Profurl Issues

[wsmurdoch]

Originally Posted by phorvati

I had to take the foils apart, as I was replacing the rig. In the process, most of the foil set screws had to be drilled out. I re-tapped with 1/4-28 set screws instead of the metric ones.

Sailcraft Services in Oriental NC replaced my forestay without disassembling the ProFurl foil by cutting an end fitting from the old stay, butt welding the new stay to the old, smoothing the weld, and pulling the new stay through the foil with the old.

Bill

[CGirvan]

Thanks for all the info posted here, it is of tremendous value. I'm usually in the preventative maintenance camp but as my profurl seems to turn evenly with no slop I might just leave well enough alone. It is good to know that if I do have issues in the future that it is a doable fix.

[ptgautreaux]

Bill I wish you could help me with my profurl issues. I believe one of the steel bearings may have broke when trying to get head sail out. Thanks for your info.
Pat

[wsmurdoch]

Any competent marine mechanic or for that matter any general mechanic given the information in the links above should be able to replace the bearings and seals in the lower unit of a Profurl series 31 furler or to determine that the unit is not repairable. Just give him (or her) the links above. Heck, I did mine, and I am a just retired engineer not a time served mechanic.

Bill

[um saudade]

If the bearings and seals in the top swivel are ok, the bushings are simple. Just two important dimensions, I.D. and O.D. They do not have to be two pieces, one is simpler to machine and install.

Use acetal, machine inside undersize and machine outside to press fit tolerance. Just a little oversized, it's plastic. Drive it into place and finish the inside with a hand reamer or power hone.

Or if you are a adhesive guy, finish to size and glue it in with epoxy. Some of them work well enough on acetal in this kind of a low stress setup. The bushings don't have to snap into place to do the job, that made it look more complicated so you buy the replacements from Profurl.

Easier to leave it long until it fits the foil, gives you something to hold it from turning until you have it sized.