 3 years now on my 34' cutter for all 3 sails. If I am on a long tack to windward, I find I have to take up on the halyard occasionally. Not a big deal considering how much weight and windage I am saving. The stuff is really small and I started out to see if I could get away with it. 5mm is like 3/16".
Hard on the hands too, so I have been messing around with various ways to build it up. Both on the outside, and the inside. For the part that I have to handle. All good stuff, all fun....:-)