A stuck roller furler maybe more common than it is apparent. A stuck roller furler bith a big Genoa in high winds and seas while sailing shorthanded can be qite dangerous. For the benefit of everyone go ahead and indicate what would you do to get the sail down or out of the wind. I'll take a wrapped halyard which will not allow me to furl or drop the sail. I think first concern would be safety, I would deploy jacklines, get into a harness and a life jacket. I would then point the boat straight into the wind and drop and secure the mainsail. I would then release the head sheets and wrestle that flogging sail to the headsatay and tie with the sheets. If it came to a life and death situation I would tear a gash in it along the headstay and let the wind tear it up so I would carry a knife. Pulling on the sheet with a winch may help tear it off. What would you do? What tools may you decide to carry? What preventive measures would you take to preclude it from happening?
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Since you are sailing single....
I would have already had my hand held radio, deployed jacklines, get into a harness and a life jacket. Before I left port. I'm sure your ports and hatch were closed long before you notice tough weather comming. The rest is hypothetical hypothetical.....knife fell overboard..... paulj
I would have already had my hand held radio, deployed jacklines, get into a harness and a life jacket. Before I left port. I'm sure your ports and hatch were closed long before you notice tough weather comming. The rest is hypothetical hypothetical.....knife fell overboard..... paulj
Simpler way .....
The top swivel has a halyard wrapped around it because the top swivel was probably NOT at the very top of the foil. So, disconnect the sail's tack from the furling drum swivel. raise the sail ALL the way up the foil. that will probably restore the proper lead angle of the halyard from the masthead sheeve to the top swivel .... which will/may release the wrap from the top swivel. You may need to 'assist' the halyard to unwrap by turning the foil by hand until the top swivel frees itself if needed. One the halyard is unwrapped, then furl the sail, with the tack of the sail still disconnected from the drum swivel. When back at the dock, apply a proper pendant (wire or spectra, etc.) between the head of the sail and the top swivel so that the top swivel is at the very TOP of the foil .... that will prevent 99.9% of such 'halyard wraps'. If that doesnt correct for the proper lead angle, then install a 'mast diverter block' to the face of the mast ... to get the proper halyard sheeve to top swivel LEAD ANGLE.
The top swivel has a halyard wrapped around it because the top swivel was probably NOT at the very top of the foil. So, disconnect the sail's tack from the furling drum swivel. raise the sail ALL the way up the foil. that will probably restore the proper lead angle of the halyard from the masthead sheeve to the top swivel .... which will/may release the wrap from the top swivel. You may need to 'assist' the halyard to unwrap by turning the foil by hand until the top swivel frees itself if needed. One the halyard is unwrapped, then furl the sail, with the tack of the sail still disconnected from the drum swivel. When back at the dock, apply a proper pendant (wire or spectra, etc.) between the head of the sail and the top swivel so that the top swivel is at the very TOP of the foil .... that will prevent 99.9% of such 'halyard wraps'. If that doesnt correct for the proper lead angle, then install a 'mast diverter block' to the face of the mast ... to get the proper halyard sheeve to top swivel LEAD ANGLE.
Stuck roller furling
A stuck roller furler is actually rare. As I have talked to other sailors now and in the past, I am the only one that I know of that this has happened to. A stuck roller furler with a big Genoa in high winds and seas while sailing shorthanded can be qite dangerous, I agree. But it wont be dangerous till you need to douse it. maybe you could adjust course and leave it up. If I just let it out a lot, it would just make some noise but would not have any real power to speak of. I dont thnk that I would drop the main only because the main would give you stability and power to steer. You really dont want to wallow around in rough seas without power. You will definately not be able to work at all. A severe heel is much better and more stable than bouncing every which way. When this happened, it was a nice day, about 12 knots of wind. Me at age 61, GF at age 66 and her future daughter in-law age 30 were on board. I felt 2 people up front would be more of a safety issue if we wrestled with the headsail on the foredeck. The 30 year old girl was steering with a nice beam reach which kept the sail off of the deck. I originally thought that the retreival line was jammed in the drum so I was up front comfortably unraveling retreival line one round turn at a time. GF was behind me helping to tail the line so it didnt get tangled or drop in the water. All of this was at a leisurely pace. Whe we got the retreival line completely unspooled and couldnt get it to work we had the 30 year old ( never steered a boat before)head up into the wind. I had her stop just short of completely flogging...man, could she ever hold a course. Then I proceded to roll up the jenny by turning the drum by hand. It was a lot easier than you would think. When it was secured, we headed back to the dock. If it came to a life and death situation I too would slash the jenny to death. I showed our ages and experience to give you a better idea of why and how I decided to do it. A 135 jenny on a 39 foot sailboat is a fairly large sail. Like I said earlier, trying to take it off on the foredeck was out of the question even on a nice day. Rich H: YOu may have figured out my problem. I will check it out tomorrow when its light out and hopefully no wind. Tony B P.S. Benny, this will be an interesting post. I already learned something from Rich. This kind of info could just safe someones life someday. I'm not saying that I picked the best option, its the only one that I could think of at the time.
A stuck roller furler is actually rare. As I have talked to other sailors now and in the past, I am the only one that I know of that this has happened to. A stuck roller furler with a big Genoa in high winds and seas while sailing shorthanded can be qite dangerous, I agree. But it wont be dangerous till you need to douse it. maybe you could adjust course and leave it up. If I just let it out a lot, it would just make some noise but would not have any real power to speak of. I dont thnk that I would drop the main only because the main would give you stability and power to steer. You really dont want to wallow around in rough seas without power. You will definately not be able to work at all. A severe heel is much better and more stable than bouncing every which way. When this happened, it was a nice day, about 12 knots of wind. Me at age 61, GF at age 66 and her future daughter in-law age 30 were on board. I felt 2 people up front would be more of a safety issue if we wrestled with the headsail on the foredeck. The 30 year old girl was steering with a nice beam reach which kept the sail off of the deck. I originally thought that the retreival line was jammed in the drum so I was up front comfortably unraveling retreival line one round turn at a time. GF was behind me helping to tail the line so it didnt get tangled or drop in the water. All of this was at a leisurely pace. Whe we got the retreival line completely unspooled and couldnt get it to work we had the 30 year old ( never steered a boat before)head up into the wind. I had her stop just short of completely flogging...man, could she ever hold a course. Then I proceded to roll up the jenny by turning the drum by hand. It was a lot easier than you would think. When it was secured, we headed back to the dock. If it came to a life and death situation I too would slash the jenny to death. I showed our ages and experience to give you a better idea of why and how I decided to do it. A 135 jenny on a 39 foot sailboat is a fairly large sail. Like I said earlier, trying to take it off on the foredeck was out of the question even on a nice day. Rich H: YOu may have figured out my problem. I will check it out tomorrow when its light out and hopefully no wind. Tony B P.S. Benny, this will be an interesting post. I already learned something from Rich. This kind of info could just safe someones life someday. I'm not saying that I picked the best option, its the only one that I could think of at the time.
Easy way to find out ......
Apply maximum halyard tension that you use ... then a wee bit more. Get off the boat and with a binocular in hand look from the side of the boat to see if there is more than 1" of foil sticking out above the top swivel. If yes, Then disconnect the drum swivel to tack grommet on the genoa and raise the sail all the way up. Measure the distance/gap between the shackle and the tack grommet of the sail. Make up a pendant of **non-stretchable** line or cable to the dimension/gap between the shackle and the tack grommet .. less 1 inch. Drop the sail and put the pendent between the head and the top swivel and raise the sail. 99 times out of 100 that will solve all problems of halyard wrap on the top swivel as the swivel will now be at the TOP of the foil. If that doesnt do the correction. get a copy of your furler manual and look for "LEAD ANGLE" of top swivel ... and you may have to put a diverter block at the top of the mast and just below the masthead exit sheeve. ... and that will correct the 1% that isnt correctable by adding the correct length pendant. The top swivel MUST at to top of the foil.
Apply maximum halyard tension that you use ... then a wee bit more. Get off the boat and with a binocular in hand look from the side of the boat to see if there is more than 1" of foil sticking out above the top swivel. If yes, Then disconnect the drum swivel to tack grommet on the genoa and raise the sail all the way up. Measure the distance/gap between the shackle and the tack grommet of the sail. Make up a pendant of **non-stretchable** line or cable to the dimension/gap between the shackle and the tack grommet .. less 1 inch. Drop the sail and put the pendent between the head and the top swivel and raise the sail. 99 times out of 100 that will solve all problems of halyard wrap on the top swivel as the swivel will now be at the TOP of the foil. If that doesnt do the correction. get a copy of your furler manual and look for "LEAD ANGLE" of top swivel ... and you may have to put a diverter block at the top of the mast and just below the masthead exit sheeve. ... and that will correct the 1% that isnt correctable by adding the correct length pendant. The top swivel MUST at to top of the foil.
Too much slack in the halyard
I had a stuck genny all the way from San Diego to San Francisco in September. I blame it on an inexperienced crew member who untied all the halyards the first day. It was just as well that the genny was so hard to unfurl because we would have lost the halyard the first day. I cleated the jib halyard later but didn't get it tight enough. The whole trip the genny was extremely hard to furl and unfurl. At the dock in S.F. I unfurled it all the way and tightened the halyard. The difference was like night and day. It was so easy to furl it back in I was laughing. But you can't tighten the halyard unless you have the genny all the way out. To get it out I yanked on the lee sheet until it binded, then pulled it back in a bit with the furling line. It took about 1/2 hour of this to get it all out. After the halyard was good and tight it took about 10 Sec. to furl or unfurl it. Before you cut up your jib or even go aloft try this.
I had a stuck genny all the way from San Diego to San Francisco in September. I blame it on an inexperienced crew member who untied all the halyards the first day. It was just as well that the genny was so hard to unfurl because we would have lost the halyard the first day. I cleated the jib halyard later but didn't get it tight enough. The whole trip the genny was extremely hard to furl and unfurl. At the dock in S.F. I unfurled it all the way and tightened the halyard. The difference was like night and day. It was so easy to furl it back in I was laughing. But you can't tighten the halyard unless you have the genny all the way out. To get it out I yanked on the lee sheet until it binded, then pulled it back in a bit with the furling line. It took about 1/2 hour of this to get it all out. After the halyard was good and tight it took about 10 Sec. to furl or unfurl it. Before you cut up your jib or even go aloft try this.
I've had a few instances
when my furling headsail furler jammed--always when you are alone in a blow. These instances occurred when my furler was new and we were still getting used to one another. As it turns out, I use both a 150 and 120 genoa on my boat. I created the problem when I switched from the 150 to the 120 as I left too many wraps on the drum. I needed those wraps for the 150, but not the 120, so I set the stage for a furling line overwrap jam. Once I figured that out, no more problems. Also, I found that I needed to create a perfect 90-deg angle from where the furling line exits the drum to the first block on deck. On my H28.5, that block was attached to the aft stanchion of the pulpit and that created the wrong angle as it let the furling line wrap too high on the drum. I simply added a stainless carabiner to the toe rail about 18-in forward to run the furling line through as a fairlead and that created a better exit angle for the line. I've learned that most jams are the result of "pilot error" rather than equipment failure....
when my furling headsail furler jammed--always when you are alone in a blow. These instances occurred when my furler was new and we were still getting used to one another. As it turns out, I use both a 150 and 120 genoa on my boat. I created the problem when I switched from the 150 to the 120 as I left too many wraps on the drum. I needed those wraps for the 150, but not the 120, so I set the stage for a furling line overwrap jam. Once I figured that out, no more problems. Also, I found that I needed to create a perfect 90-deg angle from where the furling line exits the drum to the first block on deck. On my H28.5, that block was attached to the aft stanchion of the pulpit and that created the wrong angle as it let the furling line wrap too high on the drum. I simply added a stainless carabiner to the toe rail about 18-in forward to run the furling line through as a fairlead and that created a better exit angle for the line. I've learned that most jams are the result of "pilot error" rather than equipment failure....
I had a genny problem twice
while in Mexico. The first time was fouled sheets tangled so tight while running downwind in twenty knots of wind and eight foot seas. I just released the halyard and wrestled the sail down onto the deck; the second time, motoring against twenty knots of wind with long, six foot seas. The genny began to unwrap from the inside, gradually coming out. My crew woke me, (these things always happen at night) and once again I had to wrestle the sail down and lash it to the pulpit.
while in Mexico. The first time was fouled sheets tangled so tight while running downwind in twenty knots of wind and eight foot seas. I just released the halyard and wrestled the sail down onto the deck; the second time, motoring against twenty knots of wind with long, six foot seas. The genny began to unwrap from the inside, gradually coming out. My crew woke me, (these things always happen at night) and once again I had to wrestle the sail down and lash it to the pulpit.
had the problem
We had a halyard twist around the head stay and jam the fruling at the masthead. What a pain. I put a man aloft and he triped the halyard off the jib and it fell. all at once. we shrimped a while till we got it in then lowered the crewmate. The back up plan was to go in circles and wrap up the sail using a spare halyard. it will work. Had to do it with a spinnaker that was jamed at the mast head. we just made lots of turns and wound it up. what a pain but we got in.
We had a halyard twist around the head stay and jam the fruling at the masthead. What a pain. I put a man aloft and he triped the halyard off the jib and it fell. all at once. we shrimped a while till we got it in then lowered the crewmate. The back up plan was to go in circles and wrap up the sail using a spare halyard. it will work. Had to do it with a spinnaker that was jamed at the mast head. we just made lots of turns and wound it up. what a pain but we got in.
It is really twisted
I looked up with binocs and the halyard looked like it was 3 times fatter and all twisted. BTW, most of you were right about the loose halyard - inexperienced crew member inadvertantly loosened it. I was able to unfurl it about 1/2 way and tried to untwist it. Then i realized that even if I did get the jib open all of the way, I might not be able to drop it because of the jam and then might not be able to get it furled again. My lines are all ratty so I wont climb the mast the way they are. I bought a new 500 ft spool of Low stretch double braided polyester and tomorrow, I will replace all of my halyards including the spinnaker halyard ( no spinnaker yet), go up the mast and cut the old halyard and remove the sail and give a good inspection with a buddy. If all looks good, we will put jib back on and rock and roll. Thanks for all of your help. Tony B
I looked up with binocs and the halyard looked like it was 3 times fatter and all twisted. BTW, most of you were right about the loose halyard - inexperienced crew member inadvertantly loosened it. I was able to unfurl it about 1/2 way and tried to untwist it. Then i realized that even if I did get the jib open all of the way, I might not be able to drop it because of the jam and then might not be able to get it furled again. My lines are all ratty so I wont climb the mast the way they are. I bought a new 500 ft spool of Low stretch double braided polyester and tomorrow, I will replace all of my halyards including the spinnaker halyard ( no spinnaker yet), go up the mast and cut the old halyard and remove the sail and give a good inspection with a buddy. If all looks good, we will put jib back on and rock and roll. Thanks for all of your help. Tony B
Don't Let the Sheets Fly
On a 36 foot boat the sheets are 1/2 or 5/8 inch and weigh about 1 lb per 10 feet. A flogging sheet on a windy day can easily break your nose or knock you out - not to mention the clew with a big brass grommet and two nice big bowlines blowing around and banging into things. Easy way for you or crew to get injured. Here are some other ideas: Heave to and use the genoa to your advantage while you figure out what is wrong. Heaving to is like magic. Everything gets calmer and quieter. Depending on wind speed and sea room, consider getting on a deep reach and blanketing the genoa. You can then use the sheets to wrap it around the forestay while it is "asleep". You can even reef the main while you are heaved to before trying this. If it is really windy, use the motor to increase your speed and decrease the apparent wind on the genoa. I am not sure sailing in circles is a great idea if its really windy, but in theory it should work.
On a 36 foot boat the sheets are 1/2 or 5/8 inch and weigh about 1 lb per 10 feet. A flogging sheet on a windy day can easily break your nose or knock you out - not to mention the clew with a big brass grommet and two nice big bowlines blowing around and banging into things. Easy way for you or crew to get injured. Here are some other ideas: Heave to and use the genoa to your advantage while you figure out what is wrong. Heaving to is like magic. Everything gets calmer and quieter. Depending on wind speed and sea room, consider getting on a deep reach and blanketing the genoa. You can then use the sheets to wrap it around the forestay while it is "asleep". You can even reef the main while you are heaved to before trying this. If it is really windy, use the motor to increase your speed and decrease the apparent wind on the genoa. I am not sure sailing in circles is a great idea if its really windy, but in theory it should work.
Didn't mean to go forward
and get whacked with stuff. Let the sheets out but keep the bitter ends from going past the leads. Stay away from the clew, etc. Deal with it when the wind subsides. Alone on a bad day with genny problems - I think staying in the cockpit is a viable strategy unless there is some additional problem.
and get whacked with stuff. Let the sheets out but keep the bitter ends from going past the leads. Stay away from the clew, etc. Deal with it when the wind subsides. Alone on a bad day with genny problems - I think staying in the cockpit is a viable strategy unless there is some additional problem.
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