Dymeena to sort my Genoa furling line problem?

[pcatterall]

Our reefing line is still giving us problems. The issues are overiding turns and, perhaps, just too much rope on the drum.(We are mindfull to keep tension on the sheet when we furl the genoa).
I did read a suggestion that you could strip the core from Dymeena and use that section on the drum while keeping the full section for the part of the line which is handled.
I think I saw Dymeena for sale which was done in this way but for the lengths I wanted there would have been a lot of waste.
Could I do this as a DIY job?

 

[pvb]

Is your existing furling line too large a diameter? Most boats don't have a problem.

 

[KAM]

What sort of furling gear is it. I have a Selden which gave me a lot of problems. Selden recommended a modification but yet to see if it works.

 

[simonfraser]

You could certainly strip the cover from the core, my down haul is like that.

Whip both ends of the outer cover and you'll be ok.
As you def don't want the cover to slip you might want to sew it to the core too.

 

[bluerm166]

If you have overriding turns etc. then it may be you aren't applying a tension when unfurling ?

 

[prv]

Is the lead onto the drum correct? When we bought Ariam the furling line was constantly jamming; I realised that it wasn't feeding onto the drum at 90º, so added another block to adjust the lead and now it rarely if ever jams.

Pete

 

[sailorman]

Our reefing line is still giving us problems. The issues are overiding turns and, perhaps, just too much rope on the drum.(We are mindfull to keep tension on the sheet when we furl the genoa).
I did read a suggestion that you could strip the core from Dymeena and use that section on the drum while keeping the full section for the part of the line which is handled.
I think I saw Dymeena for sale which was done in this way but for the lengths I wanted there would have been a lot of waste.
Could I do this as a DIY job?

Remove say the first 15 foot of the core on the drum as i have done. my furling line is 12 m/m braid on braid

 

[Topcat47]

You don't ned to do this with dynema, Marlowplait with the core removed works just as well at a fraction of the price.

 

[Vara]

99% of furling systems work OK using ordinary string, I'd suggest that the problem is not the line but the feed to the drum.

 

[lw395]

Harken suggest a ratchet block to put some drag on the furling line as you unfurl.
It helps.
Only time I've had a problem was sailing on a rolly run, I think the furler drum was constantly moving, encouraging the slack turns to become riding turns.
I watch for this now and keep a bit of tension on the furling line.

Don't have more than a few spare turns on the drum.
You could taper the line, it does not have to be dyneema, most braid on braid can be tapered or spliced to smaller braid on braid.

 

[macd]

If you have overriding turns etc. then it may be you aren't applying a tension when unfurling ?

My first thought, too.

 

[Poignard]

Remove say the first 15 foot of the core on the drum as i have done. my furling line is 12 m/m braid on braid

At the point where you cut the core, do you put a few stitches through what remains so as to keep the core in place relative to the sheath or is that not necessary?

 

[howard easton]

Never had that problem but I take some care to ensure that when the sail is tight furled there is only 2 or 3 turns of line left round the drum. There is a reasonable level of drag on the line when the sail is being unfurled.

Dynema, or at least the dynema halyards that I have, is not a pleasant rope to man handle. Its hard and slippery.

 

[xyachtdave]

Our under deck furling gear, whilst looking the business, is in reality a bit of a handful. You need to completely de-power the sail before any furling will occur. We have become used to blanking it completely behind the main and then works fine although with much muscle power.

About 5 years ago I started again with new furling gear and although a slight improvement not the massive improvement I was expecting.

Just before I wrapped the boat up for the winter I changed the furling line to 8mm Marlow dyneema and swapped the fair leads for the furling line for harken stanchion mounts with small blocks attached. This has been a bigger success than the new furling gear in improving the action.

 

[sailorman]

At the point where you cut the core, do you put a few stitches through what remains so as to keep the core in place relative to the sheath or is that not necessary?

I always whip the ends of my lines, so the end in the cockpit would be whipped

 

[snooks]

If I don't keep tension on the furling line as I unfurl, it jams when I come to furl. If I keep tension - just a turn around a winch is enough, then ease as the sail fills - I don't.

It works for me....and was free! Yay Hay!

 

[Poignard]

I always whip the ends of my lines, so the end in the cockpit would be whipped

I meant at the place where the inner core ends; to stop it creeping back. But it's obviously a problem you haven't had, otherwise you'd have mentioned it.

Anyway, it seems a good idea what you have done. I'll try it next season.

 

[sailorman]

No problems to date & it also gets to go in the washing machine as well

 

[sailorman]

I meant at the place where the inner core ends; to stop it creeping back. But it's obviously a problem you haven't had, otherwise you'd have mentioned it.

Anyway, it seems a good idea what you have done. I'll try it next season.

I know exactly what you mean & have replied just a whipping as #15

 

[pcatterall]

Thanks Guys. I will pay more attention to the tension when unfurling as a first step and consider de-coring braid on braid as second step. ....So just the outer braid will have the required strength then?