Potential problem with selden in mast furling

Jun 1, 2009
1,735
Hunter 49 toronto
Hi there.
Haven't posted in awhile, but I have something important.
Firstly, I have discussed this issue with Selden, and they are aware of it. I respectfully requested from them their positive "blessings" for me to post this on the forum, and they were 100% supportive.
Firstly, the Selden in mast furling is without question the best system on the market.
My previous Hunter had Z spar, and the Selden engineering is way better.
So, here is the issue, and possible problem.
The furling tube needs to have proper tension to furl properly.
If the tension is too high, it will damage the bearings.
If it is too loose, then there are other issues such as:
The sail will bunch up and jam when furling
The top swivel will get caught up in the spreader hardware when dropping the sail.
With the sail down (during off-season) the Rod will bash around inside the mast.
The tensioning of the furler Rod is very simple, and is well covered in the Selden manual.
Briefly, at the base of the furling tube there is a round section of tubing approximately 12 inches long.
This tube is locked in place with a set screw. Once the set screw is backed off, the tube can be lifted, exposing the threaded Rod which adjusts the furler tension.
When you lift up the Rod, you tape it in the raised position.
Then, through the upper access cover opening, you put a small flat wrench in the track, keeping the rod from rotating.
Then, you simply rotate the furling winch by hand to tension the rig.
Note that you must rotate the tube in 360 degree increments, so that when you let the 12 inch locking tube drop back down, it lines up with the set screws.
And herein lies the problem:
On my spar (and Selden agrees they have seen this elsewhere), the hole in the locking tube doesn't line up with the set screw.
So, when the installer put the furling tube in the mast they tensioned it, but as the set screw didn't line up with the hole, they never locked it in place.
Well, what happens over time after repeated furling & unfurling is that the tensioning Rod unscrews, and the furler becomes very slack. In a bad case, it could disconnect entirely.
So, here is what you need to do:
Remove both access plates from the mast
You will see on the lower access plate opening a slotted head set screw.
If it is actually protruding through the opposite side of the tube, put back on the covers, and have a beer.
If the set screw isn't coming out of the hole, check to see if it us because the hole doesn't line up with the set screw, making it impossible for it to protrude.
If this is the case, get a small round file, and elongate the hole so that the screw can pass through.
Be sure to stuff a rag below where you are filing to catch all the aluminum bits.
Now, once the hole is large enough, screw in the set screw all the way so that the tip is protruding as much as possible.
Then dab on a bunch of BLUE (NOT RED!!!) Loctite on the thread.
Then back wind the set screw so that the Loctite gets into the nut housing.
Then wind the set screw back out locking the tube.
I hope these instructions are clear enough. As mentioned, the Selden manual shows the set screw very clearly.
In any case, I encourage everyone to open the mast access covers, and learn how this all works. It's very well built, and easy to understand.
 
Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Thank you for an excellent description. I may have had that problem. I've since sold the boat - for other reasons. But I did experience un-even furling which would lead to jams while trying to deploy the main. Using shorter vertical battens, and upgrading to the more modern flat ones instead of round helped too.
 
Jun 1, 2009
1,735
Hunter 49 toronto
This is how I found out about the problem: I was taking down the main and the head swivel got stuck at the top spreaders.
The only way to get it past the spreaders was to rotate the furling back & forth quickly.
Then the swivel got stuck at the lower spreaders. The same technique freed it up.
So, I went home and went carefully through the manual. I really suspected furler tension
When I went back to the boat, I opened the access ports, and the furler would bang around side to side hitting the mast walls if you pushed it. Didn't seem right
So, I looked for the set screw, and found the hole misalignment issue.
Opened the hole, and tensioned the furler.
As I wanted to ensure this was all correct, I called the always-helpful folks at Selden.
They said I was 100% right , and that the fix was correct.
BTW, this relates to an older post of mine, but it is still very relevant.
My Selden spar came equipped with Rutgerson blocks for both the vang and mast base. They are unequivocally garbage, and dangerous.
Here are 2 examples:
Out sailing on a bright & sunny day broad reaching with 12 knots true. BANG!!!!
The boom bang Beckett block exploded. Upon examination, it was embarrassing how shoddy it was constructed.
Second example.
Sending a 140 pound person aloft in a bosun's chair. The line went through the mast base blocks to the cabin top winch.
Always use 2 halyards, but it's tricky with only 1 person hoisting. So, you hoist about 10 feet, then take up the slack in the safety.
BANG!!! The block explodes, and the guy dropped about 10 feet to the safety backup. This was also routed through the mast base blocks, but it didn't explode.
I now always use a high quality Ronstan snatch block at the base when hauling someone up.
BTW, I sent photos of the exploding becket block to Rutgerson. Their response was pathetic. They said it was "re-designed" and told me to buy another one.
If I found a crate of brand new Rutgerson blocks, I'd use it for a doorstop.
 
  • Like
Likes: Laid-back
May 16, 2007
1,509
Boatless ! 26 Ottawa, Ontario
Thanks for posting. I don't think we have a problem but I'll check our furler when I'm back on the boat.
Bob
 
Oct 1, 2007
1,856
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
Good catch Art!!! I think we knew about this sometime earlier but I admit it completely slipped my mind. Well, I went down to Maxine (on the hard) this morning and sure enough the set screw is not quite lined up with the hole perfectly. It's off by maybe 1/32" or less but the screw is clearly not protruding through the tube. It is good and tight though and I doubt the tube has turned. The reason I think we knew about this sometime earlier is that when I went to look up mt edocuments for the mast I found the pic attached labeled "roller furler mast screw". Funny thing is I had the mast pulled and maintained at the dealer three years ago. Is it possible that the screw backs out over time?
 

Attachments

Jun 1, 2009
1,735
Hunter 49 toronto
Yes, that is exactly what happens. Without the tube being locked, the tension will work itself loose. Mine was really sloppy when I figured this out.
 
Oct 1, 2007
1,856
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
Well, another turn of the screw.....:) Today I went to Maxine all prepared to make my screw protrude. So I back the screw out a tad and widen the hole in the tube a tad, then re tightened the screw only to find out that the screw is maybe 1/2mm to a mm too short!!!!! Tightened all the way it just barely engages the hole in the tube!! So this explains why the dealer maintenance folks had installed it the way I found it. The screw sort of extends into the hole in the tube but will not achieve the wished for "protrusion". Anyway, I declared victory as the tube definitely cannot turn so the status quo is good enough !
 
Jan 4, 2019
50
Hunter 50 Halifax & Martinique
Art, how did you determine the proper tension on the furler? My furled sail thumps back and forth in the mast at a certain swell frequency and I am having issues when unfurling the sail. It keeps getting folded over on the leach.