Fighting in mast furling again, and I'm losing.

BigEasy · May 12, 2022

Make sure the main halyard is very tight. Release the mainsheet and boom vang when operating. Spray all turning blocks, bearings, and boom track liberally with Sail Kote dry lubricant. When furling, should be head to wind or a very slight port tack. Also keep tension on outhaul when furling to result in a "tight wrap": otherwise, the sail will bunch up and jam when unfurling. If the boat ais 7 years old, probably overdue for removal and servicing the furler (cleaning bearings & lubricating), as well as replacement of the furling line.

NYSail · May 12, 2022

There are some great YouTube’s on this and actually one made just for the beneteaus.
First there should be no prebend in mast….. it is designed with it built in. make sure you have your boom set on the right angle…… not 90 degrees. Also halyard should be tight but not overly tight…..

when I first got mine I was having issues but even though I am due for a new sail, it was primarily user error. Good luck…… I now love mine. you’ll figure it out!
Greg

Davidasailor26 · May 13, 2022

It is normal for the foil to flop around when there’s no sail. Leads to lots of noise, and there are all kinds of strategies to manage, so that’s not unique to your boat. It would be very difficult to engineer a foil stiff enough to not flop around without being ridiculously heavy. Deflection of the foil could allow the sail to slide against the mast, but shouldn’t cause it to bind.

What part of the sail gets caught, and is it when furling or unfurling?

Davidasailor26 · May 13, 2022

I’ve had mine bind coming out if I’m not careful and the sail fills while unfurling. When the sail was really new and crisp I could unfurl on a reach without that problem, but after a couple years I could only unfurl pointed straight upwind.

BigEasy · May 13, 2022

Sounds like you’re not getting a tight wrap when furling. Causes sail to bunch up and bind in slot when unfurling. Keep tension on outhaul when furling to get a tighter wrap. If you continue to have problems, consult a rigger first. Sail loft will likely advise a new sail. As David just mentioned, partially filled sail will cause difficulty unfurling.

capta · May 13, 2022

I operated IMRF for twelve years on Skipping Stone, pictured here. We did 2 round trips to the Eastern Caribbean, sailed extensively there and even operated a charter business in the Windwards. That's a whole heck of a lot of in and out on the IMRF. The baggier the main got, the more trouble it was to bring in and out. When I say baggy I mean enough so that one could nap in it underway, like a hammock, and yet with care and due diligence, it never fouled so much it couldn't be unfouled. Of course, the new main made all the difference. I would highly recommend a Tri-radial sail if replacing a baggy main as it will hold its shape much better and a lot longer.
If it begins to bind, STOP and reverse it a few inches. This can be done multiple times if necessary, but Never, Never force it. It must be watched just as much as sheeting in a jib on a winch.
I prefer to have the wind help me get it out by pulling in the sheet just a bit. Adjusting the outhaul so it pulls at the correct angle is another help. We've furled and unfurled the main on every point of sail except dead into the wind luffing, but the boom must be amidships when doing it going down hill in light winds. We try not to luff the sail, ever.
It is most important to understand that a IMRF does not foul on its own any more than a boat runs aground on its own. If the system is properly maintained it is always operator error if it fouls. Always. So slow down, watch what is going on and STOP immediately and reverse if it begins to foul.
A couple we met were shopping for a new mast as they just couldn't get their system to work properly. They hated it. The wife had to go aloft numerous times to unfoul it and they were tired of the whole thing. I suggested they take their main to a sailmaker and have the bag taken out of the sail. The system never fouled again and they came to love their IMRF, as we did.

JamesG161 · May 13, 2022

Check out these links...

Jammed In-Mast Furling

I've heard it said that if a boat has in-mast furling (IMF), then she will either have had the IMF jam, or she will have it jam. After three seasons with no problem, the IMF jammed. I went sailing a few days ago, the first sail of the season. The winds were 10 to 15 kts from the west. After a...

forums.sailboatowners.com

and my best shot of explaining the "Mechanism" is here with Pictures too...

In mast 'piece of crap' furling system

Once I understood the Mechanism, I agree with @capta . Best Safety device on board.
Jim...

Barnacle Bill · May 24, 2022

What brand?

tfox2069 · May 24, 2022

JamesG161 said:
Check out these links...

Jammed In-Mast Furling

I've heard it said that if a boat has in-mast furling (IMF), then she will either have had the IMF jam, or she will have it jam. After three seasons with no problem, the IMF jammed. I went sailing a few days ago, the first sail of the season. The winds were 10 to 15 kts from the west. After a...

forums.sailboatowners.com

and my best shot of explaining the "Mechanism" is here with Pictures too...

In mast 'piece of crap' furling system

Once I understood the Mechanism, I agree with @capta . Best Safety device on board.
Jim...

I've said this in another thread on in-mast furling - its a system, just like your auxiliary, or your electrics. I can't speak for anyone else, but I put a lot of time and effort into reading about and learning my systems on board so I can maintain them, and hopefully have a leg up on troubleshooting them when the time comes.

Sails are our PRIMARY propulsion system on a sailboat, by definition. and their furlers (and boom, and halyard, and topping lift. and outhaul, and vang, etc!) are part of that system. Its IMPERATIVE that we learn everything we can, and get our hands on as much as possible with the furling systems. Replace things that are beyond their useful life (running rigging!). Read the manual (and keep it aboard). Service the mechanisms yourself per the manufacturer's recommendations, and keep up with sail maintenance (cleaning, patching, recutting as necessary over time). I may not do my sail work, but I do everything else - its not difficult. I had significant issues my first year dealing with my in-mast furling. After I fully understood it, serviced it, and then a year later replaced my main with a tri-radial, it works beautifully. Instead of a jam or wanting to put a winch handle to the furler (NO!), I can furl or unfurl with one hand easily. I LOVE being able to reef my main to any size I choose to balance the boat, without leaving the cockpit.

Trust me, put the time in on this vital system and it will pay you back handsomely. If you do and still have trouble call in a rigger with IMF experience and see what they say - it may need to have the mast pulled and some components serviced or replaced where you can't reach. But its almost certainly fixable.

kappykaplan · May 25, 2022

SycloneDriver said:
Yesterday we lost our pet cat of 15 years, Tiny. I knew his time was quickly coming to an end, but that didn't make it any easier. Why is losing a pet so hard?

My condolences for your loss. Losing them is hard because they are part of the family.

JamesG161 · May 27, 2022

SycloneDriver said:
It's a U.S. SPARS # Z400E.

Mine is Z500E

I have mine working great.
Jim...

thinwater · May 27, 2022

Bottom line: I don't think IMF would ever make sailing more enjoyable, for me.

Steve L22188 · Jun 12, 2022

Patience is hard work.
It's much easier just to curse and find a bigger hammer.

Fighting in mast furling again, and I'm losing.

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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