Halyard Routing

Adam Hughes asks:

Not in relation to mast rotation, but in regards to halyard placement.
When running the halyard down the side of the mast where is the best place to run it in relation to the spreaders?
I have just purchased my boat sailed it only once so far.
I noticed that there is a small rope connected to both of the spreader mast ends, Should it run through there?
When looking upwards it looks straighter line to the top pulley between the spreader and the adjuster. (Until you are on the opposite tack and it could be a bit jammy).
Or should it run free from top to bottom block to top pulley?
TIA

Beau the Viper frother responds:

Hello Adam,

We run out halyard from the top pulley, the at the hounds we route between the port side of the forestay and the port trap lines and stay, then we definitely go through that little loop between the spreaders.

Here is why and its all related to releasing that mast rotation:

We route past the port side of the forestay in front on the trap and side stay wires, because before you hoist you will have released the mast rotation. With the mast release the port side of the mast is facing forward. The pulley at the top will rotate to the back of the port side of the mast on the gate rope as you hoist. So this route gives a relatively direct route down to the cleat. Otherwise the halyard needs to go around the forestay and that is going to cause friction.

We then always go through the little loop in front of the spreaders and then to the cleat. This is there for when the kite is stashed in the snuffer and you are ripping past all the other boats upwind, hair blowing back and flames coming out your arse. The loop stops the halyard blowing back like your handsome head of hair and getting itself caught behind the spreaders. Ask any skiff sailor who has wobbled about at the top mark trying to get the kite that is jammed behind the spreader halfway up the hoist about this and you may get an entertaining story.

Hope that helps.