Furler problems - difficult to furl/unfurl

bitbaltic said:
Is it a Facnor? If it is, the top swivel will have seized and your efforts will be enthusiastically unstranding your forestay as the halyard wraps. Facnor kit (at least, the kit fitted >10 years ago) is rubbish and the swivel effectively unserviceable. If this is what you have bin the whole caboodle for a furlex system.

if it’s any other make, the description you give still sounds like a top swivel problem, but you can probably service the swivel and sort the problem.

also look at the feed to the drum. If it’s the usual arrangement where the line is run along the stanchions, this a terrible arrangement although it’s the norm. The line is much better run over the cabin top to a conventional clutch.
Click to expand...

Top swivel on our Facnor went, and we had the OP's problems.
 
Hm dang. But it didnt make a big difference anyways. Once its dry I put on some grease. Either way I think I have to get some binos down here because I dont see whats going on up there. All halyards are the same colour aswell,which doesnt make it easier. I wanted to change that anyways.

I have a few jobs lined up for the top of the mast either way so as soon as I get to the top Ill install a proper preventer. I think the top already has a preventer wheel but Id opt out for the delfector fairlead tbh.

Cant wrap my head around (pun intended) how a boat can be sailed 50 years or so without a properly working furler.
 
1. From your description, it sounds like you're sticking screwdrivers through the turnbuckle to tighten it. I have been told not to do this as you can break the turnbuckle: put a spanner on it instead.

2. From your description of being able to get the sail out to a certain point and then no further, assuming that the furling line isn't jamming somewhere (is it piling up on the drum?), it sounds like something is wrapping up as you unfurl the sail until it's so tight it stops you. Once you get to this point, you should be able to see it - have a look at the top of the forestay when the sail won't go any further out. If the top swivel's not swiveling, it would cause this.
 
It's going to be either a rising turn problem in the drum or a Halyard Wrap. If you can turn it by hand, there's no other excuse, unless you've replaced the pennant recently. If you've gone up a size; say from 6mm to 8mm there might be a problem there.

BTW WD40 is not a lubricant, it's a water dispersant. It's in an oil base meduium but it "dries out "quite quickly. I note that the Brand"WD40" is nw putting out a range of products, including a penetrating oil; if you're talking about something other than the Classic WD 40, you should say.
 
Last edited:
I've alsd had problems with my Rotostay and cured as follows - DON'T overtighten the genoa halyard, just enough to remove any wrinkles from the luff - I fitted a 6" strop to the tack which effectively increased the angle between the forestay and halyard - I also rebuilt the top swivel with new bearings etc - Also overhauled the drum assy which was actually ok. And try and keep the sheet a bit tight when furling/
 
The most common issue with Roller reefing is the top Swivel getting sticky. You really need to test the swivel under load. To do this drop and remove the sail. Use a short piece of cord to tie the the top swivel to the the eye or shackle where the clew of the sail normally attaches. Now tighten the Jib Halyard to roughly what you'd use if you had a sail on,. This puts tension on the upper (and lower swivels) Now turn the upper swivel by hand and see if it is nice and free. There should ne no rough spots or sticking /grating. Do the same with the lower swivel. Its most likely you have sticky bearings. You need to identify the make and model of the furler to decide the best approach. Can the unit be taken apart and cleaned. Can you replace the bearing , Do you want to replace the complete swivel? If you identify the make and model you will probably find good advice on old posts here on how to replace the bearings , there have been many .

Kinsale 373
 
DangerousPirate said:
So, a couple of days ago I went out the first sail with my new (used) boat and I had a really hard time unfurling (and furling) the headsail. The drum barely moves. Now I had a look at it and couldnt identify the problem, can you give me pointers to find out what it might be?

It doesnt look like its jammed.

Potential ideas are: Too loose forestay, too tight or maybe too loose halyard, or maybe it just needs some sort of lubrication (wd40? Beeswax?)

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
I’m going to ask what might seem to be a stupid question, but trust me, if this is the cause you won’t be the first to have erred.
Did you fully load the furling drum with the furling line before hoisting the headsail? I presume you realise that the headsail is furled by effectively unfurling the furling line.
If I’ve insulted your intelligence I profoundly apologise,
Mike.
 
Kinsale373 said:
The most common issue with Roller reefing is the top Swivel getting sticky. You really need to test the swivel under load. To do this drop and remove the sail. Use a short piece of cord to tie the the top swivel to the the eye or shackle where the clew of the sail normally attaches. Now tighten the Jib Halyard to roughly what you'd use if you had a sail on,. This puts tension on the upper (and lower swivels) Now turn the upper swivel by hand and see if it is nice and free. There should ne no rough spots or sticking /grating. Do the same with the lower swivel. Its most likely you have sticky bearings. You need to identify the make and model of the furler to decide the best approach. Can the unit be taken apart and cleaned. Can you replace the bearing , Do you want to replace the complete swivel? If you identify the make and model you will probably find good advice on old posts here on how to replace the bearings , there have been many .

Kinsale 373
Click to expand...

I will keep this in mind next time I get to it I will try to identify the make and model.

mikegunn said:
I’m going to ask what might seem to be a stupid question, but trust me, if this is the cause you won’t be the first to have erred.
Did you fully load the furling drum with the furling line before hoisting the headsail? I presume you realise that the headsail is furled by effectively unfurling the furling line.
If I’ve insulted your intelligence I profoundly apologise,
Mike.
Click to expand...

Its not a stupid question, sometimes people simply oversee the simplest problems.
But I dont think the furling line is a big problem tbh! At the moment I dont even have one in because I cant properly unfurl it anyways so whats the point? The problem with the furler is somewhere at the top. I got binos now and will have a look tomorrow to see if the halyard wraps around. I really just didnt see it last time I checked, halyards are all the same colour and it just breaks my neck staring up for so long.

This is an old boat, I am sure the previous owners used the furler before. So either something is broken or the rigging is faulty(maybe something entangled).
 
I wouldn't leave it with no furling line - it's the only thing stopping the sail from unwrapping itself. Even if it can only unwrap a few turns before it gets stuck, it can still wreck your jib over the course of a day when you're not there.
 
DangerousPirate said:
I will keep this in mind next time I get to it I will try to identify the make and model.



Its not a stupid question, sometimes people simply oversee the simplest problems.
But I dont think the furling line is a big problem tbh! At the moment I dont even have one in because I cant properly unfurl it anyways so whats the point? The problem with the furler is somewhere at the top. I got binos now and will have a look tomorrow to see if the halyard wraps around. I really just didnt see it last time I checked, halyards are all the same colour and it just breaks my neck staring up for so long.

This is an old boat, I am sure the previous owners used the furler before. So either something is broken or the rigging is faulty(maybe something entangled).
Click to expand...
My 1988 Beneteau Oceanis 320 had a sticking roller furler when purchased 7 years ago. I was told by local riggers in Australia not to lubricate the upper swivel as that would damage the torlon bearings. Checking with UK dealer who advised that original swivel had metal ball bearings which should be flushed with light lubricant twice a year to remove sand and provide lubrication. Problem solved and although might now benefit from new bearings the furling is fine.
In addition, installing better halyard offset at mast head helped it was the lubricant that fixed my problem.
 
DangerousPirate said:
I will keep this in mind next time I get to it I will try to identify the make and model.



Its not a stupid question, sometimes people simply oversee the simplest problems.
But I dont think the furling line is a big problem tbh! At the moment I dont even have one in because I cant properly unfurl it anyways so whats the point? The problem with the furler is somewhere at the top. I got binos now and will have a look tomorrow to see if the halyard wraps around. I really just didnt see it last time I checked, halyards are all the same colour and it just breaks my neck staring up for so long.

This is an old boat, I am sure the previous owners used the furler before. So either something is broken or the rigging is faulty(maybe something entangled).
Click to expand...
Thanks for your magnanimous response. I’m sure you’ll resolve your problem, if only by process of elimination. Just one point of halyard tension. Some would advocate unloading the halyard before furling. That’s fine if the friction in the upper rotator is low. If however there is some friction and the halyard has been relaxed that resistance may be sufficient to drag the halyard around the sail’s head and induce wrap. Good luck with your investigation, we’re all going to learn something worthwhile from it.
Mike.
 
Clancy Moped said:
Top swivel on our Facnor went, and we had the OP's problems.
Click to expand...
My Facnor top swivel seized up - I dismantled it, found that the balls were a rusty mess, spacing washers likewise. I replaced those parts with stainless or Norlon and since then it has worked perfectly. In my experience, Facnor top swivels can indeed be successfully renovated with care and some practical engineering experience.
 
So I am down at the boat right now. I took the sail down and inspected it further. With the weather and my life I cant be here for as often as Id like to be.

Anyways. I found the furling system to be made by plastimo but Im unsure which model exactly. The problem is not the drum and neither is the top swivel (that seens to be turnjng fine now that I had it infront of me in good weather. Its just very stiff at the top and that causes the halyard to wrap.

So I do have to get up there and take a closer look. But today its too windy to try unfortunately. Id probably fall to my death and break my neck.
 
Doesn’t your top swivel come down when you drop your sail? Not sure why you need to go up the mast to check
 
DangerousPirate said:
So I am down at the boat right now. I took the sail down and inspected it further. With the weather and my life I cant be here for as often as Id like to be.

Anyways. I found the furling system to be made by plastimo but Im unsure which model exactly. The problem is not the drum and neither is the top swivel (that seens to be turnjng fine now that I had it infront of me in good weather. Its just very stiff at the top and that causes the halyard to wrap.

So I do have to get up there and take a closer look. But today its too windy to try unfortunately. Id probably fall to my death and break my neck.
Click to expand...

Is the top swivel attached to the halyard with a cranked (bent) shackle? If so have you fitted this the right way round, on my plastimo furler if I fit this the wrong way round the halyard interferes with the top swivel and prevents furling.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top