Having difficulty Unfurling my mail on a 2006 343 recently purchased. I have lubricated the boom car and furling drum and vang loose as well as mainsheet and traveler. I contacted U S Spar they told me I have a #3067 model car and did as they suggested lubrication. still not much better. Any suggestions would be appreciated
Furling main sail issues
- Thread starter erseddie
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You need to diagnose where the hangup is. With the furling line free, can you pull the main out by hand at the clew? Does is come out part way and then get stuck? Does the outhaul run freely (can you pull it in and out by hand up at the boom)? And the tough one to tell since it is furled ... is the drum mechanism able to be rotated at all?
If you could better isolate the problem, it might tell you if the sail itself is hung up inside the mast, or if the furling line has swollen and is binding inside the mechanism, or whatever. If possible, get the sail out and drop it. Then you can test each part of the system separately. It is quite possible that the furling line needs to be replaced (about every 4-6 years), or the drum needs to be serviced (US Spars does it pretty cheap), or if there is still too much friction in the outhaul sheeves, or if the sail is the problem. Lubrication is apparently not the answer.
Furling the Main on a Beneteau 343
HI:
This has also been a problem for others in the 323-343 range. I have observed that the furling and re-furling can cause difficulties. For myself, the biggest issue occurs because I have a bimini which is raised fairly high over the cockpit. So you might ask, what does this have to do with matters. Well for me, my boom will not fit 90 degrees perpendicular to the mast (the boom tends to form about a 85 degreem angle into the mast.
I have found that if you do not get this 90 degree angle boom to mast, you will most certainly have a problem with furling. So what is the fix?
For me, before unfurling, I swing the boom over the starboard side of the boat. Then drop down a little on the topping line until I get the 90 degree angle. Now I am ready to unfurl.
Once the sail is out, I can lift the boom up to the 85 degree angle of the boom into the mast and sail all day with no problems. That is until I have to reef, then I must be particularly aware of this 90 degree angle again, so again drop the boom on the starboard side, drop the topping line, and the 90 degree angle starts all over again.
A pain in the rear, maybe? The alternatives, you could try raising the the boom, but then you could have sail problems again. Or I could cut the tubes on the bimini, but they I would lose the 6 ft clearance in the cockpit.
Another issue when furling that I have found, is to be certain that their is some a slight back pressure on the line when you furl
Finally, check the batten covers, they can get stuck at times. I actually had my covers made bigger and re-sewed, but I think this is a lesser problem.
Hope this helps.
Alan
HI:
This has also been a problem for others in the 323-343 range. I have observed that the furling and re-furling can cause difficulties. For myself, the biggest issue occurs because I have a bimini which is raised fairly high over the cockpit. So you might ask, what does this have to do with matters. Well for me, my boom will not fit 90 degrees perpendicular to the mast (the boom tends to form about a 85 degreem angle into the mast.
I have found that if you do not get this 90 degree angle boom to mast, you will most certainly have a problem with furling. So what is the fix?
For me, before unfurling, I swing the boom over the starboard side of the boat. Then drop down a little on the topping line until I get the 90 degree angle. Now I am ready to unfurl.
Once the sail is out, I can lift the boom up to the 85 degree angle of the boom into the mast and sail all day with no problems. That is until I have to reef, then I must be particularly aware of this 90 degree angle again, so again drop the boom on the starboard side, drop the topping line, and the 90 degree angle starts all over again.
A pain in the rear, maybe? The alternatives, you could try raising the the boom, but then you could have sail problems again. Or I could cut the tubes on the bimini, but they I would lose the 6 ft clearance in the cockpit.
Another issue when furling that I have found, is to be certain that their is some a slight back pressure on the line when you furl
Finally, check the batten covers, they can get stuck at times. I actually had my covers made bigger and re-sewed, but I think this is a lesser problem.
Hope this helps.
Alan
Hi Alan
Ahh I too have a bimini and yes the boom is at less than 90 degrees I think will check this out and try your method if it ever stops raining here in WA. Maybe I can get the boom closer to 90degrees I will let you know how I do
Thanks
Ed
Ahh I too have a bimini and yes the boom is at less than 90 degrees I think will check this out and try your method if it ever stops raining here in WA. Maybe I can get the boom closer to 90degrees I will let you know how I do
Thanks
Ed
Check to make sure the boom car isn't hanging up on the track. Some of them have torlon ball bearings which if they pop out, and they do, will keep the car from riding out on the track. You can purchase extra bearings at West Marine but installing them requires a short piece of the track. US Spars should be able to help you out. Good luck.
Mike
Mike
Mike
My car does not have removable ends it is one solid piece and I was told the bearing slots were milled into it. I saw what U S Spar calls a new model car with removable end caps maybe part number 4524 body maybe this is their fix for earlier problems. What do you have?
Thanks
Ed
My car does not have removable ends it is one solid piece and I was told the bearing slots were milled into it. I saw what U S Spar calls a new model car with removable end caps maybe part number 4524 body maybe this is their fix for earlier problems. What do you have?
Thanks
Ed
Ed my car has internal races on both sides. Once the car is on the track the bearings are captured and will stay put. They can and do pop out if the car flogs while furling in heavy air. Not sure you can retrofit yours to that type of car. It does ride smoothly if all the bearings are in place.
Mike
Mike
Most problems I have when Un-Furling are actually caused by improper Furling.
Make sure to keep tension on the out haul as you are furling in and make sure that you have a nice tight wrap. This will keep the sail from bunching up in the mast which can cause issues when un-furling.
Make sure to keep tension on the out haul as you are furling in and make sure that you have a nice tight wrap. This will keep the sail from bunching up in the mast which can cause issues when un-furling.
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