Bent Roller Furler / Storage for winter

[towchristopher]

When I was taking my Hunter 26 out of the water for the season and de-stepping the mast, my roller furler was bent. Photo attached. Thoughts on how to repair? Or am I stuck replacing?

What's the best way to store the unit over the winter? I was wondering if I should get some plastic shrink wrap - wrap it and use a heat gun to seal it from the winter elements.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rgranger]

If you don’t have any kinks in the extrusions, you can pull that straight when you step the mast. Kinks would interest with the raising …

 

[towchristopher]

If you don’t have any kinks in the extrusions, you can pull that straight when you step the mast. Kinks would interest with the raising …

What does a kink in the extrusion look like?

 

[garymalmgren]

Hi Christopher.
Your bend is not radical. It is a gentle curve that will straighten out as rgranger has said.
You are lucky.
As for storing, this is a piece of marine equipment that should be able to handle the elements.
Lay it straight somewhere off the ground. Spray a little oil in the swivel if it makes you feel better.

A kink is a sharp bend that will break when straightened.
Here you are.

 

[jssailem]

While not the treatment to the foil of your furler extrusion I would not throw it out. It looks like aluminum extrusion was not supported as the furler was removed from the boat.

I would get several helpers to pick up the furler like you would pick up a person with a back injury. Try to keep the furler aligned and move it to a winter resting place that can support the length and weight of the unit. In our boat yard we secured the furler to a length of fence, tying the furler drum, the length of extrusion in several places and the top swivel about 2 feet off the ground. This kept the unit aligned and together till we were ready in the spring to reassemble the mast and move the rigging to the boat.

I would avoid attempting to straighten the extrusion. When reinstalled on the boat, the normal tension on the forestay will hopefully straighten the extrusions. If not then recognize that the extrusion is made up of several pieces connected together in segments. You can generally purchase individual segments too rebuild the furler replacing the offending part.

When I sold my furler, I separated all of the extrusions into 8 foot lengths. Packaged them into a long tube and shipped them to the new owner. Arrived intact and ready for reconstruction.

 

[rgranger]

I stored mine inside my cabin per @Crazy Dave Condon ’s tutelage. I had to curve it around the cabin to fit. It came out curved (like yours) and straightened when put back up.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Is the extrusion aluminum or plastic

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Looks like in the photo, that only one of the extrusions is bent and so you should be able to buy one extrusion for the model Furlex you have (it looks like a Furlex). Then you take the drum off at the bottom and pull off the good extrusions until you get to the bad one and remove that, put on the replacement extrusions and the others below it and put the drum, etc. back together. All this should be detailed in the manual that comes with the extrusion.
As far as winter storage, it is best to pull the pin that attaches the furler to the mast and just secure the furler along the mast, which will support it.

 

[Claude L.-Auger]

As others have said, I would just change the bent extrusion. Trying to straighten it might work but could you ensure that it would be 100% straight ? And how hard would it be to furl the sail if it was not straight ? As for storing, remove the sail and as Barnacle Bill said, just store it along the mast. Secure it with bungies every 7 to 8 feet to make sure it stays straight. And don't forget to plug up the open ends of the mast otherwise you're likely to find bird nests inside in the Spring when you recommission (Don't ask me how I know !)

 

[Tally Ho]

The worst part of the straightened section would be trying to get the sail raised up,through that section…undoubtedly, the groove would be deformed and the sail would be pinched in that area. if you can get new section, that would be best.

My old CDI is a bit banged up, and getting the sail up in the spring can be challenging as it hits a few joints and pitch points…thankfully, I only have to do it 1x a year.

Greg

 

[DanMaine]

I'd try to bend it straight first. Maybe clamp one end to a board and carefully bend against the board. If you replace a section, many times the connections have Locktite and can be heated with a propane torch to soften the screws/pins. The hardest part might be dealing with the cable end which likely will have to be removed. Then...you might want to replace the wire. I had a boatyard bend my furler badly and it never worked well thereafter - 'very hard to furl.