Anyone used a bottle screw at the bottom of furling gear

[Jcorstorphine]

I am fitting a mast to my little Motorsailor and am concerned about the very small amount of adjustment there is on the second hand Rotostay I obtained. There is only a 15 mm length of adjustment thread and I was wondering about using an open type “turnbuckle” under the furling gear. I chose the open type so that I can fit split pins to ensure that it does not start to unscrew even if the locking screws came undone. .

Any comments?

John

 

[SAWDOC]

That should be ok as long as the length of the forestay is not compromised and you can obtain a nice straight luff when under sail. Forestays supporting furling gear are under more stress and wear than a forestay used for hanked on sails so be sure to check the integrity of the stay itself particularly at the terminations.

 

[vyv_cox]

Several furling gears come with a bottlescrew as standard. my Facnor came like that and my Furlex before it.

 

[VicS]

No problems I would have thought. My furling gear has a bottle screw below it.

Other makes have bottle screws.

2 versions of Plastimo gear one with , one without.

Make sure there is adequate articulation above and below the bottle screw.

I agree wire or lock with pins to eliminate the risk of unscrewing the bottle screw.

 

[alahol2]

Make sure there is adequate articulation above and below the bottle screw.

Probably the most important point. Use toggles.

 

[William_H]

Forestay

I don't think a forestay needs any adjustment. Once you have the correct length which locates the rake of the mast the tensioning should be done by the backstay and cap shrouds if the chain plates are aft of abeam the mast. I would if I used one have the drum as low as possible. All you need is room to disconnect for mast lowering. good luck olewill

 

[Jcorstorphine]

Forestay

That should be ok as long as the length of the forestay is not compromised and you can obtain a nice straight luff when under sail. Forestays supporting furling gear are under more stress and wear than a forestay used for hanked on sails so be sure to check the integrity of the stay itself particularly at the terminations.

Point taken. Howver, all of the rigging is new and the forestay is PVC sheathed (as per Rotostay instructions) with the terminations swaged.

 

[AndrewB]

Don't forget you must be able to reach the top of the bottlescrew in order to adjust it. I don't know about a Rotostay, but that took a bit of arranging with my Facnor, which had to be positioned a little higher than I otherwise might have.

 

[VicS]

Point taken. Howver, all of the rigging is new and the forestay is PVC sheathed (as per Rotostay instructions) with the terminations swaged.

On second thoughts then if the rigging is made up new already then there will be no scope to fit an additional rigging screw, the forestay will have to be shortened by several inches to accommodate it.

The luff spar may also have to be shortened and possibly even the sail altered.

Provided the forestay has been made the correct length then it should fit within the small range of adjustment you have available. The tension will be adjusted by the back stay (or aft swept shrouds)

 

[Jcorstorphine]

Still got time

On second thoughts then if the rigging is made up new already then there will be no scope to fit an additional rigging screw, the forestay will have to be shortened by several inches to accommodate it.

The luff spar may also have to be shortened and possibly even the sail altered.

Provided the forestay has been made the correct length then it should fit within the small range of adjustment you have available. The tension will be adjusted by the back stay (or aft swept shrouds)

Hi Vic, the forestay has only one end made off at the moment as is the rest of the rigging as I still have to set up the mast with temporary stays and mark all the ends of the new rigging. When I ordered the genny, I made an allowance on the luff for a short wire strop (about the length of a turnbuckle) between the sail and the drum of the Rotostay to keep the foot of the sail clear of the lifelines. The foils on the Rotostay have also to be cut and rejoined so all in all, I still have the opportunity to fit a Turnbuckle.

The problem is that I used to be indecisive but now I am now quite so sure so plan to take a wander along the pontoons and see what others have done.

Also many thanks to all who have responded.

John

 

[VicS]

The problem is that I used to be indecisive but now I am now quite so sure so plan to take a wander along the pontoons and see what others have done.

You will probablyfind an unbelievable assortment of lash ups.

I went round the yard a couple of years ago and photographed a number, but only Plastimo ones so won't post all the pictures. Some real lash ups among them though

This one stands out. It is designed to incorporate a bottle screw but between the side plates, not added to the bottom.


Must go round again sometime and photograph other makes!

.

 

[vyv_cox]

I don't think a forestay needs any adjustment. Once you have the correct length.......

That's the point, surely? To establish the correct length needs a lot of experimentation. It's easy enough to lengthen the forestay by adding toggles but shortening it, even with a Norseman or Sta-lock fitting, requires some effort. Much easier to allow for that by adding a bottle-screw.

 

[nigelmercier]

On second thoughts then if the rigging is made up new already then there will be no scope to fit an additional rigging screw, the forestay will have to be shortened by several inches to accommodate it.
...

I'm thinking of doing exactly this, but as the part is £400 I may just shorten forestay and use the existing stepped adjuster (which has run out of range).

 

[merlin3688]

Love the picture but I guess having the drum so high means you can see under the sail better, this is a good reason for having the drum set higher.

 

[William_H]

Jib position

A jib actually is more efficient if it is very close to the deck when set for close hauled. The deck acts like an end plate to discourage eddies of air over the end of the foil.(Which cause drag) Further you can get more sail area which works for you with less heeling moment so you can carry more sail in stronger winds.
A friend has recently bought a Farr 25 made in Turkey. It's deck was designed for roller furling and the drum is actually below deck level in a purpose built housing. Keep it low for efficiency. Raise it for conveneience and you might as well use the motor and do away with sails. olewill

 

[alahol2]

Raise it for conveneience and you might as well use the motor and do away with sails. olewill

Well that puts about 90% of us with little option but to motor everywhere
The guy wants to put a furling jib on his 'little motorsailor' for gawds sake.

 

[jellylegs]

I think you will find that the rotostay has the other half of the bottle screw above the drum and in the foil. You need to lift the foil up so see the swage/top of bottle screw. and then the drum rotates to tension the srew, effectively it is the barrell.

But, as people have said the srew doesn't need adjusting once the forestay has been set. Also, some rotostays have a nyloc fitting in them so they dont want to be adjusted once set. As far as I know.

 

[Jcorstorphine]

You will probablyfind an unbelievable assortment of lash ups.

I went round the yard a couple of years ago and photographed a number, but only Plastimo ones so won't post all the pictures. Some real lash ups among them though

Must go round again sometime and photograph other makes!

.

Just went round the pontoons and looked to see what others had done. Just as you say Vic, what a load of junk, bit of stainless, bits of wire, bottle screws with no locking pins or nuts. Basically anything I do is going to be better than the crxp I saw today.

Thanks

John

 

[Jcorstorphine]

I think you will find that the rotostay has the other half of the bottle screw above the drum and in the foil. You need to lift the foil up so see the swage/top of bottle screw. and then the drum rotates to tension the srew, effectively it is the barrell.

But, as people have said the screw doesn't need adjusting once the forestay has been set. Also, some rotostays have a nyloc fitting in them so they dont want to be adjusted once set. As far as I know.

Following your posting I ventured out in the sub zero temperatures in the garage and had a look at my Rotostay again. There is more adjustment than I thought. The top end, as I stated, has only 15 mm but the lower section has about 50mm, consequently I can fully tighten the top end and lock it off with the locking nut and still have 50 mm which I can preset and then horse onto the deck fitting with some mussle power then pull back on the Backstay as “William_H” suggested and as “alahol2” said, “the guy wants to put a furling jib on his 'little motorsailor' for gawds sake”.

This is my twighlight years boat, to drift off into the sunset, well, as far as the Big Cumbrae and back in time for High Tea in Largs

 

[VicS]

Just went round the pontoons and looked to see what others had done. Just as you say Vic, what a load of junk, bit of stainless, bits of wire, bottle screws with no locking pins or nuts. Basically anything I do is going to be better than the crxp I saw today.

Thanks

John

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