I purchased a 331(2000) used. Intermittently, I have alot of trouble hauling out the mainsail.It seems to catch,comes out folded,sticks so I can't get it entirely out. Any suggestions? is this inherent in the system?
In-mast mainsail furling
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A few suggestions that work
SMC. We had a 2001 Beneteau 361 and we now have a brand new 2006 Beneteau 473. Both had/have in-mast furling main. The 361 was the first in-mast furling main we had, prior to that we had the classic/standard main. My wife does all of the hoisting and trimming of the sails and occasionally experienced the same symtoms on our 361 but they were random. We checked around and this site gave some very helpful advice that we tried and it did the trick. The major reason for the sticking or hard effort to unfurl is because it (the main) more than likely was not furled properly. By that I mean when your furl the main, make sure you are into wind and when you start to furl keep a some tension on the lazy main sheet so that the main is furling nice and evenly and tightly. The more it flaps and flys loosely the more uneven and looser it wraps and therefore causing it to rollup inside the furler with creases and jamming. Keeping tension on the lazy main sheet is very key to a nice even tightly furled main. This effort is rewarded by a nice easy (non sticky), even flowing unfurling. The other helpful hint is prior to unfurling, ease out the main sheet slightly, therefore raising the boom about 5 to 10 degrees above parallel to the deck. This gives less stress when outhauling and helps it slide along the track easier. These two things we learned a few years ago and we have never had a problem since. It is also advised to keep the blocks/sheaves and tracks lubricated maybe once a month or so. After you've done this for a while you'll say, boy this is just common sense, but as they say "who knew?" You will love the in-mast furling, it makes sailing even more enjoyable. Hope this helps. Rich
SMC. We had a 2001 Beneteau 361 and we now have a brand new 2006 Beneteau 473. Both had/have in-mast furling main. The 361 was the first in-mast furling main we had, prior to that we had the classic/standard main. My wife does all of the hoisting and trimming of the sails and occasionally experienced the same symtoms on our 361 but they were random. We checked around and this site gave some very helpful advice that we tried and it did the trick. The major reason for the sticking or hard effort to unfurl is because it (the main) more than likely was not furled properly. By that I mean when your furl the main, make sure you are into wind and when you start to furl keep a some tension on the lazy main sheet so that the main is furling nice and evenly and tightly. The more it flaps and flys loosely the more uneven and looser it wraps and therefore causing it to rollup inside the furler with creases and jamming. Keeping tension on the lazy main sheet is very key to a nice even tightly furled main. This effort is rewarded by a nice easy (non sticky), even flowing unfurling. The other helpful hint is prior to unfurling, ease out the main sheet slightly, therefore raising the boom about 5 to 10 degrees above parallel to the deck. This gives less stress when outhauling and helps it slide along the track easier. These two things we learned a few years ago and we have never had a problem since. It is also advised to keep the blocks/sheaves and tracks lubricated maybe once a month or so. After you've done this for a while you'll say, boy this is just common sense, but as they say "who knew?" You will love the in-mast furling, it makes sailing even more enjoyable. Hope this helps. Rich
Proper tension
Clean the track and lubricate it. I use McLube. Lubricate the bearings on the car. When furling, ease the vang, ease the mainsheet, and keep tension on the outhaul as you furl the main. If you're doing it right you should not have any folds or wrinkles. I have found that in most conditions I don't have to head up. When unfurling, again ease the vang, ease the mainsheet and, as you're grinding the outhaul, keep some tension on the furling line.
Clean the track and lubricate it. I use McLube. Lubricate the bearings on the car. When furling, ease the vang, ease the mainsheet, and keep tension on the outhaul as you furl the main. If you're doing it right you should not have any folds or wrinkles. I have found that in most conditions I don't have to head up. When unfurling, again ease the vang, ease the mainsheet and, as you're grinding the outhaul, keep some tension on the furling line.
Proper tension is the answer, but
it is the tension of the main halyard that causes most of the difficulty with roller furling sails. Too little tension causes the problems that you have; too much tension causes the sail to pull out hard, often requiring the aid of a winch. Jim
it is the tension of the main halyard that causes most of the difficulty with roller furling sails. Too little tension causes the problems that you have; too much tension causes the sail to pull out hard, often requiring the aid of a winch. Jim
In-Mast Furling
Thank you all for your replies. I hVE BEEN CONSIDERING AN ELECTRIC WINCH FOR THE MAIN SAIL. Any thougts?
Thank you all for your replies. I hVE BEEN CONSIDERING AN ELECTRIC WINCH FOR THE MAIN SAIL. Any thougts?
I wouldn't do the electric winch
My boat is smaller with a smaller main (oceanis 281) and I have the same symptoms you have on my in-mast furler. Admittedly my smaller sail would be easier to handle manually than yours. I agree with most of the other posts but might add that I find furling while on a starboard tack or reach gives a better entry angle into the mast. I almost always use my single speed ST winch to furl and unfurl the sail. I like to "feel" it when the sail is sticking so that I can stop and look things over. It seems to me that with an electric winch, you might damage something (tear the sail etc.) because it may keep pulling when you forgot to open the outhaul clutch or something else that simple. I chartered a 40cc in the BVI with an in-mast furler and didn't need an electric winch to handle that sail. There is no question that on my boat, the unfurling problems are due to wrinkles created when I don't do a good smooth job furling the main. I haven't had any problems furling (in up to 40+ kt winds) only deploying the sail. I frequently can pull out a stuck wrinkle by jerking downward on the aft end of the boom (keep your hands aft the car track). If there is enough wind, I'll sail a while and usually the wind will pull the wrinkle out. The more you practice, the more you'll find your own tricks. I don't think I'll ever have a boat without in-mast again. Have fun Bill
My boat is smaller with a smaller main (oceanis 281) and I have the same symptoms you have on my in-mast furler. Admittedly my smaller sail would be easier to handle manually than yours. I agree with most of the other posts but might add that I find furling while on a starboard tack or reach gives a better entry angle into the mast. I almost always use my single speed ST winch to furl and unfurl the sail. I like to "feel" it when the sail is sticking so that I can stop and look things over. It seems to me that with an electric winch, you might damage something (tear the sail etc.) because it may keep pulling when you forgot to open the outhaul clutch or something else that simple. I chartered a 40cc in the BVI with an in-mast furler and didn't need an electric winch to handle that sail. There is no question that on my boat, the unfurling problems are due to wrinkles created when I don't do a good smooth job furling the main. I haven't had any problems furling (in up to 40+ kt winds) only deploying the sail. I frequently can pull out a stuck wrinkle by jerking downward on the aft end of the boom (keep your hands aft the car track). If there is enough wind, I'll sail a while and usually the wind will pull the wrinkle out. The more you practice, the more you'll find your own tricks. I don't think I'll ever have a boat without in-mast again. Have fun Bill
Spray WD-40 on the bearings of the furlur
I have a 411, last summer we had the same exact problem. I was in tears trying to unfurl the sail. I called Z-Spars USA (the maker of the mast) They told me to spray the bottom of the furling barrel with WD-40. I did it and have not had a problem since. Do not worry about WD-40 attracting dirt or anything, the factory told me to do it and it worked! Best of luck, Jack Beneteau 411
I have a 411, last summer we had the same exact problem. I was in tears trying to unfurl the sail. I called Z-Spars USA (the maker of the mast) They told me to spray the bottom of the furling barrel with WD-40. I did it and have not had a problem since. Do not worry about WD-40 attracting dirt or anything, the factory told me to do it and it worked! Best of luck, Jack Beneteau 411
Additional Furling solution
I purcahsed a 2000 411 last year that for the prior 2 years had been very lightly used. During the sea trials, we could not unfurl the mainsail. After much playing around, I removed the entire furling drum and discovered that the 1/2 moon alu plate that covers the forward side of the furler is attahed with a very tight tolerance to the plastic worm furler. I lubricated everything with McLube and remounted the furler. The results were no improvement. I did notice during the disassembly that the furling line was stiff. Again I removed the furler and installed a brand new furling line and since then the furling and unfurling of the mainsail is done by hand and only use the winch for the final tensioning of the outhaul. On a friends 411 he suffered the same difficulty and it was corrected 100% with the same method, line replacement. I gather that as soon as the line wears or is swollen due to salt the line causes a binding between the plastic worm drive and the aluminium back plate. All the other remommendations offered are also good practices, retaining tension while furling and lubrication of the outhaul track and bearings and the furling mechanism.(McLube is always my preference as it remains dry)
I purcahsed a 2000 411 last year that for the prior 2 years had been very lightly used. During the sea trials, we could not unfurl the mainsail. After much playing around, I removed the entire furling drum and discovered that the 1/2 moon alu plate that covers the forward side of the furler is attahed with a very tight tolerance to the plastic worm furler. I lubricated everything with McLube and remounted the furler. The results were no improvement. I did notice during the disassembly that the furling line was stiff. Again I removed the furler and installed a brand new furling line and since then the furling and unfurling of the mainsail is done by hand and only use the winch for the final tensioning of the outhaul. On a friends 411 he suffered the same difficulty and it was corrected 100% with the same method, line replacement. I gather that as soon as the line wears or is swollen due to salt the line causes a binding between the plastic worm drive and the aluminium back plate. All the other remommendations offered are also good practices, retaining tension while furling and lubrication of the outhaul track and bearings and the furling mechanism.(McLube is always my preference as it remains dry)
Furling lines or halyard tension
Could be either....both have been problematic over the years....go up to the mast and pull the furling line from there.
Could be either....both have been problematic over the years....go up to the mast and pull the furling line from there.
furling mainsail made easy
First get the sail all the way out. Make sure the traveller is dead center and the main halyard is as tight as possible, check the vang as well. After this pull the main sheet down as hard as possible, no need for a winch here..I generally leave a little wind in the main, it furls counter clock wise or starboard to port so I keep the wind on the starboard side to tension the main going in...This will give you a nice tight roll and end the folds which get caught. When furling your sail you it should always go in with any folds if you done all of the above, hold back on the outhaul when furling, this will keep the foot tight to the boom. I haven't had the problem in 3 years with this method - and the main can be pulled out by hand, if you wanted to....
First get the sail all the way out. Make sure the traveller is dead center and the main halyard is as tight as possible, check the vang as well. After this pull the main sheet down as hard as possible, no need for a winch here..I generally leave a little wind in the main, it furls counter clock wise or starboard to port so I keep the wind on the starboard side to tension the main going in...This will give you a nice tight roll and end the folds which get caught. When furling your sail you it should always go in with any folds if you done all of the above, hold back on the outhaul when furling, this will keep the foot tight to the boom. I haven't had the problem in 3 years with this method - and the main can be pulled out by hand, if you wanted to....
Re: Furling made easy
correction When furling your sail you it should always go in without any folds, if you done all of the above, hold back on the outhaul when furling, this will keep the foot tight to the boom.
correction When furling your sail you it should always go in without any folds, if you done all of the above, hold back on the outhaul when furling, this will keep the foot tight to the boom.
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