Looking for info on H33 furling mainsail

[Maurice Doran]

I finally got my H33 off the dock and noticed the outhaul is particularly stiff making it difficult to pull the main in and out of the mast. If I climb up and pull on the outhaul on the mast to loosen up some line, I can tell the main goes in and out of the mast with very little effort.

This is my first sailboat with in-mast furling and I don't think the previous owner sailed much last year so perhaps it's just a case of lack of use. Perhaps the blocks will "loosen up" after a while but I wondered if other owners have had to deal with this issue. I sprayed some McLube in a couple of blocks as I didn't have any other lubricant handy. Haven't been out since to see if it made a difference.

I also noticed one annoying thing with the traveller positioned above the arch. I can never tell where the traveller is located so I need to poke my head around the bimini after each tack to see where the car ended up. Any tricks to this?

Cheers,

Maurice

 

[shemandr]

I also noticed one annoying thing with the traveller positioned above the arch. I can never tell where the traveller is located so I need to poke my head around the bimini after each tack to see where the car ended up...

Oh, the humanity of it... Try marking your traveler control lines.
With regard to the stiff outhaul line you might try removing it using a messenger line. I was going to say let it spend some time in a bin with detergent and fabric softener but you're in fresh water. So the alternative is to go to the sailboat owners.com store and buy some low stretch line one size smaller and making sure it is hockle free. For instance Sta-Set and Stay Set x are very low stretch but they do not run through a block easily. Make sure your stopper will hold it. I've forgotten what I used on my 356 but it made a HUGH difference in the sailing characteristics of the boat and was easier to furl.

 

[Maurice Doran]

I agree marking the lines would certainly help in determining the general position of the mainsheet car. So would making sure both lines are the same length (they aren't at the moment and I will be fixing this). This boat is new to me so I was just wondering if there wasn't another way to determine the car position. I still feel it's awkward not being able to actually see the traveler but I will get used to it.

Replacing the old outhaul line with a low-stretch line of a smaller diameter. The current line does seem quite big which could be contributing to the problem.

 

[JamesG161]

Every spring I have to water flush the upper swivel bearing connected to the main Halyard and the lower swivel bearing on your furling drum top. This removes "spider dung" etc. No lube necessary on my self lubricating Stainless Steel bearings. Lube attracts dirt.
______
I seriously doubt a well lubed boom car or other outhaul control pulleys cause a stiff outhaul. Outhaul line sizing is for forces and NOT to jump the boom car pulley.
______
More likely it is the Halyard tension is too tight and prevents an easy in and out.

Caution...
Too loose of the main Halyard will cause the leach to roll in a bind.

There is a "sweet spot" to find/test and Mark on your halyard for returning.
Jim...

 

[JamesG161]

Any tricks to this?

Yes!
With your Hunters B&R rig (I assume your H33 has) you have a limit of ≈60° swing in the boom on a tack.

The trick...

Set your traveler one time to prevent the main from too much contact with the spreaders and forget it!
Jim...

 

[Maurice Doran]

Thanks James, all good advice that I will put to good use.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

I have a plastic window just ahead of the arch between the bimini and the dodger and a small window in the rear section of the bimini.

Furling:
-loose vang
-sail slightly to port
-wind slightly from starboard
-slight tension on outhaul while pulling on inner furling line. (obviously outer line lock released)

Unfurling:
-loose vang
-pull on outer furling line (inner line lock released)
-pull on outhaul as furling line is pulled

The furling winch and bearing can be lubricated by removing the white plugs on the port side of the mast. Make sure that the outhaul line goes from the end of the boom under the outhaul carrier block, in through the top of the sail mounted block, through the plastic stopper and connected to the forward section of the outhaul carrier.

The furling winch at the mast has a free and lock setting. In the lock position the sail will not unfurl. Good for reefing. You can pull the sail in in the lock position. I normally sail with it in free unless in high winds and require the sail reefed. When leaving the boat leave it in lock so the sail can not be blown out of the mast. When the endless line furling line is new it holds the furling winch well. Not so much when it is old and stiff. (Sounds a little like me)

 

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[seadaddler]

My boat has been sitting in the hot sun since 2008 and have no problems and sounds like the main Haylard Tension and would check that before doing any else.
Nick

 

[Maurice Doran]

Thanks for all the good info. I think part of the problem is the outhaul line diameter is too big. The line on our boat is 5/8" and it won't fit in the line stoppers. It's also crossing over the two furling lines (in/out) on deck which is certainly not ideal.

I think we need to swap out the outhaul line to a 3/8" low stretch line and reposition it so it uses one of the blocks on the deck so we can route it to a free line stopper on the starboard side. This will also prevent the line from rubbing on the furling lines which are on the port side.

I also noticed our boat doesn't have a topping lift. We have two spare halyards so I guess I can use the spare main halyard to at as a topping lift. I thought you don't need a topping lift with a solid vang but I can't seem to get the boom to lift higher and the blocks are resting on the bimini canvas. They seem to be rubbing on the canvas so I may not have a choice but to use a topping lift even though it's going to be a major pain removing it with the big bimini in the way.

There has to be a better way to set this up.

Can you tell me what size outhaul you use on your boat? What diameter line do you use?

Cheers,

Maurice

 

[Scott B]

If I remember the clutch order correctly ( not at boat until next weekend )
Outhaul should not cross the furling lines.
Line clutches on the coach roof Port side Spin Halyard, Jib Halyard, Main Furl Out, Main Furl In.
Starboard side clutches, Main Outhaul, Main Sheet, Main Halyard.
I also added another clutch Starboard side for the vang line.

The Spare Main halyard is used for the topping lift.
The Vang does not have an internal spring so will not lift the boom .

 

[Jake N Eggs]

Do you have an operators manual? The information is in it. Here is a link to the manuals available on this site. The out haul is 10mm or 3/8".
https://hunter.sailboatowners.com/dl/downloads.php?task=model&mid=75&model=33

I think that the vang is installed on the boom by the dealer. I have seen it attached in varying positions. I have installed a block between the cushioning rubber and the end to stop the boom from coming too low in the event that I loosen the topping lift (spare halyard). If it is too low you risk destroying the block on the traveler during a tack. I set the topping lift to hold the boom above the contact point of the mainsheet blocks.

Scott is correct with the line layout.

 

[Maurice Doran]

If I remember the clutch order correctly ( not at boat until next weekend )
Outhaul should not cross the furling lines.
Line clutches on the coach roof Port side Spin Halyard, Jib Halyard, Main Furl Out, Main Furl In.
Starboard side clutches, Main Outhaul, Main Sheet, Main Halyard.
I also added another clutch Starboard side for the vang line.

The Spare Main halyard is used for the topping lift.
The Vang does not have an internal spring so will not lift the boom .

Thanks Scott, this confirms my suspicions. Will set up a topping lift using my spare main halyard line.

 

[Maurice Doran]

Do you have an operators manual? The information is in it. Here is a link to the manuals available on this site. The out haul is 10mm or 3/8".
https://hunter.sailboatowners.com/dl/downloads.php?task=model&mid=75&model=33

I think that the vang is installed on the boom by the dealer. I have seen it attached in varying positions. I have installed a block between the cushioning rubber and the end to stop the boom from coming too low in the event that I loosen the topping lift (spare halyard). If it is too low you risk destroying the block on the traveler during a tack. I set the topping lift to hold the boom above the contact point of the mainsheet blocks.

Scott is correct with the line layout.

Jake,
Thanks for the download page link. There was a lot of documentation that came with the boat but I couldn't find any information about the outhaul size and positioning. These PDF manuals will certainly come handy.

From your note it seems you're leaving the topping lift on while you sail. I have always removed the topping lift on my previous boats while sailing and reconnect it after dropping the main (in this case it would be furling the main).

In my case the boom is currently supported by the rigid vang but it's still too low and I can see the blocks under the end of the boom rubbing on the bimini canvas, hence the need to move the boom up by about a foot.
The boat was laid up for winter with this arrangement but the canvas had been removed so it wasn't as much of a problem. I didn't pay attention too much until we got the boat back to its slip in Kingston. Now I'm working on getting everything set up the right way.

I will be ordering a new outhaul line this week. This will help a lot.

Cheers,

Maurice

 

[Jake N Eggs]

Yes, I leave the topping lift in place. There is no roach on the sail so it fits in the triangle. If your boom is too low does it not hit the arch? Do you have a traveler on the arch? I have a block on the traveler and the two blocks will contact each other if the boom is too low. The vang connection at the boom could be re-positioned I think. I am pretty sure that they drill a hole in the boom for clearance for the locking bolt. I chose to make an aluminum spacer block rather than re-position the vang connection.

 

[Maurice Doran]

Yes, I leave the topping lift in place. There is no roach on the sail so it fits in the triangle. If your boom is too low does it not hit the arch? Do you have a traveler on the arch? I have a block on the traveler and the two blocks will contact each other if the boom is too low. The vang connection at the boom could be re-positioned I think. I am pretty sure that they drill a hole in the boom for clearance for the locking bolt. I chose to make an aluminum spacer block rather than re-position the vang connection.

I will have to look at the arch again when I go over to replace the outhaul line. If I remember correctly, on mine the boom clears the arch as it's supported by the rigid vang. I will install the topping lift so I can raise it a bit higher and take some load off the vang.