Elastic cord in sail track on Furlex furler

[MattS]

Can anyone help explain what this elastic cord is in one of the sail tracks on my Furlex 100s furler?

I've read the manual several times now, and can't really get my head around what it actually does... closest I've found is some kind of 'pre-feeder', but can't work out how that would work...

It seems to be fastened at the bottom just with a knot to prevent it pulling through.

 

[pvb]

There should be a prefeeder at the bottom end, and the bungee cord should be tight enough so that you can only pull the prefeeder out about 300mm. Then, when fitting the sail to the furler, the luff tape goes through the prefeeder first, thus making it easier to align the luff tape with the slot in the foil.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

As stated by pvb.
I have the same system and same as you knot in the bottom. Also my elastic is well past it’s sell by date.
The pre-feeder is used by me at the start of the season and it is fixed in place with short length of line. Removed once the sail is up.

 

[MattS]

Thank you both. @pvb that picture explains it much clearly than anything I'd found!

So @BlowingOldBoots you attach the pre-feeder onto the end with the knot, hoist the sail, and then remove the pre-feeder and just leave the knot in place?

 

[Quandary]

In these days when some folk are even going racing with furling headsails, prefeeders have a lot less to contribute but back when we were seriously racing it was permanently in place ready for every hoist, no need then to remove it, though the foredeck hand (when he (she) was not busy, was expected to pull the free part of the luff down though it. I think I have a couple of them somewhere but the racing that I have done this century has been with furling sails on a through deck Furlex with the drum hidden in the anchor locker. Swift headsail changes are something which used to be exciting back in the day.

 

[Ink]

In these days when some folk are even going racing with furling headsails, prefeeders have a lot less to contribute but back when we were seriously racing it was permanently in place ready for every hoist, no need then to remove it, though the foredeck hand (when he (she) was not busy, was expected to pull the free part of the luff down though it. I think I have a couple of them somewhere but the racing that I have done this century has been with furling sails on a through deck Furlex with the drum hidden in the anchor locker. Swift headsail changes are something which used to be exciting back in the day.

If the bow didn't have the genoa in the pre - feeder before the hoist at the leeward mark, cue lots of shouting!

Ink

 

[eddystone]

Not sure I understand all this but I had an elastic cord in the channel which perished resulting in loss of pre-feeder - it was a pain anyway as it frequently wrapped round the furling mechanism
Now have detachable prefeeder on piece of cord - works better.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

Thank you both. @pvb that picture explains it much clearly than anything I'd found!

So @BlowingOldBoots you attach the pre-feeder onto the end with the knot, hoist the sail, and then remove the pre-feeder and just leave the knot in place?

No, I don't use the elastic, I tie the bit of string onto the fitting above the drum, its just temporary job. You could use the elastic if in good condition, mine is not.