Wrong Furlex slot - bit of a disaster

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brownsox

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We bought this boat last season so had only raised the genoa once before. Raising it yesterday, incredibly hard work. Then tried to lower it at half way point and it wouldn't shift. Eventually got it down with brute force.
Was this just because we used a slot that hadn't been used for its 7 year life?or could there be some other problem lurking? And what if anything do people use to lubricate it - spray silicone on luff rope maybe?
All comments welcome.
 
Wrong Furlex Slot

You could try measuring the slot diameter and also the genny luff rope diameter (including sail) to see if there is a huge difference. Also you could try pulling a smaller diameter (than the slot) luff rope (no sail) up the slot with a bit of dry silicone spray on it, just to give the slot a clear out and some lubrication before trying the genny again (if the first measurement shows that the genny luff rope and slot are compatible). I would expect the genny luff rope including sail to be 1mm or so smaller then the luff slot ..... but to be honest I have never measured mine that closely!!

Alan.
 
I'm in the process of replacing an ancient Rotostay with a new Furlex 400S and have been told that my genny rope luff will have to be modified from 8mm to 6mm.

Might be worth checking yours to see if it needs a trip to the sailmaker.
 
Could be the luff rope inside the luff has shrunk causing the sail material to pucker. That was what happened on mine. Solved by unpicking the stitching at the bottom, letting the rope relax and restitching.
 
The best lubricant would be McLube Sailkote but I'd be looking for the physical reason why it jams. Furlex usually have two grooves in the foil (well mine does) so try the other one. As said it needs a 6mm bolt rope but if you managed it last time then what has changed?
 
I've just fitted a genoa to my friends Furlex and the bolt rope is quite small in diameter. It was difficult to raise, it is the original wire halliard with a rope tail and I suspect the masthead pulley is jammed.
This is what happened on my boat recently and it made a lot of difference once sorted out. The spinnaker halliard sheave was also stuck so it's quite likely the adjacent genoa halliard is as well.
 
Can't get my genoa up either, but this is due to the halyard swivel twisting out of line with the foil luff groove and a worn slide inside the swivel causing the swivel to jam when pulled up or down.
Complete pita as I need a new Goiot swivel and they are part of Plastimo.
 
I bought a boat last spring that had been re-rigged and had had a Furlex system fitted the previous season but not sailed. My first question was about the yankee luff rope size Yes, it did need changing.
If yours is the right size then, after a physical check, go with the silicone as others have recommended.
 
MoodySabre said:
The best lubricant would be McLube Sailkote but I'd be looking for the physical reason why it jams. Furlex usually have two grooves in the foil (well mine does) so try the other one. As said it needs a 6mm bolt rope but if you managed it last time then what has changed?
Click to expand...

I would go for a cheaper lubricant and lots of it, the slot may be full of dirt.
One of the dinghies I sail has a too large bolt rope, the stuff that seems to work best is tesco cheapest furniture polish aerosol.
Getting a new luff tape put on should not be difficult or expensive. The bolt rope is usually integrated into a tape now. I think it often has teflon thread in there too.
 
if not used for long time slot will have dust salt, muck Ali salts all sort get a short length of kadar of right size attach downhaul and pull it up and down slot with
 
Find a piece of rope/cord wihich will fit comfortably inside the slot. Whip on strong loops at either end (very strong loops of two or three turns of twine are best) attach a suitable halyard to one end and a downhaul lead of some description to the other. Fit the rope in the slot so that the loops come out of the slot. Soak your bit of rope liberally with teflon/silicon lubricant and then just start working it up and down inside the slot. Keep relubricating as necessary. Also works on the mainsail slots as well. Takes two minutes.

When done, the rope goes into your tool box for the start of next season.

Works so well I have to lower the sail on it's halyard to avoid dumping the whole thing at once on the deck.

All this is assuming that your luff rope is in fact not too big for the groove.

Good luck

Chas
 
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