Old proctor in-mast furling drive?

[Tim Good]

Below is a photo of my gearbox at the foot of the mast for in mast furling. Formally the mast and furling gear was Proctor, now Selden. Anybody recognise it and if it can be replaced easily? As with a lot of these things they're often from industry and adapted to a marine use.

 

[pvb]

You don't say what's wrong with it, but it looks crude enough to be capable of repair.

 

[Tim Good]

You don't say what's wrong with it, but it looks crude enough to be capable of repair.

Agreed. Seems simple. I've removed all the bolts holding it together and no amount of hammering seems to let me get ahead to its guts. It's very stiff and made furling the main a total pig.

 

[pvb]

Agreed. Seems simple. I've removed all the bolts holding it together and no amount of hammering seems to let me get ahead to its guts. It's very stiff and made furling the main a total pig.

Probably needs heat and workshop-style brute force.

 

[Tim Good]

Ok hold up... got it apart. Totally gunked with old think grease. But lots of pitting and deterioration of the housing itself.

 

[pvb]

Well done! The pitting is largely a cosmetic issue, isn't it?

 

[Tim Good]

Well done! The pitting is largely a cosmetic issue, isn't it?

Hope so. I've taken the whole thing to bits in this lovely anchorage up the Udet River in Brittany. Just cleaned it all up and regreased it with. Can turn it with my thumb and forefinger now.



With luck I'll have it all back together this evening.

 

[WightMistress]

Hi,
Don't be put off by the look of this thing. I have rebuilt my furling gearbox twice in 17 years (bearing failure due to gradual water ingress over the years.) Both times the bearings were very easy to obtain. There is a great bearings store in Southampton, who provide bearings for all applications and they are very knowledgeable. It is comparatively easy to refit too - probably only 3 bearings (each with the balls in cages as a module.) Once stripped, take the measurements of the bearing 'seat' and the shaft diameter that it supports. If you can get the old ones out without completely destroying them (brass drift and a hammer) it will help the supplier identify precisely what you need. The last thing I did was to buy a Helicoil thread insertion kit and replace all the threads in the castings. This is also very easy with a little practice AND I drilled and installed a couple of grease nipples, so I can pump grease into it (to displace the water.) The bearings company details are:

http://solent-bearings.co.uk/contact.html
apb@solent-bearings.co.uk

Unit 20 & 21 Test Valley Business
Centre,Test Lane, Nursling,
Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 9JW
P: 023 8066 7100
F: 023 8066 7105
(Adam Brown is the proprietor and Jake helped me with my order. Both are very helpful and knowledgeable.)

I hope I am not too late in replying, I was actually searching for an 'easyfurl' picture for someone else.
Regards
Steve