Hyde Stream-Stay 1 Furler - Repair or Replace?

[Derek Rowell]

Destiny (Pearson 422) came to me with an elderly Hyde Stream-Stay 1 furler. The bearings, particularly on the halyard slide, are shot. I can purchase a complete bearing replacement kit from Rig-Rite for about $400. It's my understanding that the halyard slide bearings are off-the-shelf items (available for much less elsewhere), but the "end" bearings are not available except through Rig-Rite.What makes me uneasy is that the solid aluminum furler rod IS the forestay on this system. Although I hear reports that they are very strong, the thought of an aluminum forestay makes me a tad nervous when the wind picks up.I am debating with myself about replacing it with a "modern" furler, but before I make the final decision - has anybody done the bearing replacement on the Stream Stay, and are the any recommendations on repair or replace?Derek

 

[Terry Arnold]

Repairing Hyde Streamstay 1

Derek, I have replaced all of the bearings in the streamstay 1 furler on my H33. When I disassembled the furler, the bearings were just standard single row ball assemblies so I simply measured them and was able to find replacements from bearing supply house. As you point out, the furler acts as forestay. This also transmits all this axial force through the end bearings and in the case of the lower bearing, forestay tension plus halyard tension. I would be interested in hearing from someone who has purchased the rigrite bearing set as to whether there was anything unusual about the bearings that rigrite furnishes to justify the high cost. I would be more concerned about the high axial load on the end bearings than the inherent strength of the aluminum furler extrusion. My theory is that since the end bearings are doubled, placing half of the axial load on each bearing, that if there was an end bearing failure, it would manifest itself in bearing deformation and inability or difficulty to turn long before it actually pulled apart. I would be very interested in hearing other views and any instances of actual failure of the Streamstay 1. I think in total that the streamstay 1 is a good furler, well and strongly manufactured. Its biggest weakness seems to me to be the use of these steel bearings which are prone to corrode in a marine environment. Luckily, corrosion clearly signals the need for replacement in difficult furling and apparent roughness when rotated by hand.

 

[Ed Schenck]

Streamstay One.

My own Streamstay is original(1979) and works well. But it is in fresh water and I keep the bearings lubricated. I forget the load limit of the extrusion but I remember it is much higher than my 9/16" backstay. I think the terminals and pins would be the only weakness if there is one. Just as with any stay or shroud.

 

[Russ]

Replace

I have this furler on my 1984 Catalina 36... replaced all bearings when I bought the boat 2 years ago. I would NOT do this again if I had the choice. I works, but not well. It is HARD to furl. I've played with stay and halyard tension and it's still much harder to furl than the Profurl unit on my previous 31 ft. boat or the Profurl on my friends C36.I would lean toward replacement.Russ