increasing purchas power; how to rig?

[Jared1048]

Im trying to increase the purchasing power on my furling line and its tension got worst?!

I've got a fiddle block with 3 rollers on my rear life linemount and a tripple block on the life line mount infront of it. I ran the line between them back and forth but its harder now than it was before!

how to rig this the right way? Harken has some diagrams but it's not clicking for me

 

[Warren Milberg]

I'm assuming you are referring to a furling headsail and not a mainsail. If so, it's hard for me to imagine needing what you currently have rigged on your furling line, but my guess is that all the additional rollers/blocks have just added to the friction in your system. I think that in most boats under 40 ft or so you should not need anything but simple fairleads/deadeyes from the furling drum all the way back to the wherever you secure the furling line in or around the cockpit. If that is not adequate, it sounds like something is amiss at the drum and/or foil that is keeping the system from turning smoothly and easily. You ought to be able to roll up or out a 150 headsail without any additional rig than a straight furling line running thru fairleads. Also, make sure your upper swivel is in good shape and turns easily.

 

[Jared1048]

In normal sailing conditions the system i had wss fine. In adverse conditions I've tried to furl in the headsail due to increasing winds and had the Genoa furling line ripped out of my hands. Even with a luffing sail it was a bear to bring in and could barely muster it.


I've checked the leads and they are not binding or rubbing. The blocks seam to be a close fit though.

Is there a certain way the line needs to run back and forth through the blocks or does any way matter? I've tried going cross cross and outside-outside with no difference noticed.

 

[Allan12210]

Increased purchase power might make it easier to really break something. Our instructions even say to never put the line on a winch. We found that when the wind pipes up to the point we need to furl, it is easier to fall off the wind until the main shadows the jib somewhat. There is no flapping, the jib just starts to collapse and you can roll it very easily with one hand even.

Follow up on Warren's suggestions making sure there is no binding.

Allan

 

[Ken Honeycutt]

For sure something is binding if you can't furl with just the furling line run like Warren says. On my previous H31 with a 150 genoa I had no problem furling. Falling off in high winds should do the trick as Allan says.

 

[Bill Roosa]

The idea is not to just run line between two FIXED BLOCKS. One of the blocks MUST be able to move and not be attached to anything except the line running through it.
I'm of the opinion that you are doing something wrong and that more purchase will only lead to more problems and broken gear

 

[Jared1048]

Two fixed blocks is wrong. Ok, got it.

Reason why I wanted it is in really wanted it is in really gusty conditions when the main is already put away. The little bit of head sail is easier to handle. Maybe by order of reducing sail is backwards then?

In what order do you drop sail as the wind picks up?

 

[Dalliance]

There should be a rachet block near the aft end of your furler line. You don't mention one, so maybe it's missing(?).
If there is so much wind on the genoa that you can't move the furler line or it's overpowering you, then fall off. I often use the main to block the wind on the genoa. Furl up the genoa first, then drop the main.
Adding purchase power is just going to break something.

 

[Jared1048]

Reading about rachet blocks sound like something I definitely need.

 

[centerline]

Two fixed blocks is wrong. Ok, got it.

Reason why I wanted it is in really wanted it is in really gusty conditions when the main is already put away. The little bit of head sail is easier to handle. Maybe by order of reducing sail is backwards then?

In what order do you drop sail as the wind picks up?

it really doesnt matter which you drop first, but by heading up a little and getting close to luffing the jib sail, the furling line should pull freely.... if your jib sheets are loose enough.

 

[kloudie1]

Another thing to check is your head stay tension.. I found a loose headstay will make the furler VERY hard to turn .. because the foil must rotate while significantly bent.. Ya might be able to check by sheeting in main tightly when ya try to furl.. If it gets easier to furl, the stay is too loose.

 

[Jared1048]

There should be a rachet block near the aft end of your furler line. You don't mention one, so maybe it's missing(?).
If there is so much wind on the genoa that you can't move the furler line or it's overpowering you, then fall off. I often use the main to block the wind on the genoa. Furl up the genoa first, then drop the main.
Adding purchase power is just going to break something.

do you have a picture of how you rigged the rachet block? Does it have the cam cleat on the block?

Im worried the angle will be wrong into the block to get the right tension for the block to grab

Thanks for all the info!

 

[Jared1048]

Just got a Harken carbo block - 57mm ratchmatic with cam and becket. Ill install tonight before the race and see how it does!

 

[Dalliance]

Just got a Harken carbo block - 57mm ratchmatic with cam and becket. Ill install tonight before the race and see how it does!

Apologies for my tardy response.
My ratchet block is thru bolted at the toe rail roughly 2 feet forward of the helmsman's seat. It swivels, so I can handle it from the helm or a crew member in front of me can. Stanchion mount, in my case, would have been either too far forward or too far aft I think.
I considered a cam cleat at one time but they can be hard to release under load. I also feared the line could be pulled out accidentally if anything, like a genoa sheet for example, were to get caught on it. I just have an ordinary cleat on the outside of the coaming and try to reduce sail early.
I'm curious to hear how your new set up works out.