Guy Marlow
Punta Gorda, FL
Boat Name: Bittersweet
Model/Year: 22/1987
Hull No. 13048
Hailing Port: Burnt Store Marina |
 10/29/2005 2:36 PM Pacific Time
I appreciated the discussion in 2004 on roller reefing and purchased the Schaeffer Snap-Furl.
I must be missing something as I have cut two forestays using the system despite the cooperation from the Catalina help desk etc !! I cannot believe how easily the forestay was cut despite thinking through the halyard angles, relative tension on halyards and backstay etc .
I have been very careful , the second time I had to replace the forestay and start over - I didnt force the furling , nor overtighten the halyard but nevertheless - the third time I went out ( all in gentle breezes) the furling started being dificult and the forestay failed again at the top end of the plastic tube.
Has anyone else had the problem ? I suspect it is the plastic bushing at the top end of the tube that is binding.
Would appreciate any thoughts before spending more money !!
cheers
Guy Marlow |
Chuck Bennett
Dothan, Alabama
Boat Name: Mya Scape
Model/Year: C-22SK 1982
Hull No. 10592
Hailing Port: Bagby Marina, Lake Eufaula, Ft. Gaines, Georgia |
10/30/2005 7:22 AM Pacific Time
Guy, are you sure that the halyard isn't wrapping around the forestay? This was the only problem I had when I installed mine. I hoisted a lightweight buddy of mine to lower the halyard restraint about three inches, which was almost parallel in the beginning. Since increasing the angle of the halyard, I haven't had any problems. |
Michael Smalter
Webster, NY
Boat Name: Marrakesh
Model/Year: 1986
Hull No. 13645
Hailing Port: Rochester, NY |
10/31/2005 5:23 PM Pacific Time
I had the same halyard wrap problem (and broke the top of the forestay) with the Snap-Furl. The problem disappeared when I installed the halyard restrainer. |
Peter
Stamford, CT
Boat Name: Au Contraire
Model/Year: Catalina 22 1986
Hull No. 13325
Hailing Port: Stamford |
11/01/2005 5:12 AM Pacific Time
An Idea:
I can imagine why forestays break with roller furling gear.
I see many of boats with their forestay sagging under the weight of the furled sail. If the forestay is not straight enough the roller furling will be pivoting around one small area at the top and at the bottom of the stay. This would certainly cause excess wear and tear.
If the tension of the forestay were correct, and the stay was not sagging, under the weight of the furled sail, then the pivoting of the roller furling would be evenly distributed over the length of the stay and would cause very little wear and tear.
I know that my roller furler (Harken) is much easier to deploy when I add extra tension to the forestay by tightening the back stay. This would indicate, to me, that I might be on the right track.
I would conclude, that if you see any sag in your forestay when the boat is at rest, you have a potential problem. |
Guy Marlow
Punta Gorda, FL
Boat Name: Bittersweet
Model/Year: 22/1987
Hull No. 13048
Hailing Port: Burnt Store Marina |
11/01/2005 10:32 AM Pacific Time
Gentlemen,
thanks for the various input.
I will start over taking into account your various thoughts .
I installed the halyard the first time I put the Shaeffer system in and it looked ( through binoculars) that I had an angle of more than ten degrees as recommended by the manufacturer. I am interested though by Mike's comments that he did have exactly the same problem without the halyard restrainer.- maybe I need to increase the angle by lowering the restrainer. Again Chuck's experience would sunstantiate this approach. I will look at lowering the restrainer . ( see below for further comment)
I also bought and installed an adjustable backstay to enable me to tighten the forestay as mentioned by Peter. To be honest - I think I may have caused some damage with playing with this - see comments below.
What I have noticed is that the plastic cap or bush that is installed in the top of the tube /foil is now damaged.- instead of having a circular hole in the center is is more of a slot- this may have been caused by my playing around with the different tensions of the halyard and forestay ( via the adjustable backstay. I was very insistent on getting the both the forestay and halyard TIGHT . I really bowsed down the halyard thinking that it would be a good way to prevent the wrapping. Subsequently I released the tension on the backstay BEFORE the halyard and I guess the tension on the halyard may have pulled the whole thing sideways and damaged the cap/bush.
Maybe I had the wrong approach as I was trying to avoid too much of an angle between the halyard and the forestay - given that the halyard is supposed to raise the sail so again I maybe left the restrainer too high .
Mike do you have an idea of what the final angle is between the halyard ( passing through the restrainer) and the forestay - 10 degrees 20 or 45 ??. Also are you really bowsing down the halyard to get real tension on there?
When I get back to the US I will buy ( yet another !!) forestay and an new cap/bush for the plastic foil . I will lower the restrainer , tighten up the backstay.
Thanks for your suggestions already and for any other ideas !
Good sailing !
Cheers
Guy Marlow |
Michael Smalter
Webster, NY
Boat Name: Marrakesh
Model/Year: 1986
Hull No. 13645
Hailing Port: Rochester, NY |
11/01/2005 3:39 PM Pacific Time
I just measured the distance between the top of the mast and the center line of the halyard restrainer screws. It was 4.25" (10.8 cm). Also make sure you have the toggle at the top of the forestay where it attaches to the masthead.
Lastly, I either called or emailed Schaeffer, and they sent me a free black cap. Mine had been damaged similar to what you describe. I was honest and said I had neglected to install the restrainer, and they were very nice. |
Guy Marlow
Punta Gorda, FL
Boat Name: Bittersweet
Model/Year: 22/1987
Hull No. 13048
Hailing Port: Burnt Store Marina |
11/01/2005 11:10 PM Pacific Time
thanks Mike - I will follow up !
cheers
Guy Marlow |
Michael Smalter
Webster, NY
Boat Name: Marrakesh
Model/Year: 1986
Hull No. 13645
Hailing Port: Rochester, NY |
11/02/2005 3:17 PM Pacific Time
I had another thought that might be important. I have a 150 that uses the full length of the forestay. If you have a 110 or 135 that doesn't hoist to the top of the forestay, attach a line between the top of the sail and the bottom of the upper swivel to minimize the length of halyard between the halyard restainer and the upper swivel. This maximizes the angle between the halyard and the forestay to prevent halyard wrap. |
Guy Marlow
Punta Gorda, FL
Boat Name: Bittersweet
Model/Year: 22/1987
Hull No. 13048
Hailing Port: Burnt Store Marina |
11/09/2005 12:31 AM Pacific Time
Mike,
thanks for the thought about the sail height. I will check that too on return !
Following your reassurance on the Schaeffer system, I contacted the company and had an immediate reply from Joy Ruel asking where she should send the replacement cap and then from Dave Anderson with the following advice.
""In addition to Joy's answer to you, it's really important that the headstay
is tight. The jib halyard does not want to be over-tightened.
Make sure the mast is tuned properly, and the furler extrusion is not too
long
and in compression. The jib halyard does not want to be tighter than the
headstay.
Regards,
Dave Anderson
www.schaefermarine.com
www.tuffluff.com
www.boomfurl.com
www.furling.com ""
So Thanks to everyone for the help and to Schaeffer for the backup . When this Snowbird returns to FL - he will have plenty of advice to get it right !!!
cheers
Guy Marlow
|
Guy Marlow
Punta Gorda, FL
Boat Name: Bittersweet
Model/Year: 22/1987
Hull No. 13048
Hailing Port: Burnt Store Marina |
02/07/2006 10:12 AM Pacific Time
Just to wrap this thread up.
The problem has been solved thanks to the forum and Schaeffer rep Dave Anderson.
The result is that I had not got the furling tube and therefore the top swivel , high enough up toward the halyard guard. Once I raised all this ( by shortening the forestay) the problem was solved....
Its good to talk !
Thanks to all
Guy Marlow |
Guy Marlow
Punta Gorda, FL
Boat Name: Bittersweet
Model/Year: 22/1987
Hull No. 13048
Hailing Port: Burnt Store Marina |
02/07/2006 11:30 AM Pacific Time
Just to wrap this thread up.
The problem has been solved thanks to the forum and Schaeffer rep Dave Anderson.
The result is that I had not got the furling tube and therefore the top swivel , high enough up toward the halyard guard. Once I raised all this ( by shortening the forestay) the problem was solved....
Its good to talk !
Thanks to all
Guy Marlow |
Murray Hooper
Cowichan Bay BC Canada
Boat Name: No name yet
Model/Year:
Hull No. 307
Hailing Port: Cowichan Bay BC Canada |
06/01/2014 5:26 AM Pacific Time
I too have experienced halyard wrap and believe the Forestay needs to be tightened- I suppose the whole rig tuned correctly. I do have a halyard restrainer about 4-6" down from the sheaves- is that enough? Or does it depend on the length of the sail tack? I'm headed in the direction of first tuning the mast to the numbers I found in the technical manual under stepping the mast- Forestay 35, uppers 28 and lowers 22. If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated! Thanks- Jamie |
william eyster
ithaca ny
Boat Name:
Model/Year: c 22 83,
Hull No.
Hailing Port: |
06/01/2014 5:26 AM Pacific Time
I too have experienced halyard wrap and believe the Forestay needs to be tightened- I suppose the whole rig tuned correctly. I do have a halyard restrainer about 4-6" down from the sheaves- is that enough? Or does it depend on the length of the sail tack? I'm headed in the direction of first tuning the mast to the numbers I found in the technical manual under stepping the mast- Forestay 35, uppers 28 and lowers 22. If anyone has any advice it would be appreciated! Thanks- Jamie |
