Straightening Rolling furler track

Oct 8, 2014
51
NA NA NA
Anybody have any ideas about how to straighten a plastic rolling furler track that has a bit of an s curve to it? Not sure that it matters, but it is a CDI system.

Thanks,
John
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Heat and time. Some advocate putting the foil into an ABS pipe and letting it sit in the sun for a few days/weeks. Summer's coming. ;)
 
Apr 26, 2015
660
S2 26 Mid On Trailer
Put the mast up and tighten the headstay, remove the sail and let it sit in the heat we have this week unless you are up on the rim.:waycool::biggrin: If your up in the cool country, well... not sure.
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
I believe I have read a story of a CDI furler foil that was not new, it was older, and developed a kink. Nothing the owner did straightened it, so they finally just ordered a new one from CDI.
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
The CDI foil does not come under tension when the mast is raised. The docs suggest that since the foil is shipped rolled up, laying it out on a nice sunny warm day will straighten it, but as the plastic ages, that overall malleability may diminish. As @justsomeguy suggests, an "easy bake oven" may be fashioned out of some black abs pipe. If it's not a kink, I wouldn't worry about it - it'll find it's shape when the sail gets loaded up.
 
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Apr 26, 2015
660
S2 26 Mid On Trailer
The CDI foil does not come under tension when the mast is raised.
But if the headstay is tensioned the plastic tube is a tight enough fit around the wire rope and in 106° F (41°C) it will find the straightness of the wire. The headstay may have to be re-tensioned a few times as the plastic tube straightens. I've done this already. If you have the capability to tension the headstay with the mast down then a heat gun can be used carefully. I do like the pipe idea though.
 
Oct 8, 2014
51
NA NA NA
Thanks guys. It doesn't have a kink. I have it sitting in a pipe on my patio as we speak. I will let you know how it turns out.
 
Aug 7, 2011
496
MacGregor 26S Lakeland, FL
I tried this in the Florida sun. It didn't seem to help. The folks at CDI recommended the pipe thing. However, you might find some success by forcing a reverse bend into it while out in the heat. I ended up buying a new one. I try to be careful now with not letting it hang funny when the mast is down for any length of time. But as others have posted, it is flexible, so as the sail pulls on it, it should flex to the right shape anyway. (It'll just look funny till you get there...)
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Yabut once you have a straight foil from when it's new, it's easy to keep it straight... When the mast is unstepped for transport or storage, make sure you have a piece of wood or something to extend the length of the mast, and thus support the furler drum. Because the furler is always longer than the mast section. It's the geometry of right triangles. You wouldn't believe how many unsupported furler drums I see poking out of tarps and such for winter storage.