Head Sail Furler Sticking

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lancelot

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We had a good day's sailing today. Unfortunately, the genoa would not unfurl when we set off from our anchorage. Brute force was used to no avail. When we docked I went to see if there was an obvious problem - could not see one. Again I resorted to brute force and turned the drum after which it unfurled but then jammed several times again. Turning the drum hard seems to clear it until it jams yet again. Would someone advise on how to fix it and how to service it. I have had the yacht almost 3 years, but, alas I have not serviced the furler 9 I know slap wrists).
How do I go about servicing it and getting the furling system down. I think the furler is a Rotostay?
Any help would be appreciated.
Fair winds,
Lancelot.
 
One of the more common problems with furling and unfurling is the Genoa headboard runs high into the peak due to continual stretching and lengthening of the luff.

Try lowering the genoa halyard about 2" and seeing if that frees it off?

Otherwise it is a climbing job to lower the furling assembly for a closer inspection. :(
 
Last edited:
lancelot said:
. . . I think the furler is a Rotostay?
Click to expand...

Rotastay are based here at Haslar Marina. :p

You need to speak with Ian Cochrane who is the MD. He has been a rigger since the mid 1950's and cut his teeth working in the RN Dockyard Portsmouth rigging HMS Victory amongst others, so he really knows his stuff.

Ian can be contacted on 02392 583 633 or 07774 988 145
 
lancelot said:
. . . . How do I go about servicing it and getting the furling system down. . . .
Click to expand...

This is a three people job. a Climber, a Halyard hauling and safety guy and a person on the pontoon to haul away hard on the tack of the furling assembly.

1) Rig a forestay using a spinnaker halyard and take the load off the genoa furling system forestay.

2) Using a Bosuns Chair and using the main halyard to climb the mast (with the correct tools) start to release the Furling system fixing shackle. At the same time get the pontoon guy to release the lower end of the foil assembly. This tack end will need to be pulled very hard onto the pontoon whilst you release the top end of the foil at the mast head IT MUST BE KEPT STRAIGHT AT ALL TIMES SO THAT THE FOIL DOES NOT BEND OR KINK.

The complete furling assembly can be then carefully lowered onto the pontoon.
 
Presumably you have checked obvious areas like rope catching between the drum and the rope feed etc. Or knot coming undone and catching somewhere. If it's a later rotostay with external bearings then they may have become encrusted with salt in which case a good soak with fresh water might solve it, this is more likely if you had a wet sail from sea water last time you were out, well worth trying before removing the whole caboodle. (Earlier rotostays, like mine, had grease lubricated bearings).
As mentioned Ian is a great source of knowledge and helpful.
Good luck.
 
I had the same problem with my Rotostay, turned out to be the halyard at the wrong angle and trying to wrap itself round the top swivel, it was cured by fitting a halyard guide. Tightening the halyard sometimes helps.
 
Having a slack forestay can cause problems too. If the forestay seems pretty slack try yanking on the backstay to see if that solves things.
 
Many thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming. Yes, Ian of Rotostay was very helpful and I will be getting back to him soon.
Fair winds,
Lancelot
 
Jamming furler

I'm unfamiliar with Rotostay, but given how completely it seemed to jam, sounds like the drum or aluminium foil is jamming on the forestay or a bearing is seized. Tightening the backstay as dt4134 suggests would be the most likely help if it is the forestay problem, but if that is the problem then beware the forestay may be damaged by unwinding or over-winding. I guess the expert from Rotostay can advise about that.
 
Jamming Rotastay

Unless you have got a major failure in the drum, the problem seems to be at the top of the mast. Have a look at the lead / position of the halliard (assuming you've got the model where the halliard rope goes to a sheave in the mast) and make sure it's not wrapped round the forestay. That happened on Katouf and the crew's muscular efforts, over a period of 3 days, to unfurl the genoa ended up by untwisting the 1 x 19 strand 6mm stainless steel forestay!

When I finally went up the mast to check, 7 of the 19 strands had broken. It was fortunate that Westerly fitted a baby stay to Centaurs.

Alan
 
Head sail furler sticking -update

Tried several of your suggestions in between heavy showers this morning. Much cursing etc.
Then I slackened the halyard and tried - it worked, turning smoothly. Although I tried paying out, changing tacks/sides, hauling in several times with success, I will try it a few more times before I put to sea again. I always felt the trouble was aloft and just lowering the furler probably done it.
Many thanks again for all the help.
Cheers Lenseman for the tip.
Fair winds,
Lancelot.
 
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