In Mast Roller Furling Jam

[Captain John Burns]

I did it this time.....

Have had my 356 for 7 years and I have had the occassional in mast ruler furling jam, which are usually resolved with some careful tightening and lossening using the out-haul or the furling system. Usually a 5 min pain in the butt.

Well today I had some new comers on the boat and I had a jam, 1st this year, I went forward to use the winch on the mast and gave some orders to my crew to assist by either pulling the outhaul or the furling ropes.

Suddenly, I don't know what happened but I now have a real jam

It is several hours later and my sail is 75% out, but bunched and jammed at the upper spreader.

I left the boat with the sail wrapped with rope around the mast until morning

I have tonight to sleep on the issue and develop a new approach to free the jam

Anyone had a similiar jam

John

 

[Les]

I just had the same problem with my new Hunter 27. You might try this--pull down on your main sheet hard. It popped the rest of the sail out for me. Good luck.

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

Jam

John: I've had my 356 since 03 and am on my 7th season too. I've had more problems this year with my in mast main as well. I think it is due to a stretched main. I would suggest you put as much tension on the boom with the vang as possible and also tighten the main halyard. I would try to tighten up the sail by winding in as much as possible first. I would also try it as early in the morning as possible as the aluminum mast would be cooler and perhaps that will help slightly by spreading the slot ever so slightly. I would work it in and out alternatively using the outhaul and the furling lines. It will probably take many patient cycles to work it loose. Good luck and let us know how you ultimately solve this!

 

[seadaddler]

Check

Hi sorry to hear the problems you are having with your in mast but check to make sure the new people did not loosen the main halyard by mistake,it has happen to me once when some new guy was helping trim the sails,he open the
main halyard by mistake even had some one do to the jib once.
Saw Sharon and Brian and other of their family this past week end,everyone doing fine and looking good,one more week in NY and back to Florida and than Alaska.
Nick

 

[Captain John Burns]

Still jammed

Well after a second day of trying, it is still jammed

I went up in a bosum chair today to try to undo the jam at the second spreader

It appears the sail (Leech) folder over itself and is really jammed. Cannot turn in or out.

I tried to loosen but when in the bosuns chair for every action there is a reaction, and infortunately the guy in the chair is the reaction. Can't get enough leverage to do much

Spent the remainder of the afternoon, (until the thunderstorms), pulling and prying. By the way the sail is starting to tear at the leech.

Called Seldon and they do not have a magic pill.

Am considering taking the mast down, but Seldon though that was a bad idea.

I am perplexed to say the least. I'm afraid to do a lot of more cranking for fear of breaking the furling system, but am left will few options

The worst part about this is I caused it by trying to force the sail out while on the water, instead of returning to the dock and taking a slower more methodical approach to clearing the jam.

Will keep you posted.

John

 

[chuckwayne]

My sailmaker showed me a surefire way too deal with jams like this-get yourself a pair of welders vicegrips-the ones with flat plates for jaws that are perpendicular to the pliers-go up in your chair, grasp the sail at the jam and pull-work your way up and down the jammed area and work it out a little at a time

 

[newly anonymous]

judging from the location of your jam...

...it was probably caused by furling/unfurling with greater pressure on the foot than the leech of the sail.

Best way both to correct the problem and to prevent it in the future is with more vang when furling/unfurling.

Possible way to unjam would be to crank on some vang and mainsheet pressure and then hang off the end of the boom.
+++++++++++

when you use an in-main furler, it's important to keep equal tension on the entire sail. If you furl it with a tight foot and a loose leech, you will cause the sort of problem described in this thread.

 

[Ron Roman]

John, bring us up to date with your jamming.