Furler Performance Inquiry

[Warren Milberg]

I have Furlex 200 furler on my boat and just ending my second season with this unit. Every now and then, the furling line jams when I'm trying to furl up the sail. This has been pretty annoying, but so far I've been able to clear the jams without too much trouble. In talking to the distributor, he has advised doing the following: reduce the amount of line on the drum when the sail is furled, make sure the exit angle from the drum to the first fairlead is 90-deg, make sure the system is lubricated, maintain slight pressure on the furling line when unfurling the sail, and make sure the halyard tension is correct. I've done all these things. I still get a jam now and then. The distributor -- a nice guy who is knowledgeable and wants to help -- says that this is the best I can do or expect and and that all furlers jam now and then. I disagree. I bought the Furlex, which is near the top of the line in price and supposed quality, to avoid having a system that jams or you have other problems with. All the other furlers I've have (Hood, Shaeffer) hardly ever jammed. What do you think?

 

[Chris Burti]

One solution...

I had the same issue on my Shaefer 2001 unit. Added a second block to adjust the lead angle...still jammed. Replaced the furler line and dropped from 3/8" supplied by the factory to a 5/16"...problem solved.

 

[Don]

Sounds like halyard wrap

Make sure you sail goes almost all the way to the top of the foil. If it doesn't, add a pendant to the bottom. If it still binds, try easing off the halyard tention just a bit.

 

[RichH]

Lead angle to the top swivel.......

Check the installation manual for the 'lead angle' between the top swivel and the angle that the halyard makes with it. If the 'lead angle' that the halyard makes with the top swivel is small the halyard with begin to wrap the swivel and you will get the symptoms that you list. Make sure that the top swivel (with the sail mounted) is nearly 'all the way at the top of the foil' so that the 'lead angle' is large (and to specifications) - but allow for 'stretch of the luff' that you normally apply for 'sail shaping'. Here's a method that will work to check and rectify: Load the sail into the foil with the head of the sail attached only to the upper swivel, raise the sail --- this will create a gap between the sail and the drum / lower swivel, measure the distance between the tack cringle of the sail and the attachment shackle on the drum/bottom swivel. Take this dimension (less an amount that you normallly stretch the luff) and make a pendant of non stretchable rope (or even cable) and attach between the head (top) of the sail and the top swivel. Apply the 'pendant' to the head of the sail and top swivel, attach the tack (bottom) of the sail then raise the sail with the largest amount of luff tension that you normally apply for sail shaping etc. and check the 'fit' .... so that the top swivel is 'almost' at the very highest position possible on the foil. This method will create the largest 'lead angle' and will prevent 'jamming' and halyard wraps. If this method doesnt correct the situation, then discuss with the dealer to apply a mounted (lead angle) block high on the mast and below the halyard sheeve exit of the mast ... so improve the lead angle that the halyard makes with the top swivel attachment point. Get that top swivel as high as dimensionally possible on the foil, even if it means that youhave to apply a 'penndant' bewteen the top of the sail and the top swivel .... the top swivel MUST be 'all the way up'. 

 

[Bob7291]

flat line

Early this year while poking around Bacon's at Annapolis I ran across some flat line that resembled double braid with the core removed. The guy there said it is good for furling, as it takes up much less volume when wrapping around a drum - sort of like those collapseable garden hoses, I guess. You might try that, as I suspect it would be less likely to lap over itself when furling.

 

[Tom Spohn]

Go Slow

and keep a little pressure on one of the sheets when furling. When un-furling keep a small amount of pressure on the furling line. Most snarls happen when the furling drum spins and loose lines are present.

 

[Paul Akers]

Follow-up to Flat Line

When I upgraded my Hood furler to a Hood Reefer, the manual advised to "de-core" the first 15' of line that rolls onto the furler. This makes room on the furler drum for the remainder of the line. Otherwise the line may jam up on the roll as it is being furled. To "de-core" the line, it must be a braided line and the center (core) is removed for the first 15'. That portion of the line will become flat and lay flat on the roller drum.

 

[Warren Milberg]

Clarification

Thanks to all for the furling advice. Suffice it to say, I've tried just about all the suggestions (i.e., pressure on the furling line when unfurling, controlling the jib sheets, upper swivel as high as possible, and I have a halyard restrainer installed). Problem is not related to halyard wrap as I long ago learned to look up at the upper swivel prior to doing anything with a furler jam. I haven't tried a smaller size furling line, but don't think that would help as there is plenty of room on my drum for the line supplied with the system, even when furling my 150 headsail. The jams seem to come from the line not furling properly up and down, not that there is not enough space on the drum for the line. I also haven't tried a flat furling line, but would wonder if such a line would twist and become a problem, too? What I was really looking for in this post was a sense of how common, or not, furler jams are with all types of furlers.... Perhaps this is just a common thing that I need to get used to?

 

[Chris Burti]

Not sure Pete...

Not much discussion about this problem on our C-320 forum, but a couple of us couldn't make the problem go away without reducing line somehow. My problem was identical to yours, not too much line on the drum, rather, too much in the wrong place at the wrong time.Layline has a lot of good information and expertise on lines and they recommend removing the core on a good low stretch braid. This reduces line volume on the drum while retaining a comfortable grip. Since I was given my 5/16" replacement line line free, I went with downsizing the line 1/16 of an inch all the way. Hasn't jammed since. I haven't had to pull it in under gale conditions yet, but I'm keeping my gloves handy.

 

[Doug]

Same Furler Same Problem

I tried all the things you mentioned and still would have a occasional problem. I started to increase the tension when unfurling. I have had no problems since I started doing this. I would describe the tension as as much as I can do with one hand as i pulled the halyard (around winch) with the other.

 

[Ron Roman]

Furler

I had the same problem, out of disperation I took the chrome cover off and the problem went away.

 

[David10790]

Throw away the cover, add a block

I had the same problem on my CS30. Ended up taking off the cowl, which only made it more difficult to unjam the line, and throwing it away. I also added a block further towards the bow to lead the line at a more perpendicular angle. This reduced the problem to almost, but not quite, nil.

 

[Capt. Sid]

I have opposite problem with my Furlex

I have the opposite problem with my furlex. It often does not want to unfurl all the way out and jams at the last foot or so of sail. I have done all maintenance on it and rewound the drum. I have tensioned the backstay to try to straighten the forstay as much as possible. I still have intermittent problems with the furler jamming at the very end of the unfurling. A stronge breeze will sometime unlodge the furler and yank the last part of the sail out of the furler. I bought this furler because of the reputation and advice of my rigger. I have been generally pretty happy with it until this problem started this last year. I am now wishing I had purchased a Profurl or one of the other top of the line Shaeffers. Refurling is actually pretty easy on my unit but I am at a loss why I am having this problem.

 

[David10790]

Most obvious problem

would be too much line, or too thick, leading to an override on the drum when you try to take in the last few turns. If you take off the cowl, you will be able to see how much space there is between the line and the lip of the drum for the last few turns.

 

[Bob7291]

Capt. Sid's problem

Check to see if your foil is "winding up" more at the bottom than at the top. Some foils take on a more-or-less permanent twist when furled and it takes that twist a while to straighten out when the sail is deployed. In other words, the head of the sail will be completely unfurled while the foot still has as much as a full wrap around the bottom of the foil.

 

[Ferg]

Been there

I have a Pro-Furl 2 on a C27 I had the jamming problem and the unwinding problem. The unwinding thing cleared up once I realized I was rolling the sail up with the backstay on hard but unrolling it with less pressure on the backstay. Now, the jamming thing. After trying most of the stuff mentioned in this thread, I reduced the line diameter and it’s worked perfectly ever since, even in heavy air.Now I am free to continue my quest for the perfect “cup” holder …..Later, eh!Ferg