Can Roller Furler Be Serviced?

[Glenn Greene]

I'm looking at purchasing a boat, but the roller furler doesn't work properly. The unit is very difficult to un-furl and re-furl with a genoa on it. While tied up at the dock on a windless day, the only way we could unfurl the genoa was with one person pulling on the furling line, while the other hand operated the furler at he bow. Rolling it back up was the same. No matter how hard we pulled, it didn't want to move. I guess we could have put in on a winch, but I figured that would just break something.The broker is trying to tell me this is caused by the algae growing on the furling line. I find this hard to believe since the furler has an open spool and no areas where there a tight tolerances. Can these units be dis-assembled, cleaned, lubed and then re-assembled? Will the swivel at the top need servicing too?

 

[Bill lowe]

Don't think algae on the furling line

is the problem. It sounds like the bearings are shot. You didn't mention the brand of furler but I'd start with the manufacturer.The furlers that I am familiar with only have 2 places with bearings. One is at the base of the reel and the other is at the head attachment. Try turning the furler foil w/out the sail on it by hand. You should be able to tell if its bearings. If the foil, reel, and head attachment turn feely, then start checking each pulley or whatever from the furler back to your cleating point to make sure they are all working freely. Also make sure the angle from the forward most pulley provides a straight shot that forms a right angle to the reel.Hope this helps.