Rotorstay

[boomerangben]

A simple one for you. Correct me if I am wrong, but to take a sail off Rotostay genoa furling gear you unfirl the sail, attach a line to the end of the halyard (which I assume is the wire that runs down the out side of the foil and attaced to the top of the drum) and pull the sail down.

What are the potential pit falls in doing this for the first time in a couple of years.

Need to get a shredded sail down after the storms. It has been a sad morning, but at least she is still afloat. Two boats here have sunk/been washed ashore and loads of others damaged.

 

[philip_stevens]

Correct.

I had one like this on my previous boat. A modified system uses the genoa halyard via the mast sheeve, and it is made off at the bottom of the mast. If you contact Ian Cochrane at http://www.xwrigging.co.uk/ - after the boat show - they will give you all the details if you want to change. They make the Rotastay systems.

There is nothing wrong with the system the way it is. It served me well for 8 years, and was on the boat from 1984!! and still going strong even now the boat is on charter work - well, in the summer at least.

 

[Talbot]

I have a rotostay, and your thoughts are correct. My boat came with a piece of rope and a quick shackle connector to connect to the wire that runs down the front of the foil. This then enabled the sail to be dropped easily whilst enabling a future hoist without problems. However, once you have removed the sail remnants, you will need to secure this rope and wire in such a way that the quick shackle connector cannot bang against the foil.

 

[colvic987]

you will need to make sure that when you are letting the sail down and the wire halyard is attached to a rope long enough to reach the top of the foil, and you keep a tight hold, because if the sheave at the top of the mast is worn, it might slip off the pulley wheel, i have found that if you keep the wire and rope at the same angle of the foil , it will come down easy, if you have someone to help then much easier... good luck...

there is a modification to upgrade, but have never seen one, if someone has any info or pictures, please post as i would be interested on the modification....

 

[philip_stevens]

Read my reply at the top.

regards,
Philip

 

[Spuddy]

Off subject but glad to hear your boats ok.

 

[boomerangben]

Thanks everyone. It is a beautiful calm day here so I am off to give it a try. I have been flying around the Western Isles this morning and the damage is awful. Rooves off, flooded farm land, drifting fish farms and dead sheep everywhere. Most of the Uists are still without power. If there were trees up here, the damage would have been far worse.