Ripple Jib Furling

[mikej21]

My Jib furling system ( Selden - dk model ). I often have issues pulling the Jib out to sail and furling the jib back to roll it up. It gets stuck in both directions. Often the wind helps unfurling, but when I go to roll it back it gets hard. It should just be a smooth event. At the beginning of the season it was smooth - after the marina lubed the drum/system.

I think the salt-water from the spray/splash the hits it has something to do with it?

I am wondering can I just spray WD-40 or Syllicone on it? But where do I spray it specifically? And, will either type of product do any damage to my gel-coating if it gets on it?

Thank you
Mike J - Ripple

 

[Warren Milberg]

Jib Furling

I have a Selden Furlex 200 so Im not sure how similar that might be to your system. But here are a couple of thoughts and suggestions. The manual that came with my system shows 6 different lube points around the drum and also how to lube the upper swivel. The system also came with a tube of Selden lube, which I used and then replaced with white lithium grease. Try cleaning out the drum and the old lube with a fresh water hosing. Then follow the manual directions to re-lube. I would not use WD-40 or silicone. I would also try to make sure you do not have "excessive" wraps on the drum and that the furling line is the "right" size. Mine is 5/16" double braid and I have 150 genoa. I shoot for only have one or two wraps on the drum when the sail if furled. When unfurling the sail, try to keep a light pressure on the furling line as you pull out the working jib sheet. This will help prevent line overwraps on the drum. When furling, head your boat onto a very broad reach to blanket the headsail with the main and then try furling it. Head to wind makes it much harder. Hope this helps.

 

[seadaddler]

halyard

Maybe the jib halyard needs to be tighten and it the halyard line has
stretched a little and so try tightening.
Nick

 

[mikej21]

Re: Jib Furling

Thank you. I believe I have the mannuel on the boat. I try to furl the way you suggest. may be I need to be more cautious while furling.

Mike J

 

[PKFK]

I second the comment about not too much line on the drum.

We have the furlex 200 on out h36 and were having override problems - which mean jams when furling in. I re-jiggled it to get most of the excess line off the drum and voila - no more overrides. The plastic springy guides seemed to get in the way when the line over rode - to less line on the drum really seems to help.

Paul

 

[RichH]

What is the 'halyard lead angle' that the top furler makes with the halyard sheave at the top of the mast?
How close is the top of the top furler swivel to the VERY top of the furling foil?

All these are critically important to prevent the halyard from wrapping the top swivel ... and cause exactly what you describe. Your furler manual should have these 'critical' dimensions that are 'required' to prevent this halyard 'toggle-wrap' that intermittently jams the furler.

If the top swivel in NOT 'riding' very close to the very top of the furler foil at near the mast top, do this as it 95% of the time corrects 'halyard wrap' and stops the intermittent jamming:

1. Disconnect the sail from the bottom swivel/drum
2. Raise the sail all the way up the foil.
3. measure the distance between the drum mounted shackle and the tack cringle of the sail, ... deduct 1.5 to 2" from that dimension.
4. Make up a rope or cable 'pendent' to that dimension (less the ~1-1/2"), and either connect the pendent between the bottom drum and the sail's tack; OR alternately, between the head of the sail and the top swivel.
5. Raise the sail and LOOK (w/ binoculars, etc.) to verify that only a 'teeny' amount of the foil is sticking out beyond the top swivel --- the top swivel now at very close to the very top of the furler foil.
The best 'rope' to use for the pendent is high tech, non stretchable line such as amsteel or dyneema. Just several lengths of 'thin' line through the cringles/shackles and tied off as a 'lashing'. 3/16" or 4 mm is probably the best diameter. Use 'lots' of knots for the 'lashing'.

Applying such a pendent to get that top swivel at near the very top of the foil will 95% of the time prevent 'halyard wrap'. If the addition of this 'pendent' doesnt correct the problem, then consider to add a mast mounted 'diverter block' so that the furling system HALYARD LEAD ANGLE is within spec. (as found in your furler manual).

hope this helps.

 

[quadrille38]

Have felt like the Furlex on my 2008 Hunter 38 has been more difficult to furl than it should be ever since we bought her new. The boat was a dealer demo and we acquired her in 2009. Not impossible but just not as smooth as it should be. Tried loosening the halyard tension a bit, tightening it a bit, unwinding the drum and rewinding it, all with no real change.

This year it reached a point where it was so difficult that I'd had enough. I was even reaching a point where I was having to put it on a winch and crank it in (yes I know this is just not right). Worked at it an finally found what was wrong. Almost embarrassed to admit it since it was so simple.


Before giving you my discovery I have to premise with - I am a manual reader. I read every instruction manual of everything I've ever bought. Maybe it is OCD but I don't assemble anything without sitting down and sorting the pieces into piles and even counting them, reading the entire assembly instructions, and then going step by step. I read every manual for every pice of equipment that came with the boat several times (or so I thought).

So imagine my embarrassment when in frustration I pulled out the manual for the Furlex and read it very carefully. Especially the section about putting the furling line on the drum. In the set up it said that if the furling line is on the starboard side of the boat the drum should be turned counterclockwise to wind the line on the drum. And if it feeds from the port side the drum should be turned clockwise to wind the line on.


Ready? Here it comes. For 5 years I've been fighting with it and just discovered that all this time the line has been rolled on backwards. My furling line is on starboard side and it was rolled on the drum with a clockwise turn. This is the way it came from the dealer. When it is rolled on backward like this, the tensioner that is inside the base of the drum doesn't apply enough pressure to evenly wrap the line on the drum. It bunches and allows overlaps which makes it miserable and difficult to roll the sail back up.

Now that it is rolled on in the correct direction, it is nice and smooth, no overlaps, no bunching and I can furl the sail with not much more than a 1 handed pull.

Embarrassed but much happier now. Guess this winter I need to sit down and read all the manuals again.

 

[mikej21]

Thank you all for your comments. I have a Selden 100. I followed Warren's advise and used white lithium grease at all the spots that show in the mannuel. I spent time looking and comparing the pictures of the halyard to my halyard. Although, the furling experience was improved it is not perfect. I think the next step is to raise the halyard a little, even though it appears to be just as the instructions in the mannuel. Wish me luck and thank you all again.

Mike J