Roller Furler getting a bit tight??

[geem]

Do you find the profurl stiff more so than other designs?

No, but if I over tighten the halyard on the Profurl, it goes tighter

 

[robertj]

Thanks possibly I need to slacken the halyard more when furling.

 

[Boathook]

Thanks possibly I need to slacken the halyard more when furling.

I have a Selden 200S? on my boat and the sail furls very well when the halyard is in tension. The sail 'pulling' is what I try to avoid, especially when furling up as it is then nearly impossible. I also try to remember the good practice of releasing the halyard tension when ever possible.

 

[geem]

I have a Selden 200S? on my boat and the sail furls very well when the halyard is in tension. The sail 'pulling' is what I try to avoid, especially when furling up as it is then nearly impossible. I also try to remember the good practice of releasing the halyard tension when ever possible.

We have tape on the mast and halyard that mark the tensioned position. Slack off whilst not using and tension to marks when in use. Works well and takes the guess work out of tension settings

 

[Sandy]

Mine has absolutely none of these problems. No bearings or halyard swivel to jam, or get sticky. The whole rig, halyard and all rattles on the forestay. The entire furler cost me $80, and has given me zero problems in over 30 years of mostly full time cruising, including several Pacific crossings.
The commercially made one called "Simplicty" is similar, as is one made by Famet, and at least one other I have seen around.
Keep it simple.
The horrendous complexity of some rigs is totally unjustified.

Do you have any drawings you could share?

 

[Brent Swain]

I have yet to see a horrendously complex furler. We have both Selden and Profurl mast head furlers. Both have good reputations and both are simple designs. I prefer the Selden design as it has external bearings. Can be fiddley to ensure you dont lose the bearings but a large bag of 316s/s bearings can be had for £20. This unit is crica 1990 and still going strong. The Profurl has internal bearings that are sealed. Different concept with a ten year warranty. Never changed the bearings but I believe it can be a pain if corrosion has got in to the sealed part.

Posts 37 and 38 look a lot more complex than anything I have had to deal with, along with posts since then. Mine has one moving part, no ball bearings, just plastic bushings ,or a 5/8th ID sch 40 aluminium pipe on a 5/16th diameter forestay . Nothing to jam there.
A friend working in a rigging shop, said many were eliminating the halyard swivel, and simply putting a halyard block at the top of the extrusion. You hoist the sail, take the rope tail off the halyard, then shackled the halyard eye to the drum. Then you tighten the luff with several turns around a shackle on top of the drum and roll her up, halyard and all. Has worked well for me for the last 37 years, and 6 pacific crossings, as well as for my clients over several circumnavigations, etc.

 

[Poignard]

...
A friend working in a rigging shop, said many were eliminating the halyard swivel, and simply putting a halyard block at the top of the extrusion. You hoist the sail, take the rope tail off the halyard, then shackled the halyard eye to the drum. Then you tighten the luff with several turns around a shackle on top of the drum and roll her up, halyard and all. Has worked well for me for the last 37 years, and 6 pacific crossings, as well as for my clients over several circumnavigations, etc.

That is how my early model Rotostay is arranged. I don't know how old it is but it was on the boat when I bought her more than 20 years ago and although it needed an overhaul then as a result of neglect, it has been trouble free since.

 

[lydiamight]

On my Dehler 36CWS not only did i slacken off the halyard I would also ease the tension on the backstay. Never had a problem.

 

[Brent Swain]

Do you have any drawings you could share?

Send me an email . brentswain38@yahoo.ca

 

[NewOldSailor]

More related questions for an old discussion.

" too slack and you get halyard wrap (despite diverter fitted, and then if someone winches the jammed system you unwind the strands of the forestay, in extremis breaking it."

New-to-me boat (Tanzer 22) and inspection found un-twisted forestay. I am preparing her to get on the water. Can I retwist the forestay, or do I need to replace it and reinstall the foils?

 

[NewOldSailor]

.

 

[Concerto]

Definitely need to replace.

 

[NewOldSailor]

Agh! Some things need to be upgraded on my boat. I just want to get sailing!
Okay, so after BUYING a new forestay, then taking apart roller furling (RlrF) and installing it, is this a job for the common man (me who can weild a screwdriver and just a few more tools), or should I hire a rigger?

 

[Stemar]

I just want to get sailing!
.../...
should I hire a rigger?

I think you answered your own question.

Seriously, unless you know what you're doing, get a rigger. He'll be a lot cheaper than having the new one fail.

 

[neil1967]

I just want to get sailing!
.../...
should I hire a rigger?

I think you answered your own question.

Seriously, unless you know what you're doing, get a rigger. He'll be a lot cheaper than having the new one fail.

A rigger will also be quicker, will cut the new forestay to the right length, and generally be a lot less faff.

 

[doug748]

..............
So todays hot tip, nip up and check out your forestay if you have had to start reefing using a winch. Chatting to the rigger, he has seen this quite often. Its not cheap but better than the worst case!

Indeed, I had the rig down once and noticed a strand of stainless just visible within the top of the foil, I thought it was summut to do with the furler but fortunately a rigger new better.

He said they often went there due to the foil flexing in high winds. His advice was never to slack off the rig excessively. It's quite common to see foils flogging viciously where owners have let all tension off the rig in the hope of being kind to the boat. I now keep mine in moderate tension the whole time.

My forestay is 12 now so I will replace it this winter.

.