roller furling help

[Silmaril]

One of the most common problems with a furling headsail is the line on the drum. The problem occurs when you unfurl your sail. In many instances, the headsail is allowed to unfurl with little or no care for how the drum line is tensioned during the release. If adequate tension is not kept on the furling line, the wraps on the drum will be loose. Then when the wind pipes up, and you put the furling line on a winch to wrap up the headsail, the outer wraps on the furling drum bite down on the looser inner wraps, and cause a jam at the drum, resulting in either a very difficult time furling the sail, or the inability to furl the sail all together.

The furling line needs to be kept taught when the sail is unfurled, to the point the you must use the genny winch to pull the sail out. That will ensure that all the line on the furling drum will be kept at a nice, tight, uniform tension.

The newer endless loop furlers eliminate this problem all together.

[sailortjk1]

Good advise Silmaril, I have questioned my own pratice of that in the past. Makes sence.

[williamjchampion]

I agree that unfurling should never be a problem. Normally the jib sheet you are pulling should be on a winch, if for no reason other than the fact that it will end up there anyway as you trim in. When furling, I try to keep a slight amount of pressure in the sail, often with a wrap or too around a secondary winch, but no handle. If there is too much air, you need to apply too much pressure to the furling line and are liable to breaks something. Too little pressure and you won''t get a tight wrap.

[kananumpua11]

Hey Everyone, I really appreciate all the help and advice. I have it figured out now.

p.s. it is a "Helms 25", sorry about the confusion.

[Irwin32]

You can''t leave us hanging - what was the problem?