In-Mast Main Sail Hydraulic furling system

[Moody Mike]

I doubt that halyard pictured is attached to your main. I dont have an external halyard mine is just that wire cable. If you had a external halyard the sail could not furl inside. If you untie the main from the furling base & pull on the sail it will come down & the steel cable will go up this is why you must tie a line to it or you will be going up in a bosuns chair to get it . I cant read that doc its to blurry . Yours may have been modified so the line you attach can be directed to the winch to haul the main back up but it cannot be attached while the main is in furling operation it would stop it from furling .

[zeseb]

You are surely right, when I went to the top of the mast, I couldn't see neither this cable nor this sheet. It's going somewhere.

But I noticed this cable you mentioned and what you are saying makes sense to me.

Ha, the joy of having a second hand boat without good explanations from the ex-owner

Thanks again Mike.

[GlennRiv]

Hi. So glad to have found this thread. After reading the posts I think I may have swollen nylon bearings at the base. It won’t turn at all, even with the 29mm socket. Yes, I have limited knowledge and matching skills. My sail is furled in, so is it possible to get to the bearing from underneath? I can access the 4 small bolts underneath but hoping for some advice before I make it worse. Are you out there Moody Mike?

[Moody Mike]

Originally Posted by GlennRiv

Hi. So glad to have found this thread. After reading the posts I think I may have swollen nylon bearings at the base. It won’t turn at all, even with the 29mm socket. Yes, I have limited knowledge and matching skills. My sail is furled in, so is it possible to get to the bearing from underneath? I can access the 4 small bolts underneath but hoping for some advice before I make it worse. Are you out there Moody Mike?

Hi here is a link to some information on the Hood furlers.

http://www.oyster-owners.com/wp-cont...y%20Furler.pdf
I would loosen the turnbuckle under the bearing a bit spray warm water but no lubricant on the nylon bush/ bearing & try moving it both ways. I was speaking with a rigger last week who has fixed a fed Hood systems he turns down the nylon bush on a lathe & presses a stainless sleeve over it. This fixes the expanding nylon bush problem. I haven't used mine for a couple of years & may have the same problem again. Im about to do a bit of work on the boat next week so will let you know.
Mike

[GlennRiv]

Originally Posted by Moody Mike

Hi here is a link to some information on the Hood furlers.

http://www.oyster-owners.com/wp-cont...y%20Furler.pdf
I would loosen the turnbuckle under the bearing a bit spray warm water but no lubricant on the nylon bush/ bearing & try moving it both ways. I was speaking with a rigger last week who has fixed a fed Hood systems he turns down the nylon bush on a lathe & presses a stainless sleeve over it. This fixes the expanding nylon bush problem. I haven't used mine for a couple of years & may have the same problem again. Im about to do a bit of work on the boat next week so will let you know.
Mike

Legend. Thank you. I’ll be back out there in the weekend, so will let you know.

[Moody Mike]

Well as luck would have it my Hood furler has seized again . This is what happens when you don't use it for a while. So far I have removed the drive chain & checked the hydraulics are working, al good. I tried to wind in out with socket first but to no avail. I backed off the turnbuckle under the furler a bit still no good. It's Friday afternoon & I think I will go have a beer & work out a plan of attack. I will bring the kettle down tomorrow & use some warm water on the bush fit a new drive chain & see if I can get it moving. My rigger knows how to fix the nylon bush problem permanently but it will need the masts to come off.
Mike

[Moody Mike]

Well i'm having a bit of trouble with the bush on the main . The mizzen is fine . We had an about 2 years of rain here it only stopped a day here & there . Then we had the mega flood in Lismore which wiped out most of the town. So the boat has been sitting for quite a while & this is what happens. The nylon bush has swollen & the aluminum internal has corroded so it doesn't want to spin. If my efforts with freez n release, wd 40 , hot water & vinegar don't work then the rigger is going to have to pull the mast .

[Moody Mike]

Ok I got it a combination of boiling water then freeze n release a new chain on the hydraulic drive . A few taps then liberal quantities of WD 40 & I took all the pressure off the turnbuckle. Sail is off & now the mast can be easily removed for its refurb.

[GlennRiv]

Originally Posted by Moody Mike

Ok I got it a combination of boiling water then freeze n release a new chain on the hydraulic drive . A few taps then liberal quantities of WD 40 & I took all the pressure off the turnbuckle. Sail is off & now the mast can be easily removed for its refurb.

I’m going back out today (in the rain). Last week I took the chain off, nervously backed off the turnbuckle but only a few mm, and poured warm water over it. No success. After your success I’ll try again but with boiling water, a few extra mm backed off and some strategic taps. If still no go I’ll add WD40 as I thought anything but water would swell the nylon. Then beers tonight to either celebrate or work out a new plan.

[Moody Mike]

I was using a breaker bar & socket on the drive gear nut. I was getting concerned using the hydraulics as I could see the torque flexing the side of the mast & didn't want a crack developing. The freeze n release seemed to do the trick I emptied almost an entire can into it which froze & shrunk the nylon. Once I had it moving a little I added the Wd40.
Now the sail is removed it's spinning quiet freely just down the boat & have it another spin. Pouring rain here in Ballina as well.

[GlennRiv]

Still no go. Loosened buckle to the point where the sail would slap around inside the mast when boat rocks. Off to buy Freeze and Release instead of my WD40 Fast Release Penetrant and try again in a couple of days.

[Moody Mike]

That looks line my tool kit ��. I did a bit then went inside while the showers passed then a bit more when it was dry . It took a couple of hours all up.

[Moody Mike]

I had my rigger down at the boat today. When we pull the masts we are removing the bearing then turning down the alloy section & fitting a Stainless steel sleeve made from SS tubing. The nylon part will be replaced with Acetal or similar.

[Moody Mike]

Getting ready to pull masts , halyards out, boom off & most the fittings a few stubborn bolts. Hydraulics tomorrow. Then start on the mizzen.

[Moody Mike]

Ready to pull the masts everything is disconnected we have left one winch & halyard on each mast for the rigger to attach the lifting sling. When the boom mount was removed the furler dropped down & had to be pulled up with a halyard & tied off.