Can anyone give me some suggestions about getting the single line roller furling (on a Hunter 326) to fully unfurl? It is designed so that the unfurling is done with a jib sheet, but it won't unfurl completely. I find it necessary to go forward and unroll it by hand for the last portion, and even then I cannot get the last couple of turns open. Thanks, Dave...
- Status
furling line drum?
Is your furling line getting hung up on the furling drum? Make sure you keep a light pressure on the furling line when you are unfurling the sail and check to see if the wraps on the furling drum are even - if they bunch up on one side they may not fit inside the drum - especially if it is an enclosed unit. It may also be that the lead block for the furling line is installed at the wrong angle to the drum which will cause the same thing to happen.
Is your furling line getting hung up on the furling drum? Make sure you keep a light pressure on the furling line when you are unfurling the sail and check to see if the wraps on the furling drum are even - if they bunch up on one side they may not fit inside the drum - especially if it is an enclosed unit. It may also be that the lead block for the furling line is installed at the wrong angle to the drum which will cause the same thing to happen.
Unwrap once or twice...
I found that my furler jammed too and had far too much line on it; by the time the jib was unfurled, I had fifty feet wrapped onto the drum. You may need to pull the line back to the drum and undo a turn or two or three (pull the line back through and around the drum). I still had plenty of line on the drum with the furler rolled up or unfurled and the drum didn't get jammed up. Paul
I found that my furler jammed too and had far too much line on it; by the time the jib was unfurled, I had fifty feet wrapped onto the drum. You may need to pull the line back to the drum and undo a turn or two or three (pull the line back through and around the drum). I still had plenty of line on the drum with the furler rolled up or unfurled and the drum didn't get jammed up. Paul
Check the head of the sail
We had a similar problem last year but ours would jam when trying to unfurl...it turned out the head of our sail and the halyard were wraping around the forstay up close to the mast...I never looked up there until our marina manager said he thought we might have a problem when he looked at it....I had them install a retainer to reduce the angle of the haylard close to the top of the mast...works fine now....next time it happens...look up...and see if its wrapped around the forstay.
We had a similar problem last year but ours would jam when trying to unfurl...it turned out the head of our sail and the halyard were wraping around the forstay up close to the mast...I never looked up there until our marina manager said he thought we might have a problem when he looked at it....I had them install a retainer to reduce the angle of the haylard close to the top of the mast...works fine now....next time it happens...look up...and see if its wrapped around the forstay.
re hank the sail
Dave: You'll need to drop the sail, then with the furling spool full of line and the foil centerd aft re-hank and raise the jib. Then, while at the slip or mooring on a fairly calm day roll the sail back up on the foil/furler. While rolling the sail back up put a little tension on the sheet so that the line in the spool is lying flat. Lastly; take a look at the mast head and check that one of the halyards isn't wrapped in the jib halyard at the top. Best of luck, Mike S/B Pitterpat, Lake Huron
Dave: You'll need to drop the sail, then with the furling spool full of line and the foil centerd aft re-hank and raise the jib. Then, while at the slip or mooring on a fairly calm day roll the sail back up on the foil/furler. While rolling the sail back up put a little tension on the sheet so that the line in the spool is lying flat. Lastly; take a look at the mast head and check that one of the halyards isn't wrapped in the jib halyard at the top. Best of luck, Mike S/B Pitterpat, Lake Huron
Another Possibility
Morning Dave: The other submitters have excellent suggestions, and another is to check for spider nest build up in the bearing mechanisms, top and bottom. Mine gets sluggish and it's a routine problem to have to blast them out a couple of times a season with a water hose. Luck!
Morning Dave: The other submitters have excellent suggestions, and another is to check for spider nest build up in the bearing mechanisms, top and bottom. Mine gets sluggish and it's a routine problem to have to blast them out a couple of times a season with a water hose. Luck!
Is the TOP swivel at the TOP of the foil?
On almost all furlers there is a specific requirement that the angle that the halyard makes with the top swivel: --- "lead angle". If the top swivel is too low on the foil there wont be sufficient 'lead angle' and the halyard is then prone to wrap around the foil when the foil is rotating. Two things can be done to prevent a halyard wrapping the top of the foil: 1. Top Pendant - A. Raise the sail all the way up with the tack NOT attached to the drum and measure the 'gap' between the tack of the sail and the attachment at the furling drum. Gap = "A" B. Then attach the tack to the drum and raise the sail until just 'raised' and put a mark on the halyard where it 'just touches' the winch. Then apply proper 'maximum' halyard tension - typically 3/4" of additional 'stretch' per 10 ft. of luff length (dacron sails). Measure the maximum amount of stretch when the halyard is fully loaded = B. C. A minus B ... minus 1/2 inch = length of "pendent". D. Make up a 'pendant' of either wire cable or high tech non stretch rope (can be connected with eye splices or 'lashings' ... to attach between the head of the sail and the top swivel. The dimensions of the 'pendent' will be A minus B ... or the gap that you measured minus the maximum stretch that you will ever put on the luff ... then deduct 1/2". So, with the sail fully loaded by wind or halyard tension there willl be approximately 1/2" gap between the top swivel and the very top of the foil. The pendent will allow the top swivel to be at the very highest position on the foil and the 'lead angle' that the halyard makes with the top swivel will be at its maximum angle. This will stop 98% of "halyard wraps" at the top swivel. 2. "Diverter block" - is a cheek-top block that attaches to the front of the mast just below the halryard sheeve at the top of the mast. The halyard runs from the top mast sheeve then down to the mast mounted block then to the top swivel. You'll need the 'minimum lead angle' to know how far below the halryard top sheeve to mount the 'diverter block'. The 'pendent method' is the easiest to do. If you have multiple headsails, you will need to construct a separate 'pendant' at the head of each sail. The moral of the this story is that the top swivel needs to be at the very TOP of the foil (not just simply at the top of the sail) ....to insure that the necessary 'lead angle' is maintained; otherwise, there is little to no 'horizontal' mechanical force on the halyard to prevent it from twisting around the top swivel when the foil is turning. Get out your furler installation directions .... and look for the diagram for the 'lead angle' at the top of the furler.
On almost all furlers there is a specific requirement that the angle that the halyard makes with the top swivel: --- "lead angle". If the top swivel is too low on the foil there wont be sufficient 'lead angle' and the halyard is then prone to wrap around the foil when the foil is rotating. Two things can be done to prevent a halyard wrapping the top of the foil: 1. Top Pendant - A. Raise the sail all the way up with the tack NOT attached to the drum and measure the 'gap' between the tack of the sail and the attachment at the furling drum. Gap = "A" B. Then attach the tack to the drum and raise the sail until just 'raised' and put a mark on the halyard where it 'just touches' the winch. Then apply proper 'maximum' halyard tension - typically 3/4" of additional 'stretch' per 10 ft. of luff length (dacron sails). Measure the maximum amount of stretch when the halyard is fully loaded = B. C. A minus B ... minus 1/2 inch = length of "pendent". D. Make up a 'pendant' of either wire cable or high tech non stretch rope (can be connected with eye splices or 'lashings' ... to attach between the head of the sail and the top swivel. The dimensions of the 'pendent' will be A minus B ... or the gap that you measured minus the maximum stretch that you will ever put on the luff ... then deduct 1/2". So, with the sail fully loaded by wind or halyard tension there willl be approximately 1/2" gap between the top swivel and the very top of the foil. The pendent will allow the top swivel to be at the very highest position on the foil and the 'lead angle' that the halyard makes with the top swivel will be at its maximum angle. This will stop 98% of "halyard wraps" at the top swivel. 2. "Diverter block" - is a cheek-top block that attaches to the front of the mast just below the halryard sheeve at the top of the mast. The halyard runs from the top mast sheeve then down to the mast mounted block then to the top swivel. You'll need the 'minimum lead angle' to know how far below the halryard top sheeve to mount the 'diverter block'. The 'pendent method' is the easiest to do. If you have multiple headsails, you will need to construct a separate 'pendant' at the head of each sail. The moral of the this story is that the top swivel needs to be at the very TOP of the foil (not just simply at the top of the sail) ....to insure that the necessary 'lead angle' is maintained; otherwise, there is little to no 'horizontal' mechanical force on the halyard to prevent it from twisting around the top swivel when the foil is turning. Get out your furler installation directions .... and look for the diagram for the 'lead angle' at the top of the furler.
Check the obvious things, too
even if it seems unlikely. Our boat was actually sold by the first owner because he was not able to operate the furler in a strong wind. It is a continuous line furler and was very hard to furl. I am the third owner and I tried everything - tightening the halyard, loosening the halyard, checked for halyard wrapping, called the company, etc. It turned out that the shackle which is supposed to hold the drum down to the bow had never been installed. Four surveyers had missed that problem, too. It works ok now but I would still prefer a single line system.
even if it seems unlikely. Our boat was actually sold by the first owner because he was not able to operate the furler in a strong wind. It is a continuous line furler and was very hard to furl. I am the third owner and I tried everything - tightening the halyard, loosening the halyard, checked for halyard wrapping, called the company, etc. It turned out that the shackle which is supposed to hold the drum down to the bow had never been installed. Four surveyers had missed that problem, too. It works ok now but I would still prefer a single line system.
It Sounds Like...
...that you have too much line furling onto the RF drum. My Hood RF recommends that the first 15' of braided RF line be "cored". That is, to remove the internal core of the braided line. There will still be ample strength to roll the sail, but it will also lay flat on the drum and provide room for those necessary last rolls on the drum.
...that you have too much line furling onto the RF drum. My Hood RF recommends that the first 15' of braided RF line be "cored". That is, to remove the internal core of the braided line. There will still be ample strength to roll the sail, but it will also lay flat on the drum and provide room for those necessary last rolls on the drum.
Patrick? Continuous loop is not...
...a reefing unit. Hood does not sell the continuous loop as a "reefing unit" any more. It is now referred to as a sail "roller". I had a Hood CL that kept unfurling when I tried to reef. The problem - The older the line, it would stretch and the diameter would reduce, causing it not bite into the teeth of the drum. I converted to the SL Reefer when I was advised of the previous explaination. But here's a hint: To help stop the slipping, pull on BOTH lines so that it pulls into the drum teeth from both sides. It will hold a bit better.
...a reefing unit. Hood does not sell the continuous loop as a "reefing unit" any more. It is now referred to as a sail "roller". I had a Hood CL that kept unfurling when I tried to reef. The problem - The older the line, it would stretch and the diameter would reduce, causing it not bite into the teeth of the drum. I converted to the SL Reefer when I was advised of the previous explaination. But here's a hint: To help stop the slipping, pull on BOTH lines so that it pulls into the drum teeth from both sides. It will hold a bit better.
Furling Expert
Dave, I'm also at Lanier (AquaLand) and just had a Harkin furling installed on my Hunter. I used an independent sailboat rigging person that really knew is stuff. Reply if you want his name/number. DaveB
Dave, I'm also at Lanier (AquaLand) and just had a Harkin furling installed on my Hunter. I used an independent sailboat rigging person that really knew is stuff. Reply if you want his name/number. DaveB
Single line
I have a single line for both the jib and main. The jib works fine with no problems. The main at times can be wrapped too tight (Run out of line before it gets wrapped all the way in). This just means that when I get back to the dock, I have to unroll, then roll it back up. More workout for my arms
I have a single line for both the jib and main. The jib works fine with no problems. The main at times can be wrapped too tight (Run out of line before it gets wrapped all the way in). This just means that when I get back to the dock, I have to unroll, then roll it back up. More workout for my arms
- Status