After replacing the jib halyard my roller furling became very stiff and hard to un-roll/roll up. Not realizing what was happening I attributed this stiffness to an a possible twist in the halyard when I re-hoisted my jib. No big deal I thought and sailed through the weekend dealing with the stiff furling. Well last weekend I decided to drop the jib and see what the problem was. After a VERY hard time getting the jib to un-roll a buddy noticed that the cotter pins on the forestay turnbuckle had sheared and that the turnbuckle appeared to have un-threaded itself somewhat. After closer inspection I found that when I tried to pull the roller furling in the forestay itself was turning in the turnbuckle. It's now evident that I have somehow got a halyard wrap on the furler and will need to go up the mast to deal with it. My question is what is the possibility that I have damaged my forestay and what do I have to look forward to while hanging at the top of the mast this weekend?
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Forestay damage
Yes, damage may have occured. My furler sheared by forestay. Luckly the mast didn't fall on my Hunter 31. We attributed this to halyard wrap.
Yes, damage may have occured. My furler sheared by forestay. Luckly the mast didn't fall on my Hunter 31. We attributed this to halyard wrap.
Halyard wrap rethink!
Kenny, you may indeed have halyard wrap but, this should be self evident, just look up your forestay. If the halyard is wrapped you should see it. The bigger question is why is the forestay turning when you furl the sail? You may have a problem with your lower furling unit. I would check this first as it is easier than going up the mast.
Kenny, you may indeed have halyard wrap but, this should be self evident, just look up your forestay. If the halyard is wrapped you should see it. The bigger question is why is the forestay turning when you furl the sail? You may have a problem with your lower furling unit. I would check this first as it is easier than going up the mast.
Backup security
If you have any concerns about whether your forestay will hold the mast in position you should use your jib halyard or spinnaker halyard as a backup forestay while you are up the mast. Just tie it off to a forward cleat and crank in some tension to keep the mast from falling back. Bob V
If you have any concerns about whether your forestay will hold the mast in position you should use your jib halyard or spinnaker halyard as a backup forestay while you are up the mast. Just tie it off to a forward cleat and crank in some tension to keep the mast from falling back. Bob V
No doubt, recently read an article from a rigger female
that broke her back when a Mast came down while she was up it. She landed on a dock, OUCH!
that broke her back when a Mast came down while she was up it. She landed on a dock, OUCH!
If you have been tensioning
your forestay, you'll need to "untension" it. The only way I know to do that is to undo the toggle and see if the stay turns until it is in the "neutral" postion. You'll need to check where the wire enters the end fittings/lugs at both ends to see if you have broken any wire strands, which could create "fish hooks" and could lead to stay failure. Once you've sorted out your forestay situation and figured out (1) why you got halyard wrap to begin with,and (2) why your forestay twisted, think about installing a halyard restrainer on the mast about 6 inches or so below where the halyard exits the top of the mast or from the crane. A halyard restrainer will prevent halyard wrap by creating the proper angle from the mast to the top swivel of your furler. Your furler manual (or look it up online if you don't have one) will tell you what this angle should be.
your forestay, you'll need to "untension" it. The only way I know to do that is to undo the toggle and see if the stay turns until it is in the "neutral" postion. You'll need to check where the wire enters the end fittings/lugs at both ends to see if you have broken any wire strands, which could create "fish hooks" and could lead to stay failure. Once you've sorted out your forestay situation and figured out (1) why you got halyard wrap to begin with,and (2) why your forestay twisted, think about installing a halyard restrainer on the mast about 6 inches or so below where the halyard exits the top of the mast or from the crane. A halyard restrainer will prevent halyard wrap by creating the proper angle from the mast to the top swivel of your furler. Your furler manual (or look it up online if you don't have one) will tell you what this angle should be.
Check archives for excellent halyard wrap post
by RichH. A must read that might apply to your situation. Have you tried to unwrap the twist by grabbing entire furled sail with both hands and turning in opposite direction of wrap? Sometimes having another person gently whip the other end of halyard back and forth while you turn complete sail will help to loosen the wrap.
by RichH. A must read that might apply to your situation. Have you tried to unwrap the twist by grabbing entire furled sail with both hands and turning in opposite direction of wrap? Sometimes having another person gently whip the other end of halyard back and forth while you turn complete sail will help to loosen the wrap.
halyard
It's only a guess but I'd say the bearing assy froze up which was entirely unrelated to the new halyard other than he pulled it too tight against already failing bearings. Something had to give and in this case it was the cotter pins on the turnbuckle so the turnbuckle could turn the whole assembly. Probably no harm to the forestay but the whole mess should be disassembled to have a look inside at the lower portion of the forestay. Next time go with a Spin-Tec ... No halyard to wrap and no bearings to freeze
It's only a guess but I'd say the bearing assy froze up which was entirely unrelated to the new halyard other than he pulled it too tight against already failing bearings. Something had to give and in this case it was the cotter pins on the turnbuckle so the turnbuckle could turn the whole assembly. Probably no harm to the forestay but the whole mess should be disassembled to have a look inside at the lower portion of the forestay. Next time go with a Spin-Tec ... No halyard to wrap and no bearings to freeze
Forestay Damage/Backup Security
Hank, The forestay on my H310 parted due to an OEM furler failure. The extrusion inside the foil at the lower bearing deformed and gripped the wire. Furling/unfurling caused the wire to unlay and then fail while under sail! I also was able to avoid dismasting. Furlex (Selden) replaced and upgraded the parts that failed and replaced the forestay. They did not cover labor. Bob V., Attaching a halyard to "a forward cleat" is asking for trouble. Even with backing plates they are not designed to carry loads in the direction necessary to support the mast. Much better that the halyard be connected to the chainplate at the bow (commonly the anchor roller). This will provied better security. Dennis W. S/V FullSailed
Hank, The forestay on my H310 parted due to an OEM furler failure. The extrusion inside the foil at the lower bearing deformed and gripped the wire. Furling/unfurling caused the wire to unlay and then fail while under sail! I also was able to avoid dismasting. Furlex (Selden) replaced and upgraded the parts that failed and replaced the forestay. They did not cover labor. Bob V., Attaching a halyard to "a forward cleat" is asking for trouble. Even with backing plates they are not designed to carry loads in the direction necessary to support the mast. Much better that the halyard be connected to the chainplate at the bow (commonly the anchor roller). This will provied better security. Dennis W. S/V FullSailed
Cleats and halyards
Dennis I gotta respectively disagree with you on this. Not that much force is needed to hold a standing mast in place. We have commonly used halyards to support a mast when the back stay is removed for hualing with the mast up. I would not hesitate to run a halyard to a cleat. A well found cleat should be abel to take a hell of a lot more load than this will put on it in any direction. In use with a dock line, in a rough spot, the cleat may very well be subjected to upwards forces and if reasonable well found, will not pull out. I am no engineer, but if my cleat can't hold a mast in place, I would do something about it.
Dennis I gotta respectively disagree with you on this. Not that much force is needed to hold a standing mast in place. We have commonly used halyards to support a mast when the back stay is removed for hualing with the mast up. I would not hesitate to run a halyard to a cleat. A well found cleat should be abel to take a hell of a lot more load than this will put on it in any direction. In use with a dock line, in a rough spot, the cleat may very well be subjected to upwards forces and if reasonable well found, will not pull out. I am no engineer, but if my cleat can't hold a mast in place, I would do something about it.
Halyard wrap is usually the result of a poor 'lead angle' .....
Carefully look at the manual for your furler unit. If the top swivel is not at the very top of the foil, and such that the 'angle' that halyard makes with the top swivel (usually called 'lead angle') the halyard can 'toggle' and wrap around the topswivel ... resulting in the problem you describe. Once the halyard wraps or 'toggles' the top swivel it can lock the swivel's ability to turn, etc. etc. Two remedies if you are encountering a halyard wrap: 1. raise the jib/genoa with the foot shackle (of the sail) on the furling drum NOT attached, raise the jib/genoa 'as far as it will go' in the foil so that the top swivel is raised to the very TOP of the foil. Then measure the GAP between the tack attachment of the sail and its attachment on the furler drum. Make up 'pendent' of nonstretchable line or construct a wire cable with a loop-eye on each end ..... the dimensions of the pendent should be about 1" LESS than the gap you measured. Put the pendent at the TOP of the sail (will connect between the top swivel and the head of the sail) ... or if youre unconcerned with good sail efficiency put the pendent between the drum and the tack of the sail. Locating/positiioning the top swivel at the VERY TOP of the foil by usage of a pendant when the sail is raised will 99% of the time 'cure' the problem of 'halyard wrap' 2. If the above does not 100% cure your problem ... (consult your furler manual for the proper 'lead angle') and place a diverter block (a stand-up block) at the front face of the mast at the top and below the exit sheeve that the halyard is running from ---- the halyard will run fro the mast top sheeve then straight down along the front of the mast TO the diverter block (several inches below the top sheeve) then to the top swivel .... The position of the diverter block will allow the halyard to intercept the top swivel at the proper LEAD ANGLE (from your manual).
Carefully look at the manual for your furler unit. If the top swivel is not at the very top of the foil, and such that the 'angle' that halyard makes with the top swivel (usually called 'lead angle') the halyard can 'toggle' and wrap around the topswivel ... resulting in the problem you describe. Once the halyard wraps or 'toggles' the top swivel it can lock the swivel's ability to turn, etc. etc. Two remedies if you are encountering a halyard wrap: 1. raise the jib/genoa with the foot shackle (of the sail) on the furling drum NOT attached, raise the jib/genoa 'as far as it will go' in the foil so that the top swivel is raised to the very TOP of the foil. Then measure the GAP between the tack attachment of the sail and its attachment on the furler drum. Make up 'pendent' of nonstretchable line or construct a wire cable with a loop-eye on each end ..... the dimensions of the pendent should be about 1" LESS than the gap you measured. Put the pendent at the TOP of the sail (will connect between the top swivel and the head of the sail) ... or if youre unconcerned with good sail efficiency put the pendent between the drum and the tack of the sail. Locating/positiioning the top swivel at the VERY TOP of the foil by usage of a pendant when the sail is raised will 99% of the time 'cure' the problem of 'halyard wrap' 2. If the above does not 100% cure your problem ... (consult your furler manual for the proper 'lead angle') and place a diverter block (a stand-up block) at the front face of the mast at the top and below the exit sheeve that the halyard is running from ---- the halyard will run fro the mast top sheeve then straight down along the front of the mast TO the diverter block (several inches below the top sheeve) then to the top swivel .... The position of the diverter block will allow the halyard to intercept the top swivel at the proper LEAD ANGLE (from your manual).
Update for anyone interested: Went up the mast Sunday morning and sure enough I had 2 wraps around the top of the furler. Got that sorted out and then went to inspecting. I noticed that the "Wrap Stop" that is part of the Pro-Furl system was seperated from the top of the furler "tube" and that the "tube" was about 6 inches lower that it should have been. Came back down, disconnected the fore stay and started removing the drum. When I pulled all the line out of the drum I noticed that the 2 set screws that hold the drum to the furler "tube" were loose and had let everything slide down. Pulled everything else apart and inspected the stay. No frayed wires and the stay looked no worse for the wear. Lubed and re-assembled everything. Will take some Loc-Tite up next weekend for the set screws on the drum. Took the boat out yesterday afternoon for a test sail and all's good in the world again. Thanks for all the ideas and comments.
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