Roller headsail

[Guest]

Didn't manage a sail at the weekend - why ?
Cos I couldn't get my headsail to furl. I attached the halyard that had been tied on to the mast all winter and then hoisted it but when I came to furl , the uphaul just wrapped round the luff. What have I done wrong????

 

[Guest]

You did attach the head of the sail to the bottom of the top swivel bearing and the halyard to the top?

If so then the bearing itself must be jamming or seized?

Good luck,

KCA

 

[rogerroger]

did you check the bearings in the roller barrel thing (can't remember it's proper name). These tend to degrade in UV and then the thing doesn't rotate properly, the hallyard rolls with it instead of staying still until about one and a half turns around the stay and that's it.

If you can undo the barrel the bearings are really easy to replace - any rigging chap will be able to supply them. When I had the same problem the barrel wouldn't undo so it had to be drilled out which was a pain.

The guy who sorted mine (Chris Hollman at Chichester Marina) also shot up the mast and installed a bracket that holds the genoa hallyard close to the mast and makes it impossible to wrap around the forestay.



Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[Guest]

I did get it wrap around when the halyard tension was not enough. After undo the furling action, I tighten the halyard and then it worked well again. If your head turning unit is not sized, try the halyard tension.

By the way, Have you tried lowering the sail and apply lots of WD-40 to the head turning unit ?

Good luck.

 

[rogerroger]

Can't remember why or by whom - but I was told NEVER to use WD40 on the roller unit - just to clean it with fresh water every now and then.


Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[poter]

Re: Roller headsail WD40

Yup your correct.... I do not know what is lubricating the roller unit???
But WD 40 is a cleaner/rust remover/ water excluder.. at work we do not use any form of claener on a bearing unit unless siezed, then and only then the bearings have to be lubricated again.
In this case the WD 40 will only clean and lubricate for a short time and it wil sieze again if the bearing are knacked.
I assume that the furling unit is non-lubricated therefore as stated the only thing you can do is to replace the bearings.

good luck.


poter.

 

[quaelgeist2]

Same problem on a Plastimo 608S unit, had apparently not maintained the unit sufficiently !

In my case: winch/furl system marine grease, applied to upper bearing (can open) and injected with syringe to lower bearing (of lifted upper part)

WD40 treatment before I did, but only because I saw rust and it is risky, because you have to remove afterwards. WD40 does hardly reduce friction until there is a movement.

Tightening the forestay AND tightening the backstay helped to straighten the furler, also reducing the friction.

Main improvement: After greasing it furling/unfurling it 10 times in the harbour!

good luck
chris

 

[Aja]

Why did you not just hoist the genoa up - go for a sail - drop genoa at the end and have a look at the top thingy.

You wouldn't be in any worse position than you are now - ans you would hav got your sail.

Donald

 

[Aja]

Why did you not just hoist the genoa up - go for a sail - drop genoa at the end and have a look at the top thingy.

You wouldn't be in any worse position than you are now - and you would have got your sail.

Donald