furling line replacement

[carisea]

I have a 1992 p-42. The roller furling manual is for a hood system but the furling drum does not look like the one shown in the manual. I want to replace the furling line but the line does not go thru the drum shaft/barrel but rather feeds thru the bottom flange of the spool. The knot is between the bottom of the spool and a lower housing. I should point out that the entire drum assembly is below deck in the very bow point of the boat. It would appear that the lower housing can be dropped by removing three plastic screws. I can only gain access to one of them . I have tried every tool I have including a right angle screw driver but have no room to work. Must I try to remove the entire furling system from the below deck pit to work on this line replacement? Any Suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

Try this

The drum will rotate as you unfurl, so you can access the other three screws. That will indeed drop the assembly so you can get to the knot that holds the furling line in the hole. You shouldn't have to remove the entire system from the forestay, which is a pain. There is another alternative, simply pulling the furling line all the way through the hole and effectively reversing the line so that the bitter end you've been pulling on is now the furling locked end.

 

[carisea]

rotating furler

Bill - I will the partial unfurling technique. I know the second suggestion will not work cause I can not get to the knot to pull the furling line thru from the opposite direction. Thanks