Seldon Single Line Reefing

Jon magowan

Jon magowan

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The reefing lines on my (new to me) 10 year old Bavaria seem quite reluctant to move in and out of the boom smoothly. I have Seldon single line reefing. The lines themselves are 8 or 10mm, quite clean and in good shape. I want to get inside the boom and give it a good clean and lubrication.
Is this feasible for a DIYer?
It looks complicated and I can’t find much advice via Google.
I’m very happy to have a go, but it would be good to know if it’s actually beyond the average boat owner.
Many thanks in anticipation.
 
Have you found a diagram of the interior of the boom on the Selden website as that might assist as a starter? As a former Bav owner I always found the lines a tug to pull out when dereefing . I guess speaking to a rigger might be another source of info. I have never heard of anyone dissembling a boom simply to lube the blocks though . Maybe absence of any utube vid out there means it doesn’t happen? Are you planning on replacing the lines inside ? Is the boom ashore as maybe a dosing with tap water under pressure might remove accumulated stuff?
 
Thanks ashtead. No plans to change the lines. They are in good shape. Is there any point in trying to lubricate the lines themselves with McLube or such like ?
Yes, it’s new to me, maybe I just need to get used to the idiosyncrasies of the system.
As you say, the lack of information online probably indicates that it’s a non starter for the likes of me ?
 
Jon magowan said:
The reefing lines on my (new to me) 10 year old Bavaria seem quite reluctant to move in and out of the boom smoothly. I have Seldon single line reefing. The lines themselves are 8 or 10mm, quite clean and in good shape. I want to get inside the boom and give it a good clean and lubrication.
Is this feasible for a DIYer?
It looks complicated and I can’t find much advice via Google.
I’m very happy to have a go, but it would be good to know if it’s actually beyond the average boat owner.
Many thanks in anticipation.
Click to expand...
I've a Maxi with a Selden Boom and single line reefing and have taken this apart. It may be that one or more of the rollers on the 'trollies' have failed. There are good diagrams on the Selden site for this system. Ours was a bit stiff at first but after replacing the lines with 8mm Dyneema they run freely. Line lengths are critical on this system.
 
I doubt it the lines but I suppose pulling in (don’t lose the line in the boom) and soaking in bucket of washing powder and comfort might help but I have never done it the issue is the number of blocks I suspect. Do ask on Bavaria owners site though for clues although selden booms used widely on other makes. We have one on our moody and no easier than on a Bav . I guess it’s the price to pay for avoiding the risks of in mast reefing . The other option is to have the headsail cut smaller when investing in new one as Bav sail better with smaller headsails I tend to think.
 
Drill the rivets out of the end cap carefully pull it back and with a torch have a look inside which should tell you the state of the carriages and if any wheels have come adrift or has someone replaced the ropes and somehow got them crossed.
 
I've done it and replaced the 10mm with 8 made all the difference, the advice I have is when you take the end cap off put a large bucket underneath to catch anything. The difficult bit is the line that runs from the block forwards that needs stitching, I did it by hand and it's holding ok . Oh and I found it easier to take the whole thing home
 
My lines on my Selden boom sometimes need a bit of effort but it is usually a matter of freeing the lines where they run outside the boom. If a line from, say, the clew is flopping down into the cockpit, then that corner will introduce significant friction in itself.
 
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