My Rotostay is dead......suggestions?

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dukes4monny

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Tried to remove the forestay from my rather old Rotostay setup, but it's all jammed up (aka knackered)/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif, so, what are the panels suggestions for a simple and cheap replacement which I can fit myself?
I've just had a new furling genoa made so I want to stick with roller furling.............
 
Thanks, here goes.........started by trying to remove the foil from the drum which just slips over a D shaped shaft that the forestay screws into........this wouldn't move very far and appeared to be 'springing' back into position, obviously under tension from the forestay.
We decided to take the foil sections apart and couldn't release the top one so ended up cutting the forestay to get this off....the remaining piece of forestay is well and truly stuck in this top section.
The next section came off quite easily, so then we went back to the drum / lower section hoping that it would now come apart.........no chance. We tried WD40......then some heat, then gentle persuasion and not so gentle.......the lower part of the forestay is stuck in the foil too with no obvious way of extracting it.
We've tried so much persuasion that there is now a crack around the weld on the stainless fitting.
I only bought the boat late last summer so this is the first time I've tried getting it apart.........and the last time methinks.
If you've got any suggestions I'm all ears?
 
Talk to Rotostay (they're very helpful) and/or have a dig around on the internet to see if you can find out how yours works and what might be the problem. Having watched a friend struggle with Plastimo furling gear the other week, I'd rather have a mended and working Rotostay setup.
 
Thanks for all replies. Vince, mine is slightly different to that one you gave the link for. I have just found this web page which shows the version that I have. As can be seen, the lower part of the foil slides over the spar shaft (10) this is what is stuck.
I cannot see what could be trapping the forestay in the foil(s)?
 
My new (second hand, not yet launched by me) boat came with a Rotostay on the inner stay. Having realised that the whole forestay load is taken by the top swivel I am going to remove it. Not prepared to risk it failing under load.

If you have to replace yours I would strongly recommend the Sailspar continuous line system.

have fun.
 
Have the same as you. If you tie a haliyard to one of the U bends, pull tight and gently tap the drum and upward it should start moving. if fitted correctly one should be able to tie it off at max. movement and undo the locking nut, adjust fore stay tension,grease the alloy pillar and lower back into position. I found that mine required about 2" to be removed from the top foil to give me the correct distance to get to the lock nut. This curred the jamming and now works as good as new. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
My former boat (Fulmar) had a Rotostay and I had no probs in bringing it down and dismantling it. I thought it was a simple and effective piece of gear. I then took the forestay to the manufacturers (?Chichester) who did all the necessary, replaced the core etc.

I was well served by this bit of gear and had no thought to dump it. If yours is nackered, perhaps time for a new Rotostay but why not talk it over first with the manufacturer/agent and try for a refirb?

PWG
 
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I cannot see what could be trapping the forestay in the foil(s)?

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Just a thought. Could it be that some strands of the forestay have parted and are now snarled up in the foil?
 
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I cannot see what could be trapping the forestay in the foil(s)?

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Just a thought. Could it be that some strands of the forestay have parted and are now snarled up in the foil?

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It's possible this is what has happened. Looking at the assembly drawing again (a previous post), there does appear to something which looks to be crimped to the forestay (between 2 & 3) possibly to support the foil at the top? This might be what is jammed in the top foil.
I'm going down to the yard again today so I'll take another look.
I have e-mailed Seateach (Profurl) and Allspar for quotes for replacements.
The Rotostay replacement looks like it's about £900 which my budget will not stretch to at the moment.
Thanks for all suggestions.
 
If the foil is salvageble and there is no external damage preventing use, then it's a question of a new cable, plus top and bottom fittings. Given that youir gear cannot just be left in the present condition, and a new cable is needed come what may, I think you are almost ready to refirb the existing gear.

It seems unnecessary to resort to a new Rotostay. Rip out the old cable - dead in any case, and see if the above approach won't work for you.

PWG
 
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there does appear to something which looks to be crimped to the forestay (between 2 & 3) possibly to support the foil at the top? This might be what is jammed in the top foil.

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That's the problem.When I bought my boat the Rotostay was in the same condition as yours due to lack of maintenance.

If you look at Figure b on the Catalac webpage the man's thumb is resting on this d-shaped piece. This should be a sliding fit in the aluminium foil but corrosion in the foil has jammed it. [There is nothing to stop rainwater running down inside the fall ]

There is a similar d-shaped piece at the lower end and that is also likely to jam.

If you can free these d-pieces you will be able to get the system apart. [Easier said than done!]. Use Plusgas [WD40 is useless for this job] and carefully applied heat. The big problem is attaching something to the foil that you can get a grip on to pull it. Try a selvegee strop held in place with gaffer tape.

If you can't, then you will have to saw through the foil and the forestay, just below the upper d-piece. Rotostay can supply a new section of foil but they are not cheap. Whether this is worthwhile compared with the cost of a new one is debateable. Best to ring them for advice first.

I think I still have an old forestay and I could photograph the d-pieces if you want.
 
Rotostay was one of the Co's that used to offer deals on new for old gear ... I can remember Arun Sails having loads of old Rotastay set-ups aside ... after having replaced for clients.

Worth talking to Rotostay agents ...

Rotostay / Plastimo etc. are pretty simple affairs and once sorted are easy to maintain. Main problems seem to be based on salt and lack of keeping free-running ... hot-water and NOT WD40 is answer there ...
 
Thanks Twisterowner, my friend that was helping me take it apart phoned me today and he is keen to try and rescue my existing setup.
The foils are probably reusable if I can extract the remaining forestay from the two bits.
I will give both stuck bits a soaking in Plusgas, it's a bit cheaper than the ACF50 I was going to try!
If it isn't too much hastle for you to take a picture of your old forestay, this would be very much appreciated.
It's handy to know that the foil sections are still available if all else fails.
I assume that I have to get the replacement forestay from Rotostay too?

Thanks again for everyones contributions.....I hadn't budgeted for new furling gear and with my existing 'winter refit' budget nearly exhausted I was starting to fear the worst.........now I'm a bit more hopeful /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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I assume that I have to get the replacement forestay from Rotostay too?

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I would have thought so because it has to have the special d-shaped pieces fixed to it but I seem to remember someone once posting on here that he had had a forestay made up by a rigger in the West Country. Unfortunately I can't find any reference to it, or maybe my memory is playing tricks [again /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif].

The price of the new forestay from XW Rigging [Rotomarine] was £140 plus vat. That was a couple of years ago.
 
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I assume that I have to get the replacement forestay from Rotostay too?


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When I overhauled my Rotostay I got a new forestay made up by Spencers Rigging at Cowes, so I would think any decent rigger would be able to help - they had the plastic coated wire and the 5/16 unf bottle screw that matched the original, and made it up on the spot. It cost the grand sum of £16. The rest of my refurb cost was a can of zinc-chromate etch primer, a can of metallic grey car paint, and some elbow grease. I had access to a lathe to turn up a couple of Vesconite bushes to replace the knackered nylon ones, but these can be bought from Rotostay (who are now in Haslar Marina, Gosport by the way - www.rotostay.co.uk, tel: +44 (0)2392 583633).
 
The top bearing

of the foil is meant to rotate on the top swage.

There should be just enough movement to undo the drum.

To remove the foil you need to totally screw off the bottom fork and the swaged lower thread, that goes into the fork should slide through. It usually doesn't.

What I usually do is to put a hacksaw through foil and joiner and return the lot to Rotostay, who re-supply the old foil with all new joining pieces and a new bit of foil to make up for the waste where you made the cuts.

Ian Cochrane is/was the MD, on 01243 573131, their address is/was Canal Wharf, Chichester.

They've always been very helpful.

Their gear is mid range only a couple of better ones on the market and the prices for the top-end ones will will make your eyes water. It will definitely be cheaper to rebuild yours as there's really nothing to wear except the forestay.
 
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