Jammed Furling Main

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Sep 23, 2012
2
Hunter 460 Long Beach, Ca
I have a 2000 Hunter 460 with the Seldon main furling system. I have owned the boat for 3 years and until recently have not had any problems with the mainsail furling system. Currently the mainsail has hauled out without any problems, but now has a tendency to bunch up and get clogged inside the mast, preventing it from out hauling beyond the top spreader. When I furl it back in it clogs about mid mast. I've had riggers and sail specialist make adjustments and even trimmed the sail. No luck. Any one have any history like this or suggestions.
 
Dec 19, 2006
5,832
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Baggy

Do you think maybe the sail is baggy or stretched out and causing the sail to bunch up,have you tried adjusting the halyard to make sure it the halyard has not gotten a little loose.
Some thing is keeping the sail from furling in nicely tight and have you tried
pulling down on the boom and keeping tension on the outhaul when furling into the mast.
Nick
 
Sep 5, 2009
135
Hunter 45 CC Marina del Rey
I got hte same problem after 4 years sailing. I have a Hunter 45CC. It looks like the sail is stretched out at the luff and leech causing it folding over especially when furling it in. I got the sail trimmed but it worked only very little. Today I have another rigger looking at the sail - I may have to buy a furling mainsail without vertical battens. Mack Sail made an offer for about $ 2500. Will keep you updated!

All the advices are good - keep tension when furling in and out, keep the boom at a correct angle etc. - but they may not work anymore.

Good luck!

Viktor
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,453
-na -NA Anywhere USA
I am going to venture out on this one as I know more about the small boats than most but was also a large Hunter dealer at one time myself. We had that problem too with some of the older boats in mast roller furling mainsails.

Over time the bolt rope in the smaller boat mainsails would stretch and affect the shape and not much could be done except to get it fixed which solved the issue. IF you have tried everything else to resolve that issue, then look at the shape of the sail with particular attention to any stretched bolt rope. It is easier to fix than to replace.
 
Sep 23, 2012
2
Hunter 460 Long Beach, Ca
Thanks for your feedback. Some I have tried. Tightened the halyard. It was a bit loose. Sail trimmed at luff and leech. When it come to the boom and main sheet, Iv'e been told by other Hunter owners to slack the boom vang and main sheet. Does that sound like good advice?? It makes sense to keep things a bit tighter, including some tension on the out haul when reefing or furling in. Also, what is the correct position on the reefing winch, free or ratchet?? I almost always operate from the cockpit..
 
Mar 23, 2013
132
Hunter 44DS Lake Macquarie
I have recently bought a 2003 Hunter 44 with in mast furling and the only way that I can get the sale out without it jamming is to use the out furling line and push the sail out for some reason. I winch it in very tight with pressure on the out haul line. But if I try and pull it out with the outhaul line it wants to bring out extra sail and jam for some reason, but if I push it out using be out furling line and have the wind on the sale it comes out very very easy and then I just keep tightening the out haul line.
 

Mikem

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Dec 20, 2009
823
Hunter 466 Bremerton
I slack the vang and main slightly. The reefing winch should be free. Use ratchet when at the mast and winching in (or in some rare instance, winching out). There are bearings at the top and bottom of the furler. Remove the inspection ports and slightly grease the bearings.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,453
-na -NA Anywhere USA
On most mainsails, when you feed it into the mast track, note it is rounded and inside that rounded portion is line which some old timers refer to as bolt rope. That does have a tendancy to shrink or stretch in some cases over time and usage. When that has been repaired, proper shape is restored to the sail. I hope this explains what I am talking about.
 
Sep 5, 2009
135
Hunter 45 CC Marina del Rey
On most mainsails, when you feed it into the mast track, note it is rounded and inside that rounded portion is line which some old timers refer to as bolt rope. That does have a tendancy to shrink or stretch in some cases over time and usage. When that has been repaired, proper shape is restored to the sail. I hope this explains what I am talking about.
Thanks so much! A stretched out luff seems to be one of the problems!

Viktor
 
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