Furler failure

[rappareems]

Thought I would share a little anecdote with the forum.  I left my mast up for the first time over the Winter since purchasing the boat in 2001. After launching last Tuesday we were going to put the boom and sails on this past Saturday. When my wife was attempting to run the furling line back to the cockpit it would pull out about 8 feet then run back into the drum.... after several puzzled tugs we concluded something was binding on the head stay.

After much discussion on Saturday.... I took the boat over to the Club yesterday morning... a friend of mine climbed on-board and started taking the drum off and the assorted fittings at the bottom... with the comment, "lets start here...." Another  had said.... " I think it's at the bottom."  (where it was binding) this comment was one of many opines as to "kink sightings, top, middle or bottom culprits etc. etc..... " boat yard blather.

After taking off the drum and the other assorted black fittings and exposing the innards the swage fitting had become completely unthreaded.... the only thing keeping the thing attached to the bow was the plastic fittings. Luckily I am keel stepped.  Apparently no lock tight had been used when first assembled app 14 years ago.  The last couple of threads had been pulled off but they were able to get it back together ... with lock tight applied.  The only thing we had done differently from previous seasons was leave the mast up .... all that did was cloud the issue.


I had visions of mast pulling and very $$$$ rigger charges etc. etc.  A couple buddies saved my bacon!!  Needless to say lunch a beers at the Club were on me!  I'm off to the races this morning.

Mark

[Dave Spencer]

Great story Mark.  Except, I had never worried about what was inside my furling.  Now, I'm nervous about mine and I'll have to take it apart for an inspection.  
It will all be worth it though after a glorious first sail under near perfect conditions yesterday.  15 kts West wind, flat water, air temp 22C, water temp 2.7C!!   

[Ron Hill]

Mark : Nice write-up, but we have to assume which furling system you have???  The Hood 915 continuous line furling system or the Hood with the drum single line??? or maybe another system???

Don't know of any furling system that you use Locktite on the threads of the head stay?!?!

[rappareems]

Harken Mark III

[rappareems]

Ron,

I was on the dock while a couple buddies were huddled around the forestay ... so I did not get a real good look at the operation.... What they said was the swage fitting he become undone with the last couple of threads pulling off.... The Mark III instalation manual makes much of "coating with red locktite..."

[Ron Hill]

Mark : From your description it sounds as though the head stay swedged fitting was not threaded in the turnbuckle all the way - so that all threads of the male and female were engaged & holding.
If that is correct, the head stay was too short and the PO may have needed a toggle for some extra length to use the same stay (or a new longer stay?)

On the use of "red locktight", Hood told me to use it on my new furler system.  I complied and wound up with a failed top swivel bearing!!  Hood said they'd replace it as the system was still under warrantee.
Nice gesture on Hood's part, but it was a BITCH to take that furler drum apart to get that top swivel off to send back.  Needless to say, when it got put back together NO RED Locktight!!! was used.  
Also that's what cotter pins and rings are for on the swedged fittings that go into turnbuckles - to keep them from turning!!

So all manufactures ideas are NOT so great - you decide!!

A few thoughts