How does one remove the plastic fittings at either end of the roller furling tube ? A knotted piece of jib furl line is stuck inside which stops me from threading my line thru.
Hunter 146 - blocked chase tube (roller furling tubing)
- Thread starter mstoffer
- Start date
Sorry, I'm not sure what I'm looking at. It looks like the base of your furling body is sitting in a stationary mast base. I don't see any plastic fittings. And I don't see how this functions as a roller furler. But the "tube" does look to be the same as what is on my boat. I've attached a pic. On mine, you simply remove the screw seen in this pic.
Hope this helps. If not, maybe a different pic or description will help.
Hope this helps. If not, maybe a different pic or description will help.
He's talking about that anus looking thing in the center of the picture. The jib sheet is almost covering it. The "mouth" is at the bow right near the furling drum.
Try pouring some vegetable oil in at the bow then get a sturdy hose and push it through.
If that works then soapy water clean out.
Last resort is cut an access hole and replace cutout with one of those water tight ventilation coverd
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Heres the through hull fitting. Its for sale here on SBO. Looks like there is a nut on the side that is inaccessible. I bet you turn the screw it will simply break the seal then spin. There is a spring clamp holding the chase tube to that on the inside. You wont be able to reasseble without an access opening.
Yeah, I’ve tried turning the fitting - it just spins. Badly designed part - both fittings have a lip on them so if you try to push the jib furl line thru it gets hung up on the lip. Have successfully used a wire to pull the line thru in the past but this time it got all balled up and stuck in the tube (had to cut the furl line). So now, I have to bypass the tube (as you noticed) and go directly from the furling drum to the jam cleat.
Try a snake or if you can a high sucking vacuum. For those of you that line ran thru a hose fitting secured inside without any access through a hose and out the other end thru the same fitting. Not one of the finest design which I squeaked about
Thanks Crazy Dave, but the blockage is a tightly knotted jib furl line that can’t be pulled through the fitting with all my strength - so a vacuum won’t work. I guess I can try a plumbers snake, though. Or maybe, just break the fitting off but knowing that the inside portion may remain there which would mean I haven’t solved anything.
Some other 170 owner posted this mod
https://hunter.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=11&aid=7302&mn=170
Mod posted by Mike Garrison
https://hunter.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=11&aid=7302&mn=170
Mod posted by Mike Garrison
I was reading this material last night - as the bow end (with a figure 8 knot on it!) of my Hunter 170's furling line was pulled into the chase tube. The last two times out we tried a workaround as displayed here by MStouffer... which didn't work real well. The poor alignment resulted in wear on the line and only about 70-80% of the jib furling.
BUT I couldn't pull the furling line out from the aft end. I couldn't PUSH it out (with a 1/4" copper wire). I tried to "hook it" with a straightened fish hook fastened to the end of that same copper wire - and pull it out... The fish hook broke... I purchased a 6" inspection port and was ready to cut a hole into the starboard sidewall (as in BobbyFunn's photos)
***BUT***
I thought "okay, I'm not strong enough to pull the knot out of the tube but perhaps I can with the help of my Boom Vang." I tied a bowline in the aft end of the furling line just as it exited the chase tube - connected my boom vang to it and the other end to a line that was attached to the aft crossbeam of the trailer beneath the boat. Cinched it up rrrreally tight - then simply lifted (like "sweating" a halyard) the boom vang line so that it was aligned with the chase tube and BOOM! (pun intended) the line and stopper knot SHOT OUT like a bullet! Easiest fix ever! No need for oil - or cutting.
My future plans for the aft end of the furling line (double Figure 8 knot) post furling cam-cleat...
My future plans for the bow end of the furling line (double Figure 8 knot) prior to entry of chase tube. A simple figure 8 stopper knot was NOT large enough to prevent this problem.
My planned work-around if I had been unable to remove the line today. Single block located just above chase tube entry.
BUT I couldn't pull the furling line out from the aft end. I couldn't PUSH it out (with a 1/4" copper wire). I tried to "hook it" with a straightened fish hook fastened to the end of that same copper wire - and pull it out... The fish hook broke... I purchased a 6" inspection port and was ready to cut a hole into the starboard sidewall (as in BobbyFunn's photos)
***BUT***
I thought "okay, I'm not strong enough to pull the knot out of the tube but perhaps I can with the help of my Boom Vang." I tied a bowline in the aft end of the furling line just as it exited the chase tube - connected my boom vang to it and the other end to a line that was attached to the aft crossbeam of the trailer beneath the boat. Cinched it up rrrreally tight - then simply lifted (like "sweating" a halyard) the boom vang line so that it was aligned with the chase tube and BOOM! (pun intended) the line and stopper knot SHOT OUT like a bullet! Easiest fix ever! No need for oil - or cutting.
My future plans for the aft end of the furling line (double Figure 8 knot) post furling cam-cleat...
My future plans for the bow end of the furling line (double Figure 8 knot) prior to entry of chase tube. A simple figure 8 stopper knot was NOT large enough to prevent this problem.
My planned work-around if I had been unable to remove the line today. Single block located just above chase tube entry.