In mast Furling Question

MSN-Travelers · Mar 28, 2011

joker460 said:
I've seached the web and have found contradictory setups of the following.

I have an in mast furling system with a hard boom vang and topping lift.
I've always sailed using a standard rig so this is a bit new to me.

When I unfurl the main, do I release tension on the boom vang and also the topping lift. Or do I release tension on the boom vang and raise the boom slightly above level (Say about 6 degrees) before unfurling. Then when the main is out, release the topping lift and tension the boom vang.

Also I heard various things on halyard tension. Too much and the furling will bind and too loose will cause wrinkles when taking the sail in. Now is that only found out by trial and error?

Comment would be welcome.

Thanks

I'm in my second season with the B352. Learning how to unfurl/furl the main is a trial `n error experience.

Release tension on both the vang and the mainsheet. The boom has be able to "float" as the main is brought out. I have my topping lift set to hold the boom about 5-10 degrees up from perpendicular (clears the bimini by an inch or so) and rarely touch it. Keep a slight tension on the furling line while unfurling.

Dirty bearings at the in-mast furling assy will make it difficult to unfurl. A furling in-haul line that is old and swollen with dirt/salt can make it real hard to unfurl. (The furling screw doesn't like a stiff line or one that has swollen larger than the screw groove.) Dirty or missing bearing balls on the boom car can add quite a bit of resistance too. Wash both bearing sets with plenty of fresh water, let dry and McLube the hell out of them as well as the boom car track.

It is during furling that you will get a feel for the correct boom angle. With vang & mainsheet eased, start to furl the main. Think of the main like an old fashioned window shade. If the boom angle is right, the foot will stay in one place. If the boom angle is too high/low, the foot will walk up or down. I have the topping lift set to allow the foot to slowly walk up the mast just a little bit. This helps prevent the main from getting to fat at the bottom before the sail is all the way in. Keep a slight tension on the outhaul line while furling.

As with a traditional main, try to be head to the wind when unfurling/furling.

There is an extremely active Beneteau owners group at google groups. There are a number of B350/351/352 owners including a former dealer who owns a 352. http://groups.google.com/group/beneteau-owners The B361 shares a lot of our boats traits too. Mine was one of the last B352's off the line with B361 production already started.

Enjoy!

MSN-Travelers · Mar 28, 2011

Snug it up with the winch. Same visual cues that you would use with a traditional main. Ensure the cloth loops at the head and tac aren't twisted when you attach/anchor them with their respective shackles. Twisted loops will bind in the mast slot when it comes time to furl the sail.

Ensure you get a good tight furl when installing. If it's loose, it will bunch up and jam when it comes time to unfurl. Try to install the main on a day with little wind. This will allow you to furl & unfurl as many times as you want until you get it right. Again ... ensure you have a light pressure on the outhaul when furling to ensue a tight wrap. It's also a good practice to liberally spray the last six feet or so of the sail that goes into the mast with McLube.

I sent my OEM Neil Pryde main in for inspection & cleaning this winter. They told me it was still in great shape and should last for years.

Dobber · Apr 25, 2011

I was the original owner of hull #25 "Free Dreamer"

The Main Sail is very picky about what the previous poster MSN-Travelers posted. The original 351s were even more tempermental than your setup:

Snug it up with the winch. Same visual cues that you would use with a traditional main. Ensure the cloth loops at the head and tac aren't twisted when you attach/anchor them with their respective shackles. Twisted loops will bind in the mast slot when it comes time to furl the sail. This is most important. If this is twisted vertically out of alignment or the shackles are incorrect or out of position, forget it. It will always be a problem to unfurl.

To inspect the alignment, haul out the sail 100% at the dock in a low wind condition. Note the head of the sails shackle and the foot of the sails shackle with full main hailyard tension. It should be perfectly aligned in the verticle. Any offset is undesirable. Release tension on the vang, using the topping lift to position the boom, position the boom so that it is horizontal. Mark these positions on the vang and topping lift. Tighten the Main Hailard, make it tight and keep it that way! Put a little tension on the Outhaul and start to haul in the sail just a fraction of one revolution. Now check the condition and position of the two shackles again. Verify that they are still aligned in their rotation together. (it helps to have an assistant while you are watching these shackles. With this configuration / setup you should be able to furl and unfurl each time. When the sails a new it is more difficult. Especially if you do not do this verification upon install. Replace the Outhaul and Inhaul lines every two years and it will keep things operating smooth. I also stored my mainsail in the mast for years, since folding it causes more dammage than rolling it up.

Also, I never let off the tension on the main for 95% of my sailing time, it does not by you anything as far as speed goes. Leach tension does help to have that set properly but remember this main sail does not carry a lot of power. The power on this boat is with the head sail.

prosmile · Apr 29, 2011

Same problem

I have a 2001 381. Last year I had to replace the main. At first it was fine but by the end of the season i think it stretched by an inch or so so that the tack was not perfectly taught. This caused it to get stuck while furling at the tack. Since the halyard is at the top of it's range I'm not sure what to do? Maybe back to Neil pryde?

davmarwood · Jul 4, 2011

Mast Furling Main

Had the same problem on our 1998 B-352. Took the main sail to local sailmaker and he took off the old tack web and put on a thinner web made of extra high strength material. The new web is about 1/2 as thick as the old one and now we have no trouble furling the main - unless the wind is over 10kts we can furl by hand and don't need the winch.