Adjusting forestay with CDI furler

[Manny]

Help! I just put my mast up with my new rigging and I ran into a problem. I need to tighten the turnbuckle and install the cotter pins on my forestay but I can't access the turnbuckle completely. I have a CDI roller furler and I can't raise the drum high enough . If I read the manual correctly, I should be able to do this. Has anyone had the same problem?The only solutions I can think of are: 1) Using one of my sheets acting as a forestay, undo the forestay/furler and remove the drum, tighten the upper portion of the turnbuckle, pin it and then try adjusting just the bottom portion or 2) Again using the sheet as a temporary forestay, cut down the plastic luff slightly hopefully giving me enough wiggle room to adjust the forestay (but not removing enough to cause the jib not to hit the pulpit and lifelines).Here's another thought, how do you measure forestay tension with the furler on?Manny

 

[Alan]

Please wait!!

You are going about this all wrong. The length of the headstay (adjustment of the turnbuckle) is for mast rake ONLY! It has nothing whatever to do with the tension in the headstay.After proper mast rake is determined and set(headstay length), there is no need to make any further adjustments to it. Headstay tension is completely controlled by shroud and/or backstay tension.To engage the the headstay to the stem fitting you slacken the backstay and, if needed, you can secure a jib halyard to the bow and winch the masthead forward. A covered headstay(as with an extrusion) cannot have its tension measured in the conventional sense, nor is it needed. Headstay sag is an adjustable sail control that is accomplished at the backstay. When sailing down wind a large headstay sag is a good thing. Conversely, sailing up wind usually requires some adjustment to the headstay sag. Increasing the backstay adjuster will increase headstay tension.

 

[Lou 14643]

On the CDI furler there is a pin that secures the

headstay foil to the drum (furler) unit (which is covering your turnbuckle). You must remove this pin which will allow the foil to drop further into the drum. Careful of your fingers doing this! Hold up the foil when you remove the pin (three hands would be good for this) and then slide the drum unit up the foil to expose the turnbuckle. It should give you the access you need if you can keep the foil pushed all the way up the headstay. Hope I've been clear with this. Good luck!

 

[Lou 14643]

To further clarify, here's a link to CDI's diagram

the pin I'm talking about is "C" in this diagram. It is called the "luff support pin." Also, what I called the foil, they call the "luff extrusion." Hope this is helpful.

 

[Mike]

Trick to hold up the drum

After sliding up the furling drum enough to clear the end of the extrusion, push the extrusion up as high as youcan. Take a small pair of visegrips and lock them onto the terminal above the threads. Gently lower the extrusion until it rest on the vise grips, Now you can make any adjustments necessary on your turnbuckle. After you've finished, lift the extrusion, remove the vise grips, and lower the extrusion slowly back down.

 

[Manny]

Thanks Lou

That pin!!!! Somehow it slipped my mind, but I know exactly what you mean. Pulling the pin will allow me to slide the drum all the way up the mast if I want. What a relief!Thanks for the setup tips Alan, I'll keep that in mind when the boat splashes and I can fine tune the rigging.Thanks all for your help,Manny

 

[r.w.landau]

Manny, just a note.

When you try to put the pin back in, you will need to slide the foil back up the forestay so that after the pin is inserted, the pin will keep the foil from touching the turn buckle.(if you pick up the foil before you pull the pin, it will make pulling the pin easier and the foil won't fall 4" down to the turn buckle.) If you do not put the pin back in, the foil will turn the turn buckle. Not a good thing.Good luck,r.w.landau

 

[Lou 14643]

You've got it Manny!

I'm sure you'll have no problem. I also use Mike's idea of a Vice Grip on the stay, just try to keep it on the hardware and not on the cable, so you don't do any damage and weaken the stay.P.S. - love the duck!

 

[Manny]

Cutlass...

is the duck's name. He used to come and help me work on the boat last spring. He would be around every day I was there and sit under the boat if I was on or in it. If I came down he would stay nearby or lie under the neighboring boat and watch. I would share my sandwiches and breakfast bars with him. I haven't seen him this year, hopefully he found a nice boat babe to hang with!!!!I'll try the vise grips or preferably some rubber tip clamps which are less aggressive to hold up the plastic luff. Thanks again,Manny