Halyard for a Wykeham Martin furling jib on a 37ft gaff cutter's bowsprit

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

First, let me describe the set up that we have had for many years now: A three strand dacron halyard goes from a pinrail on the port side of the deck to a single block on a strop on the mast, down to a single block at the head of the jib which is shackled to the top fitting of a Size 4 Wykeham Martin's gear, thence to another single block on the mast and thence, via a swivel, to a luff tackle purchase on the starboard side of the deck. The jib, with the furling drum of the W/M gear, is on a ring traveller on the bowsprit.

This all works reasonably well (I don't expect to achieve a ruler straight jib luff!) but over time the halyard twists up and we get a frap up; a half hour spent on the mooring milking the turns out of the rope clears it again.

Would I do better:

a) with the same set up but with braided rope?

b) with a wire halyard and a small winch?