Continuous mainsail furling
- Thread starter Seahawk345
- Start date
Well....I guess I must be doing something wrong,....so sure, the help would be appreciated. How should it work....???
Nope. The issue was still "on-going' when I hauled the boat out for the winter. I had some very helpful input from the members on this site over the last months of the summer but, the issue is still unresolved. The furling system inside the mast works fine....ie, the sail will unfurl easily so the sail is not jamming up inside . I am also able to furl it again easily as long as Use the furling winch at the base of the mast. It furls effortlessly. The only issue I have is suing the continuous furling line which is led back to the cockpit to try and furl the sail once its out. The continuous loop furling line just slip through the teeth on the winch at the mast base.....the winch cant seem to "grip" the line....it just slides through the teeth and won't grab enough to furl in the sail. Once I go up on deck and use the winch handle in the winchtho furl the sail back in, it works perfectly. So.....I used it that way til the end of last season, then cut the line off and removed it. In the spring I'm going to try a different type of line.....either thicker,.....or less "high tech" ( slippery) .
I think both your angles makes sense, Seahawk. I have had similar issues occasionally with my continuous furling line when the sail is loaded up too much. I was going to suggest a line that's less slippery and potentially thicker. It looks like you've got that covered. In addition, I've learned to only use the line when it's sheeted on the self-tailer on the cabin top. I've had issues with manually pulling the line by hand; both with the sail jamming in the slot and with the continuous line slipping on the pulley like you're describing.
It might be slower to use the winch, but I've found it to be far more reliable.
I hope you'll keep us updated on the issue when you start sailing again next spring.
It might be slower to use the winch, but I've found it to be far more reliable.
I hope you'll keep us updated on the issue when you start sailing again next spring.
@Seahawk345
When I was fitting out my first boat I bought new jib sheets. Using the adage bigger must be better I bought lines that were so big they wouldn't go through the turning blocks. Expensive lesson.
Now when I'm planning on ordering new lines, if I'm unsure about which line I want or need, or if I'm just interested in a new line I read about, I order a 2' to 3' length when ordering something else from my favorite supplier. I'd rather spend $5 on samples than order a new 50' or 100' line and find out I don't like the feel, stiffness, size, etc.
When I was fitting out my first boat I bought new jib sheets. Using the adage bigger must be better I bought lines that were so big they wouldn't go through the turning blocks. Expensive lesson.
Now when I'm planning on ordering new lines, if I'm unsure about which line I want or need, or if I'm just interested in a new line I read about, I order a 2' to 3' length when ordering something else from my favorite supplier. I'd rather spend $5 on samples than order a new 50' or 100' line and find out I don't like the feel, stiffness, size, etc.