Line Sizes - Please add yours

Thanks Ian, that is precisely what I am after.  I usually sail in light winds, but want to make sure she can handle the worst - we've been out in 35+ knots of wind this summer and the running rigging held up, but the traveller and a couple snatch blocks failed.  I'd like to ensure I don't give up bad weather performance.

Right!  And you added a good addition.  I don't have control lines for my genoa cars either and I don't have my spinnaker rigged completely yet so I forgot to add the following...

12.  Genoa car control lines.
13.  Spinnaker pole traveller control lines.  (None of you guys actually have a track with big boat control lines on it do you??)
14.  Spinnaker twings.

Yes, I know all about 'inheritance issues' of wrong sized line... and fuel hoses... and anchor chain rode...  We've been working at replacing everything as we can from the most critical on down, and this is why I posted the question.

1.  Halyards.  The owner replaced the halyards a short while ago and they seem to be ok but wouldn't have been my choice.  I would guess they are 11mm or 12mm, cheap braid.
2.  Mainsheet.  This is likely 14 or 16mm old braid... even though it's got a 5:1 purchase, there is so much left over tail that it gets in the way.  It will be replaced if I can find a good deal on a fiddle block setup to replace the elderly 3x2 setup that I have now.

3. Jib/Genoa sheets.  13 or 14mm braid.  I feel secure with these in rough weather, but I think they are really heavy and quite a bit bigger than those I have raced with on larger boats.  I want to buy stronger, lighter lines.  Also, the previous owner built these lines as a single line with a snap shackle spliced into the centre of it.  When they get replaced, I will go with two lines... jury is still out on the shackle.

4. Reefing lines.  I think these are 13 or 14mm as well.  These are totally the incorrect lines and bind in the sheaves on the boom.  I think I'll get rid of the 1st reef line as we always go straight to the 2nd reef.  You think 8mm is sufficient?
5. Outhaul.  Same as reefing lines, 13 or 14mm.  It's only a 1:1 system, do you think more purchase is necessary?

8. Roller furling.  This is a small diameter braid line and is the correct size and good condition...  I'd have to measure it for the size but I'd guess 8mm max.
9. Topping lift.  This old, cruddy line needs to go.  I have 2 different thoughts;
a)  if I use this as a spare halyard, that means it's sitting in the weather and deteriorating; When I need to count on it, it might fail.
b)  if I use an older line, and keep my spare halyard stored safely, then I could always fish the spare halyard using the topping lift if need be.
I currently have 3 halyards and the cruddy topping lift on the mast now, plus two previous halyards in a locker.  I think I will use one of the previous halyards as a topping lift, move my main halyard to spare duty in the locker and buy a new main halyard.

10. Traveller controls.  I just replaced my aluminium track, pin stops and car with a fantastic new Harken setup I built myself - I can't tell you how happy this improvement has made me; a warm glow sets in when I touch it.  I configured it with 3:1 control lines, but consider backing that off to 2:1.  The cord is ... 8mm?  I can't remember the trade name for the line, but it is super strong, flexible, soft and easy on the hands.

11. Docking lines.  I don't have a permanent place to dock her yet, but I built my dock lines out of 13mm, 3-strand, nylon.  I have 4x26' and 1x80' ... I think I'll add some boat handling lines in braid as the 3-strand gets grungy and hard on the hands after only 1 season.

No 6/7/12/13/14 for me yet.

1.  Yes, exactly. I don't like the halyards but they appear to be sufficient for the time being.  They're almost new so I need to recommission them to justify replacing them... not at the top of my list.

2.  The 5:1 system hasn't jammed yet.  It works smoothly and is extremely light to use... even when it was blowing like mad out, I never even thought about using force on the line.  However, the tail of the line is not "a little extra", it's a lot extra.  Even at full boom extension, there is a full coil of really fat line.. I'd guess conservatively 14mm but it could be larger.  My traveller sits aft of the cockpit so I often toss the coil up on the aft deck to get it out of the way. The result is a very wet, heavy coil of line.

3.  The cheap snap shackle that is on the jib sheets is loosing the spring pressure in the pull pin.  And yes, it caught on the shrouds twice this summer and opened up.  The first time I thought my wife had not snapped it shut, but the second time couldn't have been a coincidence so it was so I rigging-taped it shut so it wouldn't snag again.  I sail on another race boat that has nice, light lines.  I like the two line system they use, and although they use the trigger/spike-type of shackle, I think I will likely go with trying them on.

4.  Good point, 8mm it is.  As for the reef points, why keep the first?  We sail under 155% genoa or 100% jib & full main until about 15-17 knots.  The main gets reefed to the deepest reef at that point - by passing the first reef.  Once the winds get higher, we reef the genoa or jib further as needed - this takes us up through 30 knots downwind.  The only reason I'll keep the first reef rigged is "because it's there."

5.  Thanks for the tip, I think I'll do that in the spring if the boom layout permits.

9.  Yes, the "I need it NOW!" argument is certainly the view I've had from one side.  And this is why I'm leaning towards using my 3rd quality halyard; It's strong enough to use in a pinch and I won't be heart broken if it wears - it doesn't owe the boat anything at this point.  I'm not big on portable boom crutches and the stern of my boat is already full of "stuff" (traveller beam, BBQ, wind vane, life buoy, ladder and sometimes dinghy motor)  No more!  As it is, the BBQ and dinghy motor may stay home next season.

10.  Yes, I'm loving my 3:1 Harken system.  Some previous owner had installed an Aluminium I-beam track (unnecessary on the supported beam) with pin-stops and a Ronstan car.  The car was fine but had no control lines.  The pinstops were - obviously - unable to change position while on that tack, the pins would bind in the holes and not slide, and gybing was horrendous as you couldn't centre the boom and then ease it out.  Once the Harken system was on, gybes became smooth as silk and the control of the sail became so much easier for making small adjustments under load.  I'm sure any brand would do nicely because the technology is so far advanced.