Difficult roller furler

Sep 24, 2012
55
oday 25 lake conroe
I have a CDI FF4/6 on my sailboat that has become very difficult to unfurl.
Any suggestions on a fix to the problem?
 
Feb 20, 2011
8,062
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Re: Roller furler

If you've got bearings in there, you might want to look at them.

Do you have the manual?
 
May 8, 2011
189
ODay 25 Cambridge
Re: Roller furler

Make sure the luff support pin is in place. If not in place the luff will slide down over the turnbuckle. The unit will be difficult to furl/unfurl and the turnbuckle will come apart.
 
Sep 24, 2012
55
oday 25 lake conroe
Re: Roller furler

I've got the plastic main bearing. I wonder if I need the optional ball bearings?
 
Feb 20, 2011
8,062
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Re: Roller furler

Do you know how to check under the drum for problems with your forestay or turnbuckle?
 
Oct 31, 2012
465
Hunter 2008 H25 Lake Wabamun
I had a similar problem with my furler which also has no bearings. It would be difficult to furl in especially when under load. When I opened it up to see if I could lubricate it or find the problem, I noticed that the forestay turn buckle was able to slide along the bottom pin. If the buckle was not centered on the pin it would restrict the drum from rotating freely. All I needed to do was to slide a couple of tubes (washers would work too) to keep the buckle in the center of the pin. The furler works fine now.
Andre
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
check the halyard bearing angle. if the jib is not fully hoisted it makes the forstay to halyard angle very shallow and it twists around the forestay.
 
May 8, 2011
189
ODay 25 Cambridge
A CDI furler has an internal halyard and does not use the jib halyard to hoist the sail. There is no swivel at the top and halyard wrap can not happen.
 
Jan 13, 2013
15
S2 11.0C Deale, MD
check halyard

I had a similar problem last season. Furler was difficult to furl (not unfurl) and it turned out to be too much tension in the halyard.