Roller Furler is a Pain!

[Rakuflames]

but I'm stuck with it for now ...

It's an old Hood 810 -- the kind that can't be reefed (yes I know that's not ideal) ...

However, lubricating it might make it easier to use.

I will be going on a 3 day sail and it would be nice to at least have it easier to use. It has a drum at the bottom with a continuous line.

What's the best way to lubricate a roller furler? Someone could go up the mast if it would help.

[gjordan]

I am not familiar with the Hood 810, but it probobly has sealed bearings in both the bottom unit and the top. If it is taking a lot of effort to furl, the bearings should be changed. It is not unusual to change the bearings every 3 or 4 years, depending on the climate and use of the boat. The bearings are usually standard sealed bearings that are available at large auto parts stores or bearing supply shops. The hard part will be the disassembly of the unit due to corrosion. Bearings are not very costly unless you order them from Hood or a marine store. Good Luck with it.____Grant.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by gjordan

I am not familiar with the Hood 810, but it probobly has sealed bearings in both the bottom unit and the top. If it is taking a lot of effort to furl, the bearings should be changed. It is not unusual to change the bearings every 3 or 4 years, depending on the climate and use of the boat. The bearings are usually standard sealed bearings that are available at large auto parts stores or bearing supply shops. The hard part will be the disassembly of the unit due to corrosion. Bearings are not very costly unless you order them from Hood or a marine store. Good Luck with it.____Grant.

Thank you, I bet you're right. At this point I have no reason to believe that the previous owner did any kind of maintenance. :/

[zeehag]

rollr furling can be a big blessing--do lube it an d figure out how it works inside itself..will be better for ye and you will enjoy it in weather--i like the idea and fact of reefing my sprit mounted jib in wind without going forward. is so much safer than prancing out on the 6 ft sprit in seas and winds....

[rtbates]

continuous line?

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by rtbates

continuous line?

Ohhhh yeah, and no ratchet, no brake, no teeth in the drums. It's in or it's out, but it's what I have and I might as well take care of it.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

Ohhhh yeah, and no ratchet, no brake, no teeth in the drums. It's in or it's out, but it's what I have and I might as well take care of it.

Typo alert -- drum, not drums. Saw it just as I hit the send button!

[cabo_sailor]

Just curious but have you checked the headstay tension? I have a Harken roller furler and if the headstay gets loose and sloppy it is a royal pain to furl or unfurl the headsail. I've seen some boats where you could grab the headsail stay and swing it through an arc of a couple of feet. Once tightened, everything worked fine.

Rich

[Blue Stocking]

I had the same problem when I had the LD 900 on Bluestocking.
The way I got around it, before converting to SL900, was to taper splice ends after feeding 2 single blocks on the line. Pull the line up tight with one block, and secure the block aft. Put a bungy cord on the other block to provide tension on the furling line.
BTW, I lubricated the bearings with aerosol can, food grade, silicon spray.

[Steve W]

I have had the same Hood furler for 14 years and it had always worked great until the centering clamp started to fail, resulting in progressively difficult furling. (the centering hole wears out causing the clamp to lose it's perpedicular angle to the headstay and furler, putting everything in a bind). It is located clamped to the headstay (or it may be jammed or completely gone) just below the furling drum. It can be accessed and changed out by raising the furler about 3" and clamping a new one on. I used a line across the pulpit and under the drum to hold it up with the 150 genoa still on the furler. It uses 2 allen screws. Took about 30 minutes to change out. You can find the drawing, part # and order the park at this link: www.pompanette.com

[xeon_tsd]

I had a continous line furler and could use a cleat to reef (ok ok roll) my 150 Genoa when needed...and this was quite often when crossing the channel from Santa Barabara to the Islands.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by zeehag

rollr furling can be a big blessing--do lube it an d figure out how it works inside itself..will be better for ye and you will enjoy it in weather--i like the idea and fact of reefing my sprit mounted jib in wind without going forward. is so much safer than prancing out on the 6 ft sprit in seas and winds....

This roller furler can't be reefed. It just has to come in completely. All in or all out. Nothing in the mechanism to keep the drum from turning.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by cabo_sailor

Just curious but have you checked the headstay tension? I have a Harken roller furler and if the headstay gets loose and sloppy it is a royal pain to furl or unfurl the headsail. I've seen some boats where you could grab the headsail stay and swing it through an arc of a couple of feet. Once tightened, everything worked fine.

Rich

The headstay is tight. it's just a clunky roller furler.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by xeon_tsd

I had a continous line furler and could use a cleat to reef (ok ok roll) my 150 Genoa when needed...and this was quite often when crossing the channel from Santa Barabara to the Islands.

Oh I've had this discussion so many times. You can cleat it all you want, but the drum is free to move. If the drum is free to move, the sail can and will deploy. MOST continuous furling headsails can be reefed. This one cannot.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Steve W

I have had the same Hood furler for 14 years and it had always worked great until the centering clamp started to fail, resulting in progressively difficult furling. (the centering hole wears out causing the clamp to lose it's perpedicular angle to the headstay and furler, putting everything in a bind). It is located clamped to the headstay (or it may be jammed or completely gone) just below the furling drum. It can be accessed and changed out by raising the furler about 3" and clamping a new one on. I used a line across the pulpit and under the drum to hold it up with the 150 genoa still on the furler. It uses 2 allen screws. Took about 30 minutes to change out. You can find the drawing, part # and order the park at this link: www.pompanette.com

Look up the Hood 810. It simply cannot be reefed.