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Repair a forestay with roller furler

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EAbrams
Navigator

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USA
130 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/17/2006 : 11:19:59

I’m a real novice to any kind of boating much less sail boating. This is our first boat of any type. So the description of boat ownership as a hole in the water that you pour money into is a real eye opener for me.

This fall on our final sail across the bay to a marina for haul out our Pro Furl 25 roller furler jammed (for lack of a better word). Try as I may I was unable to
unfurl the sail more than half way. It was late in the day and maybe I should not have done this but I went forward and instructed my wife to wrap the jib sheet around the winch and crank away. The forestay snapped and left the sail and furler hanging by the halyard. Frustrated I decided to let the marina remove the sails as well as unstepping the mast and hauling the boat.

Ok so I’ve found out it cost a heck of a lot to have some one else do it for you.

To save 1300 bucks in labor I want to I want to try to repair it myself. However when I looked the Pro Furl web site and saw the exploded view of the Pro Furl 25 it appears to be a daunting installation. Lots and lots of parts. All that needs to be replaced ( in addition to the forestay ) is a top foil section and two other parts where the halyard attaches to the top of the furler. But since the forestay needs replacing it is really a new installation.

The above is just for your reading amusement. Below is the question.

How difficult is it to install a roller furler? Are some easier to install than others? Is technical knowledge critical to installing? Should I take this opportunity to look at a new roller furler? The mast is off the boat and resting on saw horses at the marina.

Thanks in advance
Ed

Merry Christmas

Ed & Michele
Spirit #5644
1987 Catalina 25 WK/SR
Peconic Bay, Long Island NY &
Oriental, NC

Edited by - on

ed_spengeman
1st Mate

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USA
98 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2006 : 12:34:40

I had a "weird" furler and hanked on sails. When the wind blew them away, I called Lowell at Catalina Direct. He lined me up with a CDI flexible furler and new Ulman Sails. I put the furler on completely by myself with the exception of help need to move the foil from the grass to the boat on the hard. Good instructions with the kit. Couldn't be happier.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2006 : 13:12:29

Since your mast is down, any furler will be easy to install, some require a little more technique than others. The Profurl is a typical aluminum extrusion device, each section needs "slugs", 'Keys" "locking pins", what ever a given manufacturer calls them to transfer torque forces away from the aluminum joint. They add up to a lot of little parts but very simple parts. You may need to deal with some parts that have had Locktight used on them and I do not know the implications of that for what you will need to do. The Profurl is a nice system from a time when furlers were usually installed by riggers and there are several other system you could consider changing to, this may be an opportune moment to do a little market research. Harken is always a good place to star and they have just introduced a new low price point product. The CDI is the easiest to do, the least expensive and least sophisticated; it is still a fine furler/reefer. One data point is t know what size luff tape you have on your current sail. What ever you decide to do, by all means do it yourself, you do not need to hire it done. If you decide to get a new furler then I would recommend dealing with Catalinadirect.com and getting everything from them. If you repair the Profurl then you might as well have a local rigger make up the new forestay.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 12/18/2006 06:03:12

Happy D
Admiral

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921 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2006 : 16:57:33

Hi Ed,
All good advice. Here's my two cents. If it were me, I'd call them and talk to the tech department. I'm sure this isn't the first time they've heard this.
If you don't get the help you need from them or if it keeps on happening, then buying and different furler would be the way to go.

Their dealer is:

Wichard Inc.
47 High Point Ave.
Portsmouth, RI 02871
Major Point of Service
Free call : 800 852 7084
Tel : (1) 401 683 5055 / Fax : (1) 401 683 5077
Good Luck
Dan

Edited by - on

EAbrams
Navigator

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USA
130 Posts

Response Posted - 12/17/2006 : 20:09:10

Ed I’m glad you like your purchase. CDI’s does claim it’s flexible furler is a good choice for trailer sailors. Profurl mentions not to bend the extrusions too much when on a loose stay. If the mast was stepped a few times a season CDI might be the ticket. I do have a brand new trailer from Triad Trailers in Ct. ( Yeah it’s a plug. He treated me well).

Frank, as I said it was for your amusement..... I know that the written word can only be taken literally but it didn’t really go down that way. We were trying to free it and were having some success when it broke. I can assure you no crew member’s ration of rum was cut because of this. Anyway you have to appreciate my honesty. I should not have forced it. It was my mistake.

I’ve been reading the Profurl installation manual ( a pdf file) on line. The type isn’t very clear and my eyes aren’t very good. It does look like locktight and self tapping screws are used in the installation. I wonder how permanent ProFurl intended the installation to be?

Dan, Thanks for the tech tip. Same manual ( I wish I had it with me on the boat) indicates the “halyard swivel” is the culprit if the system does not rotate and the halyard swivel just happens to be one of the other two parts that need replacing.

Based on your responses and some more reading I think I may repair this myself. Thanks again

Edited by - on

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.