What should be looking for - Furling drum

[Jorge Baptista]

Hi,
i have been having some problems to furl and rarely unfurl the headsail.
When i try to furl i pull very hard on the rope but the drum doesn't move or moves with dificulty and sometimes doesn't move at all. I have to go to the bow and pull the rope near the drum, still a bit dificult but much easier and lately it is the only way that i can furl the headsail.

At the top of the mast it seams ok, the bearings working fine. Drum i don't know what to look for but i can't see anything wrong.
The rope of the drum is a bit stiff.

Any ideas for what to look for i would appreciate.

Regards.

 

[West Coast]

What make and model is your furler? Any photos?

 

[Boathook]

If the halyard tension is very high, that can make it difficult to furl and unfurl.
But make and model plus pictures makes life a lot easier.

 

[Daverw]

My first thought would be that something is fouling the bottom drum, has it dropped slightly and catching on wire swage fittings

 

[bignick]

Boatjook is probably correct. The first thing to check is whether you still have the same problem with the halyard eased.
Also, there are lubrication points on most furlers and swivels. Squirt grease into these (read your manual first) and then try again.

 

[jlavery]

Check the quality of the turning blocks along the deck. "A bit difficult" amplifies to "very hard" at the back of the boat. Replaced plastic furler line blocks on a friend's boat with decent 'proper' blocks and this transformed the furling efficiency.

Still worth seeing if you can resolve the friction in the drum/foil assembly.

 

[RupertW]

And do check the top of the furler if you can as that might be why it’s hard to turn.

 

[dansaskip]

Last year I was finding it increasingly hard to furl my headsail. With the sail off I cleaned out all the old grease form the top and bottom furlers or swivels, regressed and the difference was amazing.
The only way to check is to take off the sail and furling line so you know the problem is not caused by either of those and see if the swivels/furlers spin freely, and I mean spin not just turn!
My bet would be on those as the problem.

 

[LadyInBed]

How stiff does the drum feel when rotated by hand?
Does it feel 'gritty' which could indicate bearings need looking as.

 

[Biggles Wader]

"The rope of the drum is a bit stiff"
Do you mean the furling line is not supple or caked in dirt? If so it needs washing or replacement because it needs to run easily.

 

[Jorge Baptista]

Thank you all for the replies, and sorry for my delay on replying, lot of work these last days.
By hand the drum seams ok (last time i checked) and at the top of the mast ok too.
I don't think it's tension, because i ease the headsail and let the wind to come out before starting to close the sail. (sorry for my bad writing, hope you can understand what i'm trying to say).
I don't know what brand is my furling drum, sorry.
What would be the best grease? I can try to see if it solves the problem.

Regards.

 

[thalassa]

I don't know what brand is my furling drum, sorry.
What would be the best grease? I can try to see if it solves the problem.

Regards.

It says 'Goiot' on the drum. I had the same drum on my old boat. I never had to put grease in, never had a problem. Put tension on the backstay when furling.

 

[tjbrace]

My Harken furler works fine, however, the furling line is held by a clutch on the side deck adjacent to the cockpit. When furling the sail, I have to pull quite hard to get the clutch to release the line. Initially, I thought it was the lower drum playing up but it is definitely the clutch ‘hanging on’ too much.

 

[Jorge Baptista]

Quote "It says 'Goiot' on the drum. I had the same drum on my old boat. I never had to put grease in, never had a problem. Put tension on the backstay when furling. "
How this might help?

 

[Jorge Baptista]

My Harken furler works fine, however, the furling line is held by a clutch on the side deck adjacent to the cockpit. When furling the sail, I have to pull quite hard to get the clutch to release the line. Initially, I thought it was the lower drum playing up but it is definitely the clutch ‘hanging on’ too much.

I don't have clutch for the furling, i use a cleat.

 

[LadyInBed]

Put tension on the backstay when furling. "
How this might help?

It helps take any bowing out of the furler foil.

 

[Jorge Baptista]

It helps take any bowing out of the furler foil.

Thanks for the advice.
But does it make sense in light winds? I had this problem even with dead wind.
I have the feeling that something is holding, but i can't figure it out.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Does this help? https://goiot-systems.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Ancien-enrouleur-360-a-365.pdf

 

[neil_s]

I had a problem like this earlier in the season. Like many others, I have a spinnaker haliard that is clipped to the push-pit when not needed. I must have let the tension out of it, because it would get caught up in the headsail as it was being furled and jam it. Going forward and trying to turn the drum didn't work - you had to let the sail out again. Panic set in as on pulling the furling line the jam up happened again!

 

[Jorge Baptista]

I had a problem like this earlier in the season. Like many others, I have a spinnaker haliard that is clipped to the push-pit when not needed. I must have let the tension out of it, because it would get caught up in the headsail as it was being furled and jam it. Going forward and trying to turn the drum didn't work - you had to let the sail out again. Panic set in as on pulling the furling line the jam up happened again!

when i was crossing gibraltar to Madeira had the same problem, i managed to move the haliard where it doesn't get caught up.