I have a Catalina 27 with a harken jib furler. Sail came out fine but was binding when trying to roll up. The top swivel was spinning with the inner tube thing that the sail wraps around. This caused the halyard to also wrap. I noticed the halyard was frayed due to this issue over time. I tightened the halyard and it snapped. When I dropped the jib the upper swivel was smooth and not binding. Perhaps with the pressure from the halyard caused it to bind under load ? Not sure why it was spinning fine with the sail off but not when up under load ? I now have two problems, my furler and a snapped jib halyard. I have a spinnaker halyard available, could I use this the raise the jib ? And then fix the other halyard when I lower the mast for winter ?
Harken Furler Halyard broke
- Thread starter BTC1984
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,341
Not a good idea. The jib halyard comes from the mast to the furler at a set angle. This is specified in the installation manual. This angle is to reduce the opportunity for the halyard to wrap around the furler extrusion. (the inner tube thing that the sail wraps around). With the jib halyard compromised (frayed) the tension was not what it is designed and you got the wrap.
You risk damage to the upper end of the furler. Best solution is to fix the problem. Either by going up the mast (if that is even feasible), or lowering the mast and working on it.
You could not fly a jib the rest of your sailing season. Just fly the spinnaker and your main. Your up wind sailing would suffer, but brad reach and down wind would be great.
You risk damage to the upper end of the furler. Best solution is to fix the problem. Either by going up the mast (if that is even feasible), or lowering the mast and working on it.
You could not fly a jib the rest of your sailing season. Just fly the spinnaker and your main. Your up wind sailing would suffer, but brad reach and down wind would be great.
jssailem resonably assumes that you have a true spinnaker halyard that runs through a swivel block attached to the top of the mast above the jibstay. Many Catalina 27s have what is actually a spare jib halyard on the port side of the mast. If what you are calling a "spinnaker halyard" exits from the top of the mast over a sheave just forward of the topping lift and starboard of the jib halyard, you should be okay.
To reduce the chances for jib halyard wrap, you may need to raise the head (top) of the jib by inserting a short piece of line between the jib tack (lower front corner) and the stem fitting.
Cap'n Bill
Do you have this part installed below the masthead?
“Harken halyard restrainer with sheave at the masthead prevents halyard wraps”
If you look at the large image, you will see the part, which is included in the harken kit, just below the masthead. If you didn’t install the furler, this may be missing. It will prevent your problem in the future.
“Harken halyard restrainer with sheave at the masthead prevents halyard wraps”
If you look at the large image, you will see the part, which is included in the harken kit, just below the masthead. If you didn’t install the furler, this may be missing. It will prevent your problem in the future.
But as mentioned adding a short pendant at the bottom so the jib is allowed to be fully hoisted. A halyard restraining block should not be needed if the angle is between 7 to 10 degrees between the headstay and halyard according to the instructions
