Tight furler
- Thread starter skunther
- Start date
These old hood furlers systems slide over the head stay and are completely independent from them. He should be able to slide the full drum assembly up over the foil after removing parts # 1, 2 & 3. The only time he would need to release the headstay would be if he needs to take any of the parts off the stay.
I managed to remove the vinyl screw and pull the tack sockets. The lowest extrusion is cracked where they sit. It does seem a weak point in the design of this system as the turnbuckle tube is centered at the bottom by the centering ring, and at the top it seems to rely on tha lowest extrusion, which is already structurally compromised by the holes drilled into it for the tack sockets and screw (where the crack is).
Regardless, it seems this is what needs fixing. Any input on where I can pick up a lower luff extrusion for a Seafurl 800?
Regardless, it seems this is what needs fixing. Any input on where I can pick up a lower luff extrusion for a Seafurl 800?
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I also found this broken part at the top of the turnbuckle, which doesn’t seem to be in the parts chart.
Is this integral to the operation/safety of the furler?
Is this integral to the operation/safety of the furler?
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I had the same type of cracking on my Hood 810. I took it to a welding shop and they tig welded it and I then used a file to clean it back down to flush with the original surface. That was about 20-years ago and that furler is still in use by a guy I sold it to down in Long Beach.
That is one of the luff bearings. There is one on top of each foil joint sitting on top of the splice pieces plus the one that sits on top of the drum assembly that you found. The keep the foil centered on the forestay.
Fits in there like a charm. Seems maybe it wasn’t installed properly and that may be why the whole thing was shifting. Now I’m wondering if there’s a way to get these fused decapitated nylon screws out of the drum gate so I can secure it properly to the drum and stop the chaff that’s happening.
Actually, now that I am reassembling, I’m noticing there is nothing actually securing that final luff bearing in the lowest extrusion. It probably just slipped out at some point and ended up in the turnbuckle tube, bucking the whole furler each revolution.
How do I make that luff bearing stay where its home is? I see what look like rivet holes, but how do those accomplish the task? Obviously I can’t put anything all the way through as the forestay is in the way.
The documentation (see pic) shows rivets going into the extrusion apparently ABOVE the luff bearing, which would do nothing to keep it from falling down into the turnbuckle tube as before.
Any thoughts?
How do I make that luff bearing stay where its home is? I see what look like rivet holes, but how do those accomplish the task? Obviously I can’t put anything all the way through as the forestay is in the way.
The documentation (see pic) shows rivets going into the extrusion apparently ABOVE the luff bearing, which would do nothing to keep it from falling down into the turnbuckle tube as before.
Any thoughts?
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There doesn’t seem to be any retaining mechanism. Should I just squeeze some 3M 4000UV in there?
When I pulled my current one apart I found that someone had put silicone on the extrusion connectors. It was a pain to get apart so if you do go this route, use a sealant with a weak adhesive property. Pompanette probably has a dwindling stock of these "bearings". It seems like it would be easy to 3D print these
I got it figured out. Apparently the aft tack socket formerly had a “ledge” upon which the bearing would sit. This ledge got broken at some point, and I’ve ordered a replacement along with another bearing from Pompanette.
Not the ball bearing race. It’s a plastic sleeve that fits in the extrusions and keep them centered on the forestay.
I replaced the furling line with a thinner line for good measure.
What’s the best number of wraps around the drum when the jib is wrapped tightly?
I replaced the furling line with a thinner line for good measure.
What’s the best number of wraps around the drum when the jib is wrapped tightly?
RE : What’s the best number of wraps around the drum when the jib is wrapped tightly?
There is no strict rule for this. Every one will have a slightly different set up.
When fully furled, I have the sheets wrapped maybe 3 times around the sail then there is nothing left on the furler drum.
The less line you have on the drum the better so I see no need for anything there when the sail is furled.
gary
There is no strict rule for this. Every one will have a slightly different set up.
When fully furled, I have the sheets wrapped maybe 3 times around the sail then there is nothing left on the furler drum.
The less line you have on the drum the better so I see no need for anything there when the sail is furled.
gary
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After being caught in heavy weather, unable to completely furl the sail, I now take a few extra wraps.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,988
I like the morning calm time. I can pull the sail out. Take it down and run a few additional turns on the Furler.
Run the sail back up and carefully roll the sail up snug. Ready for the season.
Run the sail back up and carefully roll the sail up snug. Ready for the season.
To clear a bit more space on the drum and smooth out the deployment of the sail, I adjusted to 3 turns of the sheets around the jib with the furling line fully extended. Hope I don’t miss any extra turns when furling in a blow!
This probably does not adversely affect most furlers BUT, if you have a Harkin Mk IV, not having at least 6 extra turns will lead to a broken drum as I found out a couple of years ago. The Mk IV is unique in that it has a removable drum. The drum halves are held together with a couple of tiny screws into plastic tabs in the opposing part. They are not meant to hold any load and are mostly for alignment purposes. The drum is actually clamped into place buy the tension on the minimum 6-turns of line on the furler which tightly clamps the halves together and onto the big hex shape on the bearings.
I had mine setup so that I pulled the furling line until it was all off the drum and that gave me my desired 3-turns of sheets on the rolled sail. The failure almost cost me half of my two-week vacation. When that little tab broke, it jambed the drum to the cage and made it inpossible to turn the foil. I called Harkin to ask why the drum broke on my new Harkin Mk IV and to see about getting a replacement under warentee. The first thing they said was "You did not have a minimum of 6-wraps on the drum, did you." and was informed that this was a user error and not covered as clearly stated several places in the manual. Who reads those?!?!
I got lucky and a rigger in one of my ports of call, had that exact furler for is boat show demonstrating setup and sold it to me because he had time to get a replacement before the next boat show.