Roller furling main in winter

[David Arnold]

I took my sails off yesterday for the first time and found that with the roller furling main removed the core rod that the sail wraps around bangs like crazy inside the mast when the boat rocks (boat is spending the winter in the water).  Do I put the main back in for the winter or is there some way to keep the core from banging.  Aside from bothering anyone on the docks that has got to be bad for the mast.

[Ron Hill]

David : To silence the roller furling, take a line and tie it around the furling tubes.  Then run it aft with some tension and secure it. 
That should keep the tubes/bushings from banging against the head stay. 

[Rick Johnson]

The Main Furler is banging against the headstay? That sounds bad....

[David Arnold]

The furler tube which run the full height of the mast isn't banging against the headstay but is banging within the mast itself. 

[SteveLyle]

How about -

Take 60' or so of 1/4" line, and every few feet knot in some foam (relatively soft stuff, like seat cushion foam).  Hoist the line.  The foam fills the gaps in the mast between the mast and the luff rod (if that's what you call it).

[Ron Hill]

David : Now that you've clarified that the noise is inside the mast, it's the jib halyard.  Secure that halyard by tying the end to something on the bow fitting.  Then tighten the halyard so the rope stopper keeps it taunt.  Think that should help your "banging" problem.  You might also want to tighten the main halyard.  ?

[David Arnold]

I was away for a few days but thanks for the replys.  Steve, I think you are on the right track; your recomendation is a sound one which I will try.  Ron, thanks for your input but I must disagree as the problem is clearly not the jib halyard which is indeed taught.  What is banging is the tube inside the mast that the main is wrapped around when it is furled.  This is probably difficult to visualize unless you have seen the set up of a roller furling main particularly with the sail removed.  Again, thanks guys!

[Ron Hill]

David : Sorry for my SCREWED up replies as I didn't read your question clearly - that it is the MAIN furler.
 
You might ask Catalina or a sail maker as I can see that this would not be a unique problem.  Don't know if cutting a slit in a 50 ft garden hose and sliding it on from the bottom would help or not?? 
I'd be careful, as you don't want anything getting caught in there - especially half way up!!   

[Jeff_McKinney]

I was getting ready to do this myself, so the timing is good. The only caution on using foam is to make sure it's tough enough to take any pulling as you drag it up inside the mast. If it tears during this process you will probably have to go up the mast to retrieve the halyard.  Consider attaching a lightweight line to the halyard "just in case".

Along the same line as filling the space with a foam pad: You might also consider wrapping an old towel around the "spindle" and using the halyard to pull it about halfway up. Don't forget to either secure it to the "tack" or add a downhaul line to remove it in the spring.

I think a chunk of garden hose might not fill up the space enough & will only modify the pitch of the spindle rattling around.

[Phil Spicer]

Jeff,
How about some pipe insulation on the rod? I don't know the dia. of the rod, so this may not work.  I was thinking about a PVC pipe "t" with a down hall. Split the main part of the "t" so you can put it around the rod & tape it back together . Push it up the rod with the pipe insul. Put a little tape around the insul. Tie a down hall on the other part of the "t" so you can bring the insul down in the spring.

[Jeff_McKinney]

Phil,

That might work as well. Guess I'll get out the ruler & diddle around for a good solution. One of these ideas ought to work.

[Jeff_McKinney]

I took my sails off for the winter yesterday. It was only blowing about 8 knots, but that furling rod was really banging away inside the mast.

I wound up rigging a 20 foot long piece of 5/8" line from the tack hook to the shackle on the furling head & pulled the halyard tight. This stopped the swivel about halfway up & completely stopped the banging. There is still a small bit of clearance from the inside of the mast to the swivel. If this does not work 100% I'll bring it back down & wrap an old towel around the swivel to fill the gap. 

[Momentum M]

It's this time again for many of us...winter's around the corner.

I've tried a few approach to this problem and I do think that I've found a good (and cheap) solution.
I've purchased these tube for insulating pipes.  The one with a precut along the Length and are in a grayish/charcoal foam.
Now the furling rod (in the mast) is 1 1/4 in. in diam.  I've found these tubes (they come in various size/for different applications) with an opening of 1 11/16 in. (inside) and overall of 2 1/2in. (ext.)
I bought 3...as the come in 4 foot Length @ approx. 3.00 $ ea.  For your information, the inside of the furling could accept anything less than 4in. in diameter.
To make it easy and to prevent ripping, I've used a knife to complete the precut in it's Length.

I've attached a small rope to the spinner....pulled it up approx. 4/5 feet.  Then, I've punctured a mall hole some 3in. from each end....ran the rope through it (I've also made a knot on either side of the small hole to prevent slipping).   Pulled up an other 4/5 ft...and repeat.

I've also re in-forced the ends of each tube with a piece of duct tape...from the cut....to the other side (do not run over the slit).

Now I have the end of the rope tied to the bottom of the mast for removal in the spring.
These tube are very lightweight and the pressure on the is next to nil.

Next Spring, all I have to do is to release my main hallyard and pull on the bottom end of the small rope...and I'll be able to retrieve my pieces of foam as I'm lowering my spinner.

Good luck