Roller Reefing Problems - HELP!

[tgalea]

Well i'm getting desperate now and looking for help. Lost two forestays in 1 month.

The problem seems to be my Plastimo Roller reefing which rather than swivelling nicely around the forestay is exerting a lot of twist on the forestay which believe me has resulted twice in a complete failure and snapping of the forestay.

Initial symptoms are that genoa will not unfurl... then magic.. forestay comes down.

My system worked for a number of years now without any problems however in the last few weeks i've spent more time replacing the forestay than sailing!

Any help would be aprreicated. I'm desperate!

Regards & Thanks

Tyrone.

 

[heerenleed]

Not a nice problem. I was told by several experts that Plastimo is no good for roller reefing equipment. the way you describe it, it looks like the bearings inside the forestay profile are gone. I'm afraid the profile has to come off to check.

Also, check where the forestay splits. It might give you a clue about what is causing the problem. It could also be the top swivel that is not properly aligned. Are you sure the hallyard tension is ok? If furling or unfurling is stiff, it might help to loosen the tension on the hallyard a little.

Good luck


Peter a/b SV Heerenleed, Steenbergen, Netherlands

 

[vyv_cox]

I had a Plastimo system for some years and it was perfectly OK.

It's very unlikely that the system itself is causing this. The lower bearing runs on the drum, so high levels of friction there will not affect the forestay. Friction in the top bearing will tend to rotate the halliard round the extrusion, not damage the forestay. However, it is worth rotating the extrusion by hand without having the sail hoisted to ensure that the bearings are free. They usually require some regular lubrication.

The most common cause of this problem is that the angle of the halliard at the top of the sail is close to that of the forestay. If the sail is unfurled when the halliard is a little loose, the result can be that the halliard wraps itself around the forestay. Continuing to pull on the sheets causes the forestay to unravel, and it only takes a couple of times of this happening for the wire to fail. Usual solution is to fit a bullseye fairlead below the top sheave to lead the halyard to the top swivel at an angle of something like 30 degrees at least.

You don't have an Etap at Hellevoetsluis, do you? I notice that my neighbour there has been having some furling gear problems.

 

[tgalea]

Thanks for the info. Yep that's my problem. What i'll do is try and do as you say with the eye lead because it's been mentioned to me already and will get back to you for more help.

Nope mate. My boat is about 1200 n.m away from you. We live in Malta! (in the med.)

Regards


Tyrone.

 

[oldharry]

The local chandlery makes up rigging wires, and reckons they do more forestays which have been snapped by jammed Plastimos than almost anything else. The top bearing grips the wire apprently and unravels it, The next time it comes on load the oversteressed strands part and hey presto! Another trip to the rigging shop. Why it doe this is not clear - maybe the plastic expands with age and damp? I repolaced my entire RR and stay when I noticed the top of the forestay had turned in to avery neat little bird cage as it unravelled.

 

[vyv_cox]

Maybe the design has changed since mine. The foil had no bearings at all, just a plastic liner inside the aluminium. So for the top bearing to jam the foil against the wire it would have to compress the aluminium and this never happened.

 

[oldharry]

I examined mine very carefully before replacing it, and could find no obvious reason for it having caused the wire to fail - and you are of course right Vyv - there is no top bearing as such. Which makes it all the more mysterious as to why they have caused so many forestay failures.

Guess its a bit like the old Stuart Turner engine - if you had a good one, you hung on to it!

 

[Miker]

Mine failed a few years ago, just as you describe. The problem was that it had been set up incorrectly by the boat supplier. The swivel was too low, just above the genoa, allowing the halyard to wrap around the forestay. A rigger lengthened the foil so that the swivel was just below the halyard restrainer, and attached the genoa to the swivel by a short length of rope. No problems since.