We launched our 1980 8.0B for the season on Saturday and got the main raised before the rains came in NW Ohio.
On Sunday, we wanted to raise the headsail, but decided to check the forestay tension under our Harken MKIII Unit 0 furler first. I seem to recall that the torque tube didn't just come off like it should (as if it were hanging up on something), but I got it positioned properly, and proceeded to retension the forestay by rotating the furler drum.
On reassembly, I discovered the cause of the earlier torque tube hang-up: one of the three Helicoils had started to come undone in the threaded hole in the furler hub (at the time I did not know that Harken made these with the Helicoil insert; after talking with a Harken rep today, I know now).
I have some spare M5x0.8x5 Helicoils (Harken part number HCP713) on order from Pyacht -- I'm curious if anyone on the forum has done this repair (that is, replaced the Helicoil inserts in a MKIII furler hub) and what to expect once I have the special Helicoil tool & the new HCP713 inserts in-hand.
On Sunday, we wanted to raise the headsail, but decided to check the forestay tension under our Harken MKIII Unit 0 furler first. I seem to recall that the torque tube didn't just come off like it should (as if it were hanging up on something), but I got it positioned properly, and proceeded to retension the forestay by rotating the furler drum.
On reassembly, I discovered the cause of the earlier torque tube hang-up: one of the three Helicoils had started to come undone in the threaded hole in the furler hub (at the time I did not know that Harken made these with the Helicoil insert; after talking with a Harken rep today, I know now).
I have some spare M5x0.8x5 Helicoils (Harken part number HCP713) on order from Pyacht -- I'm curious if anyone on the forum has done this repair (that is, replaced the Helicoil inserts in a MKIII furler hub) and what to expect once I have the special Helicoil tool & the new HCP713 inserts in-hand.