New Forestay - Old Furler?

[sailr4]

Ok, I've read over and over about how people changed their forestay when they upgraded their furler.  What I have not heard is the guy that did not need a new furler, but his forestay is probably 30 years old.  I have the Hood continuous line furler (915?).  I have read that the stay does not slide out of the extrusion and that it must be disassembled. is this true?  How much of a PITA is it to put back together?

Rob

[Craig Illman]

As I recall, yes, the swaged fitting at the bottom won't pass thru the foil. The rigger, with the mast down, ran a new forestay and put a Norse fitting on the bottom after cutting to the proper length.

Craig

[Jim Hardesty]

I put a Furlex  on my previous boat.  New forestay was included in the kit with a Norse fitting.  Wasn't a difficult job at all.
Jim

[scgunner]

     Rob,

      When I replaced my forestay several years ago I ordered a pre-measured and swagged forestay. I also have a Hood 915 unit, after securing the mast(a halyard or two should do it) I disconnected both at the bow and the furling unit at the mast head, as I recall the furling unit just slid down the stay and we disconnected the long pieces as we went. Once the new forestay was attached at the top we just reversed the procedure. Also, while it's on the ground you'll probably want to recondition you furling unit.

[sailr4]

     Rob,

      When I replaced my forestay several years ago I ordered a pre-measured and swagged forestay. I also have a Hood 915 unit, after securing the mast(a halyard or two should do it) I disconnected both at the bow and the furling unit at the mast head, as I recall the furling unit just slid down the stay and we disconnected the long pieces as we went. Once the new forestay was attached at the top we just reversed the procedure. Also, while it's on the ground you'll probably want to recondition you furling unit.

It was my understanding that the swagged fitting does not fit thru the foil.  Was this your findings? I saw a YouTube vid of how to use a electricians snake to guide the "cut" stay out and back into the foil. Using a mechanical fitting on the top.

[scgunner]

      Rob,

         It's been several years since I replaced my forestay so the details may be a little foggy but I know I did all the R&R dockside with no swagging done on site. I'm wondering if you have the same fittings as me on your forestay. I have an eye fitting at the top and a threaded fitting at the bottom which screws into a turnbuckle on the bow. As I recall the lower threaded end allows the furling gear to slide off and back on.

[pablosgirl]

Hi Rob,

When we replaced our standing rigging in Jan 2016, we also replaced the forestay in our original Hood furler.  We have the single line model with two sail tracks. Not too much PIA.  Depends on the state of corrosion to disassemble the parts.  If the original rigger did his job properly and used Lancote/tfe-gell/silicone, then it should come apart.  The top eye is swedged on and the bottom is attached to a threaded stud with a Noresman mechanical fitting.  To disassemble, remove the two screws that clamp the drive tube to the foil sections.  Next remove the three screws spaced evenly around the drive tube just above the furler drum.  Now slide the drive tube up and off the drum and up the foil enough to expose where the stud on the bottom of the forestay threads into the drum assembly. Back off the lock nut on the stud against the top of the drum assemble.  Now you can spin off the drum assembly.  You can disassemble the Norseman fitting and reuse the stud and the compression nut but will have to replace the cone that goes into the center of the wire.  To replace the the wire without disassembling the foil section by section, first measure the wire from the swedged eye to the bottom end and record this measurement, you will need this later when cutting the wire to the correct length just prior to attaching the Norseman stud fitting to the bottom of the new wire.  Add one foot to this measurement and cut the new wire to this length.  Attach top eye to the new forestay wire either as swedged eye or mechanical eye.

Method 1: Post and Hole splice.
Now cut the old forstay just bellow the top eye.  Uncoil back the top layer of wire strands at the end you just cut to expose 4-6" of the core wire strands and cut the core strands off at 4" back from the wire end.  Also, remove one of the outer wire strands at the same distance you cut the core. Now on the bottom end of the new wire cut back all but one of the top wire strands the same length that you cut the core back in the old wire (4").  Apply fast drying sticky stuff to the "post" end of the new wire and insert into hole end of the old wire relay the outer strands of the old forestay wire over the core ("post") of the new wire.  Now take the one outer strand of the new wire and coil it amongst the old wire strands.  Think finger puzzle.  Now here is the tricky part.  Take rigging tape and apply over the "splice".  It must over lap no more that 1/3 and be stretched very tight and thin. Now have someone hold the top foil section stationary while another person slowly pushes the wire splice into the top of the foil section.  A third person is stationed at the bottom end of the old wire to ensure the end does not get hung up on the ground.  It is crucial that this third person NOT pull on the old wire for it might separate the "splice".  Slowly work the new wire into the foil twisting the foil as required to allow the new wire to travel into the foil.  If the splice separates you will have to start over or go to method two.

Method 2: Rounded End
Slowly pull the old wire out of the foil taking care not to separate joints.  Take bottom end of new wire and with a grinder round off the end of the wire into a "dome" shape.  Apply graphite powder to the dome and slowly insert into the foil when resistance is felt at a foil bearing slowly rotate the wire or foil while applying a light push on the new wire to get the dome to align with the hole in the bearing.  If a joint becomes separated move wire through the bearing block and reassemble the joint as in the original assembly instructions. Make sure that the brass pre-feeder fitting is properly seated in the foil before installing the Noresman fitting, otherwise you will not be able to insert the pre-feeder into the foil once the wire is in place.

Once the new forestay wire is through foil sections, measure and cut wire to the length measured prior.  Apply Norseman stud fitting and reassemble in reverse order of removal.

[sailaway]

 HI replaced my original profurl with a Schafer jib furler.  Couldn't get the forestay to untread from the pro furl drum. So I had to cut it off. Measured the length  3 times then had the yard swedge on a new end. I put in a turnbuckle so I can adjust the forestay length. The turnbuckle adds extra length to make up what I cut off.  Measure the original length then set the turnbuckle in the middle so you can go either way. Charlie

[sailr4]

Thanks for all the great information.  Love this group.    I have started the process by removing my lower shrouds.  I will reinstall the new ones when they return from the rigger and move on to the upper shrouds.  Then on to the Back stay, leaving the forestay for last.  Goal is to have all new rigging before I haul out in late April / May. I will update you guys on my findings when I finally pull the Forestay.

Rob