Jib Furler Help!

[kupskius]

Me again!

First of all, thanks everyone for your thorough answers on my previous issues! Voracity is at the slip, mast rigged, engine purring like a kitten...

Now I am faced with a jib furler issue on my 1980 Hunter Cherubini 30. I understand that a furling system requires a head swivel, as to not allow the halyard to turn with the foil (correct?). Most I have seen look like the ones in the diagram below.

Mine, however, appears to have a cable (not the forestay ) running through the foil, up to a block at the top, then down the mast (not quite down to the deck when fully pulled down. I don't have a picture as I can't get up to the top of the mast (needless to say if I could, I would figure it out).

The cable has a slug that pulls the sail slug that the jib head attaches to, up the foil. My assumption is that this cable is actually used to raise the jib, and then secures at the bottom of the mast acting as a halyard. I figure that the foil is able to spin freely of the cable, thus preventing the cable from wrapping.

I am an Engineer, and often not very articulate. When explaining this to my wife and marina neighbors, they all looked at me as if I had 3 heads! LoL.

Any advice?

 

[Dalliance]

Kupskius,

I'm afraid you would have seen the same look on my face as I was reading this. No head swivel and a halyard cable inside the foil in addition to the forestay? If I understand what you are describing, it sounds to me like a dubious DIY fix for a lost head swivel. It can't possibly function as a roller furler. Mine is set up exactly like the standard diagram you included in your post.

Roller furlers are common to all makes. You'll cast a wider net for answers if you post this in the Ask All Sailors section. Photos or a hand sketched diagram would be helpful.

 

[Ward H]

My assumption is that this cable is actually used to raise the jib, and then secures at the bottom of the mast acting as a halyard.

Could it be a CDI furler? They have an internal halyard, meaning the halyard runs inside the foil, then back down the furler on a slug. This eliminates the need for a head swivel.
Could it be that the slug came out of the slot? I don't know if it is possible since I don't have one but considered a CDI when purchasing a new furler.

 

[SailormanDan]

It does sounds like my CDI furler, see if the attached manual is of any value.
And yes, this isn't a Cherubini-specific question, if you don't get a good answer here, ask in a more general forum.

 

[Dalliance]

It does sounds like my CDI furler, see if the attached manual is of any value.
And yes, this isn't a Cherubini-specific question, if you don't get a good answer here, ask in a more general forum.

I'm not familiar with CDI furlers (Mine is Harkin.), but this must be what Kupskius is describing. The halyard is contained entirely within the foil; not run down the mast as he was assuming. Learn something new here every day.

 

[kupskius]

Thanks all! Yes, it is a CDI Furler and the wire Halyard does spin with the Foil, as the Halyard is secured at the top of the bottom spool, not the mast! The Manual was most helpful... yes, we do learn something every day!

Now, if I can only get the Halyard pulled down from the top of the mast (of course I tied a line to pull it down, and of course the line came off). I've seen this happen so many times at the marina...

 

[justsomeguy]

The Manual was most helpful..

Ah, good.

Now, if I can only get the Halyard pulled down from the top of the mast

Aw, drat!

 

[SailormanDan]

Oh good, I knew something sounded familiar when you described it. Good luck with it!