Difficulty unfurling

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chinita

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Just fitted genoa on newly acquired boat. Boat had not been used for some time so expecting glitches.

New halliard, new control line, all appears to be in order.

When I furled, no problem; sail furls like a dream.

Unfurling less so; the forestay jams and then, after releasing tension, unjams, then jams, then unjams ......etc.

Checked the top of the rig using binos; all seems ok, no halliard wrap - the usual suspect.

Can't ascertain whether it is the top drum or the bottom drum or what. Surely the forestay should rotate freely both clockwise and anti-clockwise?

Any experience, thoughts......?

TIA
 
No immediate revelations, but perhaps a useful step would be to take the sail down and investigate with just the mechanism in front of you. This will also bring the top bearing within reach so you can check it turns freely.

Pete
 
Since it in jams when you have less load on the halyard swivel,it sounds like the bearings are naff on the swivel .What make is it'?
Cindy
 
prv said:
No immediate revelations, but perhaps a useful step would be to take the sail down and investigate with just the mechanism in front of you. This will also bring the top bearing within reach so you can check it turns freely.

Pete
Click to expand...

Took the sail down. The drum to which the halliard is attached turns freely but the forestay itself is still jamming when turned anti-clockwise. I can turn it by hand, but there is resistance.
 
How old is the forestay? While sailing recently a friend's forestay snapped - the mast was held up only by the sail, until he took the spinnaker halyard forward to take the strain. Maybe your forestay is beginning to strand and the broken strand(s) are acting like a ratchet inside the foils or drum? MY friend, when asked, admitted that it had been harder to furl the sail recently, prior to the stay breaking.
 
Thanks everybody.

Boat is a 1983 LM26. I can't find any reference to this gear on the original 'preisliste' but am assuming it was supplied from new. I also have an exploded diagram but can't see anything obviously missing or broken.

Still at a bit of a loss understanding why there is only anti-clockwise resistance; or is it just the luck of the draw whether the resistance occurs during furling or unfurling!?

Looks like a trip up the mast - great!

Cindy: What would cause unlaying of the wire?
 
Last edited:
Problem solved; just the top swivel sticking under load.

I could not unfurl the sail and look up with binos at the same time - but a friend lent me his eyes and the cause was obvious.

Dropped sail. Applied Plus Gas and Silicone spray and she is now spinning like a top in both directions!
 
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