New furler too difficult to furl

[Stu Jackson]

Have you read the Harken manual recently? RTFM

[Madwand]

Originally Posted by Madwand

The halyard does feel like it's tight enough to play a tune on.

Originally Posted by nelsmay

Definitely look at the tension in your forestay. Any sag at all can jam the furler.

No sag.

[Madwand]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Have you read the Harken manual recently? RTFM

I wasn't given one. Does it say something you could have told me?

[Sailingveterinarian]

Put in a top down furled for my asymmetrical spinaker. Make sure the head of the sail is not too close to the mast and able to turn. That was my problem.
Changed halyard location and it was fine.

[Hudsonsailor]

If you are useing the 8o% head sail besure to hoist the sail to the top of the foil. If you have to much halyard at the top the Halyard can wrap around the foil with very expensive damage to forestay. you can destoy your head stay. If you have to use a winch take the sail down. Lesson learned the hard way.

[Madwand]

Originally Posted by Hudsonsailor

If you are useing the 8o% head sail besure to hoist the sail to the top of the foil. If you have to much halyard at the top the Halyard can wrap around the foil with very expensive damage to forestay. you can destoy your head stay. If you have to use a winch take the sail down. Lesson learned the hard way.

That's what the halyard preventer is for.

[nigel1]

One more thought, you said you went head to wind prior to furling. I used to do this, and as I single hand most of the time, I found it really difficult to furl, and in any sort of breeze the whole experience gets a bit stressful with the headsail flogging away.
Much easier to bear away (if you have the sea room) and sail deep, the wind near astern, ease the sheet and then furl. No flogging, and a tidy furl.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by Madwand

That's what the halyard preventer is for.

Wouldn't count on it. A wrapped halyard is a real PITA to undo and especially bad when at sea and it's blowing like stink. Have a pendant added to all your sails so upper furler swivel is near its max hoist when the sail is properly positioned.

If you head off the wind so the headsails is partilally blanketed by the main, it may be easier to furl the sail. Trying to furl a headsail heading into a strong wind is a major operation. Have had to resort to a winch to furl the sail doing that,.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Madwand

That's what the halyard preventer is for.

Actually yes AND no. the halyard preventer is really only intended for when the swivel is at full hoist. If your 80% doesn't have a full length luff and you aren't using a pendant to make up the difference, then you still can easily get halyard wrap. Its in the manual.

http://www.harken.com/uploadedfiles/...t/PDF/5002.pdf

check page 26/27

[Madwand]

Gotcha, I forgot I had changed sails from 135 to 80. I actually had a halyard wrap with the 135 and no preventer, which is why I have a new furler. And forestay.

I will look next time I'm there to see where the swivel lies. No telling since this is a used sail and they were kind of guessing at the 80%.

[Madwand]

Originally Posted by roverhi

If you head off the wind so the headsails is partilally blanketed by the main, it may be easier to furl the sail. Trying to furl a headsail heading into a strong wind is a major operation. Have had to resort to a winch to furl the sail doing that,.

I'll try it!

[UNCIVILIZED]

Harken has downloadable manuals for most of their equipment on their website, for anyone who needs or wants one.

Another way to reduce friction in the system is to use something like Samson's Warpspeed for your furling line. And to strip off the cover for the first boat length or so of furling line. Thus leaving bare Spectra where it passes through the majority of the stanchion mounted fittings.

This also has the perk of giving you a furling line that's much less likely to fail in heavy conditions, or when the sail's furled at the dock. Though of course you have to taper, & tuck the cover into the core at it's termination point. Along with lock stitching the tuck splice.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Madwand

I wasn't given one. Does it say something you could have told me?

That's why I asked the question. And, no, I don't have a Harken. But whenever a piece4 of gear gives me issues, that where I go: RTFM.

You could most likely get one online.

Good luck.

[Tetepare]

Five bucks says it's headstay tension. That's a perennial problem that I often "fix" for sailors simply by backing off tension.

Also, watch the drum, it's very easy for the furling line to slip between the top cover and drum and then bind. Also, the drum can twist putting additional friction on the line.

I put the leads on my boat when I got the furler. I can't imagine furling without them- there is a lot of tension, even with the sail lightly loaded. I also added a bigger block to the pushpit, so my line runs down the side through the small blocks (of which I added another one, so I think I have five) then through the rear big block then back forward into the cockpit center (though I usually furl from the wheel). makes it a lot easier.

[Jim Cate]

Five bucks says it's headstay tension. That's a perennial problem that I often "fix" for sailors simply by backing off tension.

Umm... backing off headstay tension increases the sag, and this is counter productive. Are you perhaps referring to halyard tension?

Jim