GP14 Sailing Forums Forum Headsail furling components

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    • #9387
      WhereItStarted
      Participant

      As I tend to sail single handed and use my GP for cruising, when I stop somewhere for a break I usually drop the main and wrap the headsail (jib mostly) around the forestay to stop flogging. To sort the jib, it’s easier when out of the boat on a jetty or hauled up on a beach. However, it makes sense to complete these tasks from within the boat. The main is easy, however the headsail would benefit from a furling system. It’s not essential but it’s a nice to have feature. So I purchased a RWO top swivel, forestay guide and r2200 furling drum. After applying the same rig tension as I would without the furling components, it would seem it’s too much for the RWO components. I can just about furl the sail but the unfurling fails as there seems to be too much friction on the bearings in the drum. I thought with a 900kg max load the RWO would be suitable. Unfortunately not! Can anyone recommend a system that works?

    • #9390
      Oliver Shaw
      Moderator

      The RWO drum normally works very well,  although their top swivel has too much friction to work when you apply full rig tension to modern standards.   But that is not the issue that you are describing.

       

      When I first fitted headsail reefing,  (full reefing,  not just furling)  I initially had the problem that you describe when I first rigged it,  but I almost immediately found the cause;   there was not enough clearance at the stemhead fitting to keep the forestay completely clear of the drum,  and the tension on the forestay was tending to distort the semi-flexible housing of the drum just sufficiently to introduce friction.

       

      Slacking off the forestay just a little solved the problem,  for all time.    If that turns out to be the cause of your problem also,  once you have found the correct forestay tension for your boat it is very easy then to set it correctly just by feel whenever you step the mast;  and it can normally be left set throughout a cruising holiday,  and indeed throughout a full season at your home club.

       

      It is a fairly critical balance to be found;   too much forestay tension and it will impeded the drum,  but too little and the forestay will wrap around the sail as you furl it.   However trial and error before you launch will find the optimum setting within two or three minutes.

       

      Hope this helps,

       

       

       

      Oliver

       

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