Selden in mast continuos furling line slipping

davethedog

davethedog

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Hello all hope someone can help with this issue.

We have seldom in mast furling and the continuous line slips a lot when furling the sail. I have changed the line to 2 different types (mattbraid and double braid) and still the line slips when furling the sail in.

Is my technique wrong? Currently I keep some light tension on the outhaul, after releasing some tension off the vang and the main sheet, then pull the furl in side of the continuous line. Only when I maintain a lot of tension on the other side of the continuous line does it grip the furling drum at the mast and furl the sail.

So, any suggestions please? Is there a better furl in technique?

Thanks

Dtd
 
To start with, are you using the right diameter rope for the continuous line? Selden say "double plaited" line. New rope can be slippery, when I replace the continuous line I pull the rope through a piece of sandpaper to roughen it up a bit before using it.

When furling, it helps to have the boom on the port side, about 20 degrees, as that makes the sail's entry to the mast easier by reducing friction on the slot.
 
The furling works fine with the Winch handle in the mast Winch. It is just the continuous line slipping that is annoying. May need to buy a new drum for the line
 
The leverage you exert with the winch handle is huge, and can overcome inherent friction from bits which need lubricating. I've found that taking the gear out every couple of years, cleaning and greasing it, works wonders!
 
I always found I needed a fair amount of tension on the "free" end of the continuous loop. IIRC the wheel that the rope sits in sucks the rope in like a series of cleats, so it's hard to see why it would slip if fed in at the right angle, unless the wheel is worn out - I may be remembering incorrectly.... it's almost 10 years since I used it.
 
Having had a similar problem, some years ago, with my Selden In-mast furling line slipping, I fixed the problem temporarily by using 12mm line. However, as others have said, I suspect that the underlying problem is the need to service the system. When did you last lubricate the bearing at the top of the mast?
 
Thanks all and will keep playing with it. It does not always slip but a lot of the time it does. The sail is brand new and comes out very easily and goes in very easily using the mast winch.
 
Richard10002 said:
I always found I needed a fair amount of tension on the "free" end of the continuous loop. IIRC the wheel that the rope sits in sucks the rope in like a series of cleats, so it's hard to see why it would slip if fed in at the right angle, unless the wheel is worn out - I may be remembering incorrectly.... it's almost 10 years since I used it.
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If I keep tension on the free end then it is fine, but that is not that easy to do with one hand pulling in the other end of the continuous line as should be able to pull the sail in by hand or do I have to use a winch!
 
davethedog said:
If I keep tension on the free end then it is fine, but that is not that easy to do with one hand pulling in the other end of the continuous line as should be able to pull the sail in by hand or do I have to use a winch!
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It should pull in fairly easily by hand if the mechanism is well maintained. Make sure you don't have too much halyard tension, as this will increase friction on the furler bearings.
 
The thing is once the line grips it does come in very easily. It is just that sometimes it does not grip and the line goes round the mast winch without turning the drum. I will try loosening the halyard tension a little next as the drum seems fine and have tried lots of different lines and have just bought a new sail, as the old one was baggy and did not furl well at all.
 
pvb said:
Have you serviced the furling gear recently?
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What sort of grease should I use. The manual refers to Seldon grease xxx. Does anyone know of a suitable equivalent please? Greases which are easily available on my boat are waterproof seacock grease, deep sea seal to propshaft grease, and white teflon grease for rigging screws.
Thanks
Mike
 
Vegable said:
What sort of grease should I use. The manual refers to Seldon grease xxx. Does anyone know of a suitable equivalent please? Greases which are easily available on my boat are waterproof seacock grease, deep sea seal to propshaft grease, and white teflon grease for rigging screws.
Click to expand...

Selden grease is quite thick stuff, but almost any grease ought to do the job. The furling gear isn't under huge stresses, but needs to rotate freely.
 
davethedog said:
If I keep tension on the free end then it is fine, but that is not that easy to do with one hand pulling in the other end of the continuous line..................
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If it works fine once the line is gripped in the wheel, it suggests that everything else is fine, and the root of the problem is getting the line to grip in the wheel. What kind of angle is it entering the wheel at - if that makes sense?
 
My new boat with Seldén in mast furling has this issue too. I thought it was my inexpert technique. The only reliable way to operat the furler requires two people - one to slacken the outhaul and furl, and one to keep some significant back tension on the 'free' end of the furling loop. It's better with practice and I have done it single handed but IMHO it's a weakness of that design.
 
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Richard10002 said:
Not sure if the manual helps:

http://www.seldenmast.com/files/1426855956/595-063-E.pdf
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Not seen this before, thank you, I have layout 1. I have to say my operating experience doesn't match the manual!

1. There is no mention in here of the need to keep back tension on the furling line when furling.
2. Unfurling using only the outhaul with both ends of the furling line 'free' will result in the whole sail emerging incredibly quickly. If that's what you want then fair enough, but it's very uncontrolled.
 
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