Rotostay 4 issue

[Trailer_sailor]

Hi all

I have an issue with a rotostay 4. The boat is new to me and I just put the mast up to check everything was there. I noticed that when the foil rotates the eye at the top bashes the mast. It has obviously been set up like this for a long time because the mast is worn. I've tried a long shackle at the top and also winding less of the forestay into the bottle screw to lower the foil but no joy.

I'd welcome any suggestions.

 

[wilkinsonsails]

Cut a short section of foil off .With a dremel or similar and push top cap back on further down .

 

[VicS]

There should be a toggle at the top but if a long shackle did not cure the problem then a toggle wont either.

Wilkinsonsails' suggestion should cure the problem if the sail luff is not so long that shortening the furler spar is not possible. It should have been supplied "made to measure" though

If you do not have the instructions for assembling and installing the furler this link may be of interest https://swift18.org/docs/Rotostay-FS4-FS5.pdf

 

[Trailer_sailor]

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought of that. It would certainly move the eye away from the mast but a somewhat nuclear option which needs careful measurement first! VicS how did you know I have a swift 18 ?

I think that before I make my next move I need to know:

The luff length of my sail.
The foil length of my rotostay
The foil length of a rotostay from another swift 18.

I've decided to put some protection tape on the mast and use as is for the remainder of the season. If it has been working like this for years then a few more months won't make much difference. I'll fix it in the winter when I get a chance to do things in slow time. In the meantime I shall ask if anyone on the swift facebook page can measure the foil length of their rotostay.

Thanks

 

[VicS]

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought of that. It would certainly move the eye away from the mast but a somewhat nuclear option which needs careful measurement first! VicS how did you know I have a swift 18 ?

I didn't. I just Googled for Rotostay 4. It's pure coincidence that it came up on the Swift 18 website, but back in April you were asking questions about a Swift 18 so I could, or should, have found out if I'd done my research properly.