Ben31 In mast roller furling problem - HELP!

[SMOOTH JAZZ]

I have a new Beneteau 31 and am experiencing great difficulty when trying to put the main away. Did all the stuff im supposed to do even heading the boat with wind slightly to port as recommended on Neil Pryde website. Very difficult to get it started furling back into the mast. Takes a great deal of tugging, winching, and cursing before it will begin to furl, then once it does a fair amount of muscle to complete the furling. I'm very concerned as if i need to reef or furl quickly i'll be unable to do so. Anybody experience this or have any ideas on how to fix.

Thanks,

Smooth Jazz

 

[mac1840]

Have you lubricated the track and boom car? On our first sail on our 43, I had similar issues but it was pulling it out and furling it. Non-use is just bad for running gear and the bearings were just dry. Once lubricated, it can be pulled out with minimal effort and no winch needed at all to furl, even when its blowing hard. Now I just clean the boom track and dry lube the car and track before each sail, no issues.

mac

 

[Bill C320 Papillon]

What type of furler is it? On most in-mast furlers, halyard tension plays a big role (no pun intended). Start with a very tight halyard and if it is still difficult, slack it a little and try again. Also play with vang position.

 

[SMOOTH JAZZ]

This is a US Spars Mast and Boom with a Neil Pryde PBF (Power Batten Furling main with vertical battens). Have not lubed it yet as i assumed since it was new the dealer would have prepared and tested it appropriately(maybe a bad assumption). You mention a dry lube is there a specific product you would recommend? I have tried varying halyard and vang tension but it hasn't helped. Thanks for your replies!

 

[mac1840]

Bill is correct on Halyard tension. I had to adjust it as well. I assume your releasing the Vang, mainsheet so the boom is effectively floating free when furling as well as unfurling?

If it continues, call the broker you bought it from and pull them into this. Its new, one of the advantages of not buying used is the warranty.

mac

 

[SMOOTH JAZZ]

Thanks, yes the dealer is involved, we've played with halyard tension and made sure lines are free when furling. A recent halyard adjustment has it unfurling OK. The real problem is getting the sail started going back in when it's all the way out. Once it gets started it's mangeable. The dealer seems to be at a loss and they've contacted Beneteau and Neil Pryde looking for solutions.

 

[CABixler]

....The dealer seems to be at a loss and they've contacted Beneteau and Neil Pryde looking for solutions.

I have ironically just gone through some issues my self in the third season with our 331. I just posted some thoughts and I hope these observations will help. After "discovering" the cure and spending the week sailing here in Chicago I feel much more comfortable with how the main furls and I als have the US Spars.

Yes proper halyard tension is important but only to the point of normal luff tension in the sail. Which would be where you would be when your sailing.

I much bigger effect is the positon and freedom of the "clew" (aft corner) of the sail. The main is cut at an angle and the foot (bottom edge of the sail) tilts up about 7-10 degrees.
It is hard to describe but I will try, it is critical that both the bottom foot as well as the leech (aft edge) of the main maintain the same approximate tension. If the boom is too far down the sail will not be free to roll up and the leech will be in too much tension and start to bind up.

Here is my method (that at least works really well for me) now after my third season:

* Head up into the wind to let the main luff free
* Loosen the mainsheet a few feet
* Critical part: Loosen the boom vang, my is lead aft so it's easy
* Critical part: Tighten up the topping lift and raise the boom maybe 6-12"
* Start to winch in the inhaul
* Ease off on the outhaul at the same time and let it go free if there is any breeze. I used to keep some tension on the outhaul but now all week I just let her go and luff about. Rolled in much easier and rolled in nice and flat and even. I suppose if it's dead calm or blowing like stink I would keep very light tension but so far this has worked great

​

Anyway this is what works well for me and I wish you luck. I can assure you everyone on the this board has a method they use and if it works great. This is our third season on a 2004 model 331. I did add a brand new main this year which maybe a crisp new main is less forgiving which is why this year I had more issues then in the past.

Regards,
Craig

 

[pearle]

Smooth Jazz -- I am having the same problem on my new to me 31. Please let me know what works for you -- all these minor adjustments seem very finicky. If I tension the main halyard too much it causes a bind at the mast bend and it jams up there -- too loose and it jams at the bottom.
It looks to me like too much material on the sail at the clew combined with the webbing makes an impossible jam.

Also mine makes a loud CLANG when it finally comes out 100% from the mast -- do you have that?

 

[mac1840]

Pearle,

When you let it out are you letting the wind pull it out or are you pulling it out? The only thought other than a loose mount on the furler for the clang is if your letting the wind unfurl it and it's spinning out too fast when it reaches the end. Is the clang coming from the base mount or the mast head mount?

 

[pearle]

Mac,
I am just in the marina - no wind at all, taking it out slowly. But I have also taken it out under wind at sea - regardless of how it comes out a large clank comes from the base mount - something hitting the inside of the mast - I think it is the ring the webbing is tied to. I am taking the sail off this weekend to investigate whether the extrusion is bent.

 

[danb123]

My 31 too makes a nice clang when the main is fully unfurled...just seems like the sail/halyard dropping all the way out...the only 'gripe' I have is everytime I begin to furl the main I have to get up and tuck the sail's leading edge into the slot in the mast...it always (100% of the time) catches if I don't...not a problem just a nuisance...I have to agree with everyone here you probably have a tension problem on one of your lines...something is likely too tight and preventing the car from sliding freely or the main from spinning around the halyard.


-Dan

 

[pearle]

I managed to figure a few things out - I slacked off the topping lift and sheets to get the correct angle on the boom -- slightly less than 90 degrees. I then took the sail in and out 10 - 12 times once I had the angle right. It seemed to sort itself out at that angle but I am concerned about how sensitive it is to these small variations.

Nice to know mine isn't the only 'clanger' and I too have the issue with the leading edge. Hopefully with use the leading edge will work itself out.