Jammed mainsail furling

[Rhona]

My husband and I sail a 2003 Hunter 356 which we've owned for just over a year. This summer we've had problems with the sail jamming and not coming out. We thought we had fixed it but yesterday, out on one of our last sails of the year ( Toronto ) , the sail would only come out halfway. We furled it with some difficulty and could see the sail wrinkling badly as it went into the mast but we were out in fairly high winds and wanted to work on it at the dock. Now we can't seem to budge the sail at all. It's jammed with about two inches of white sail and the blue triangle out. Any ideas for what we should try?

Rhona

 

[CaptainJB]

Sail Jam

I just went through the same thing on my 2002 356 within the last 60 days

I was ready to take the mast down it was so bad. I contacted Seldon and they said no matter what do not take the mast down. In the end I contacted my marina and they sent a guy up in a chair using the crane and he used thin pieces of wood (think paint stirrers) to force the sail out as I pulled from the deck

The sail eventaully came out but with a few tears

I have diagnosed the problem as operator error.

The sail has to be rolled with a little wind coming over the port side (not directly into the wind), and a little tension on the sail using the out haull as you wind it in.

It appears (my opinion) as the sail gets older it gets some stretch and is not a flat as it should be, making the wrap very critical

I have had the tears repaired and have been very careful winding in the sail and it seems to be fine.

I share your pain, in the end the incident cost me a little over $500 dollars for the yard and the sail repair

Good luck

 

[Bob R.]

To unjam, check to see if there are any bulges along the luff slot in the mast when you put tension on the outhaul. If there is, loosen tension on the outhaul amd try pushing the pinched bulge back into the mast as far up as you can reach or climb. Use the blue furling line to work the sail in an out as much as you can. The travel should gradually increase as you cycle it in and out.

After you get the sail all the way out, check your halyard tension. The wrinkles in the sail you describe sound like the halyard may not have the sail tight. Also check the distance between the sheeting block at the end of the boom and the traveler blocks on top of the arch. There should be at least 3-4 inches of line between the blocks with the main sheet taut. If the boom is too tight against the traveler, the sail will furl with wrinkles. I had to adjust the topping lift to get the main sail to furl withour wrinkling.

Use the blue furling line to furl and unfurl the sail and the outhaul to keep a bit of tension when going eaither direction.

Hope this helps. It took my wife a I some time to figure out the best technique to furl and unful. We haven't had any problems with jamming since the 1st year we owned the boat.

 

[Alan]

Another of the long line of jamming problems associated with roller mains. What would you do if the main would not roll in and it was blowing stink? Are roller mains REALLY worth the small convenience of not needing a sail cover. Add to this the lack of sail shape controls that are missing and this is a real safety issue that many folks don't look at with an open mind.
The big question is 'when will it happen next?'

 

[Mulf]

I hate to reply to Alan and start another one of these

Another of the long line of jamming problems associated with roller mains. What would you do if the main would not roll in and it was blowing stink? Are roller mains REALLY worth the small convenience of not needing a sail cover. Add to this the lack of sail shape controls that are missing and this is a real safety issue that many folks don't look at with an open mind.
The big question is 'when will it happen next?'

"my rig is better than your rig" threads, but I just can't let Alan's comment that the only advantage is "not needing a sail cover" hang out there for other's to think he's right. In my opinion Alan misses the big picture entirely. I had a full roach full batten main on my H29.5 and now have a standard roller furling main on my H410. I would NEVER go back. I can furl or partially furl (infinitely adjustable reefing), without ever leaving the safety of the cockpit the entire trip. The only time I would have to leave the cockpit is if the main jammed on furling. Yes, in seven seasons of reasonably high use I have encountered a couple of jams, but have been able to deal with them sucessfully and learned from my furling mistakes. Using the winch handle in the furling drum on the mast for better leverage than the blue line is one tip I will pass on to those encountering problems. Alan has to leave the cockpit every time he lowers the main, and possibly every time he reefs up or down. And I'll bet he's had trouble getting his standard main up or down at least once over the years. I like my furling main, Alan obviously likes his standard main. To each his own, but one sided views mislead everyone else.

 

[seadaddler]

Furling Winch on the mast

While pulling on the out haul also have some one at the mast on the mast
winch cranking it out will help pull it out better.
Alan is a pure Racer and would never own In-Mast so he really doesn't understand,are you saying that sailor's with non In-mast don't ever have a problem with their sails or raising or lowering ?????????.
In-Mast is great for reefing.
Yes the furling main can be tricky and learning the proper way to use it is just like learning to sail a full main with battens and reefing and sail trim,just my 2 cents,to each his own.
Nick

 

[Scott B]

Nick, I agree. You need to learn how to handle a full battened main on how to lower and reef same as having to learn to hanlde an inmast furler.

Mulf good points. Too often people come on without experience with in-mast and quote "dock-talk".

Alan, if I have a jam with in-mast I would go on deck, same as you, loosen the outhaul and pull the main into the mast and wrap a spare halyard ( spinnaker halyard or topping lift, as I have a rigid vang the topping lift is redundant), or sail ties to keep it there until I get to safer water or the dock and deal with the jam. If your main halyard jams at the top of the mast, what would you do?, Probably the same thing since you have no other options.

 

[Graysailor]

This is what helps me. Release the main sheet. Release the boom vang. Release the outhaul. Using the outhaul (of course) pull out the main.

The critical part is furling in. Same procedure as above. But, very critical, keep tension on the outhaul while furling in. In fact I give the outhaul a good pull with every other turn on the winch. This pulls the main out slightly and reduces the wrinkles. This should take the wrinkles out of the sail while furling in. I also keep an eye on the sail and see that it is going in straight and as wrinkle free as possible. It is the wrinkles that cause the jamming. Do this several times at the dock until you have your procedure down and are comfortable with what you are doing. Ideally, but not necessary I like to have the wind coming from starboard. By doing this the sail does not have to make a U turn to furl in. The sail furls counter clockwise.

Hope this helps.

 

[seadaddler]

No Expert

I am no expert at sailing for sure only been sailing my own 30 ft keel boat since
2000 but it was no fun trying to reef when weather changed to too much wind for a full sail up and having to reef or worst dropping the sail and having to deal
with securing the sail,now my H 36 IN-Mast.
IN-Mast is so easy once you learn the do's and don't,just like taking out that new to you sailboat and learning how every thing works.
When I take friends out sailing they are amazed how easy I work the sails,I did normally do it all by my self but friends all want to help so I show them how it is done but really easy.
I think Hunter has a whole explanation in the owners manual or saw it here some place telling you what to do and not do,I will look for it.
Nick