Furler Line Control

[jefkan]

I just got a new to me boat with an older Harken Foresail Furler. The sail was completely loose around furling tube and the furling line would not control the sail. I removed the sail. I then rewound the furling line. I reinstalled the sail so its UV Sunbrella would be outside when sail rolled in. (it was not before) I pulled on the furler line and got two wraps of sail around its tube. The line did not stick, but the tension increased to the point where it was too hard to turn it. I repeated the operation, doing a better job winding up the furling line. Same issue. What I did notice is that the last foot or two of the foresail halyard was not straight, but appeared very twisted. I'm guessing once the sail is lifted up that part of the halyard (probably the part below the block at mast top) is somehow wrapping around the top of the sail. I'm not at all certain how that could get so twisted up. This is a wire halyard spliced into line when outside of the mast. I imagine pulling on it should straighten the kinks enough for it to not mess with the sail, if that is even what is causing the furling line to not rotate the sail and tube. The sail head has an extension of about a foot where it attaches to the halyard. I suppose I could mount the sail higher on the mast if that would keep the kinky section of halyard on the other side of the block once the sail is hoisted.

Does any of this make sense to anyone out there?

[psk125]

Sounds like you're missing the swivel that the head of the jib and the halyard attach to to keep the halyard from wrapping around the forestay when you roll it up.

[jefkan]

Originally Posted by psk125

Sounds like you're missing the swivel that the head of the jib and the halyard attach to to keep the halyard from wrapping around the forestay when you roll it up.

Thank You. I will certainly double check. Halyard - Top of Swivel Fitting, Bottom of swivel fitting - Head of Sail

[Toccata]

Be very careful pulling harder.
The halyard wrap can very effectively cut through the forestay.
At full hoist, the halyard must significantly deviate from the forestay, usually achieved by adding a "bail" some distance below the sheave (attached to the mast), so creating the desired angle, that in turn makes the swivel work and stops a halyard wrap.
Have a look at the instructions for assembling/using your furler (online if there's no manual on the boat)

[thomm225]

Could be that your sail is a bit short.

My new jib was a bit short and causing the halyard to wrap around the top section of the furler so I used the cable from my storm jib head. There's a name for that cable but I cannot remember it. It's almost 2' long on mine.

You can also mount the sail higher like you said on the fuler leaving a bit more room at the bottom.

I have to also relubricate my upper and lower swivels each year to make sure they are turning smoothly

I have an ancient Furlex Furler. See attached photo of Furlex Swivel.

[Toccata]

Again, the CRITICAL issue is that the halyard is NOT parallel to the forestay, but angles away from the forestry (generally to a bail on the mast below the sheave) when the sail (or sail plus strop) is at full hoist.
Note; if using a strop it goes between the sail and the bottom of the swivel, so that the swivel is at/near the top of the furler, allowing creation of the angle I keep referring to.
A halyard wrap is potentially really really serious and must be avoided.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Toccata

Again, the CRITICAL issue is that the halyard is NOT parallel to the forestay, but angles away from the forestry (generally to a bail on the mast below the sheave) when the sail (or sail plus strop) is at full hoist.
Note; if using a strop it goes between the sail and the bottom of the swivel, so that the swivel is at/near the top of the furler, allowing creation of the angle I keep referring to.
A halyard wrap is potentially really really serious and must be avoided.

Yes that's the term for the cable I used "strop."

I had one for my short storm jib so that took care of my problem otherwise you have to change the halyard angle away from the furler which is a PITA as compared to simply adding a cable or strop to the sail head.

https://eoceanic.com/sailing/tips/15...20sheave%20box.

[dfelsent]

Harken has excellent installation instructions. They have illustrations showing various ways of avoiding halyard wraps.

[jefkan]

My foresail has a strop link. It is a coated rope cable with thimbles.
What I have noticed is that when halyard is down (no sail) there is a clear and fair distance between the halyard and the forestay furler tube. When I mount the sail and then begin to furl in, I no longer see any distance up there between the two points. I believe the halyard is wrapping at that point, because the furler control locks down. A bail up at the mast top certainly would function to separate them, but it it does not exist on this rig, which has been working until I got the boat (per previous owner) The only functional difference I have made is to reverse the rotation of the furler so the UV protection was on the correct side of the sail. Maybe on my next attempt I'll go back to "wrong" and see if the halyard isn't happier rotating that way. Do you think once the upper swivel bearing is aloft, it is sticking yet rotates freely when down?

[UFO]

It is critically important that if you have had a wrap around the top of the forestay then you get up there ASAP and before sailing to check the forestay wire - A wrap can basically cause the wire to start unwinding and if this has occurred you should not sail again before replacing it!!