New Furler

[Alan Wheeler]

Hi all. Well I have just happily returned from a day of installing a new Furler on my yacht. Last week I installed a new SST forestay. The original was Galv and the Furler bearings don't like running around on Galv. So a new 12mm SST forestay was fitted.
Then today, I started on the Beyma Furler. It didn't take as long as I expected and actually, I was wondering what I was doing wrong, as it all seem to go too well. I was looking for ole Murphy to pop his head around the corner of life and give me one of those tests that if you pass, tends to make you an expert. Well thankfully, I am still just a novice. Hmmmm, well I hope it remains that way
Next week I am fitting a new ridged boom vang and Genoa track and cars.
So with a bit of sweat, (hopefully no tears or blood) and I just may have this yacht ready to sail for Xmas.

[delmarrey]

Alan,

Congrats on the new furler. It sure would be nice to have one on mine too!

A little hint on installing the new tracks. Try not to scratch off the coating while installing the screws. The corrosion will set in fast. Use a plastic sleeve and a smaller drill to pilot drill the screw holes. Then go back and drill to the size you want. And be sure to put backing plates on the inside on each screw about 80-100 mm. Preferably stainless steel. Fender washers work real well but should be 6 mm+. And if you have a cored deck I'd recommend drilling the holes out to 12 mm and filling them with epoxy/fill composite. Then go back and drill them to size, using the plastic/pilot method again.

If you want to know why so much work, I'll post some pictures that will make you wish you had. That's unless you plan on selling the vessel in the next 5 years. Genoa tracks take a lot of stress, not only up but sideways as well, and those screws get a real workout. I pulled some out of my old track that had a 10-degree bend in them.

[Talbot]

When I installed my genoa track, I was very concerned by the load that would be on it, so instead of large washers, I had a piece of stainless bar the same length of the track, drilled for the bolts, and installed that on the underside of the deck. I would be more than a tad surprised if that pulls through the deck,

[delmarrey]

The problem I found with a continuous bar is trying to line up all the holes. And trying to hand drill thru a piece of SS after passing thru the deck.

Here's a picture of a track that was damaged durning the installation, and what the electrolysis between SS and alum. mixed with saltwater can do.

It probably all started when someone ran a drill down thru the track hole to drill in the deck. In the process removing the anodize coating that protects the aluminum. Then as the track gets worked back and forth loosening the hole, saltwater gets in there and raises hell.



I'm searching for pictures after the new install, will post later..............._/)

[Alan Wheeler]

Hmmm, looks like someone didn't use the little plastic sleeves that you should. They have a counter sunk shape for the head of the screw and a sleeve for the rib of the screw and thus insulate the contact of both materials. Even anodised alloy will corrode given enough time when in direct contact with the SST screw. Anodising is actually corrosion. When the alloy is anodised, it sets up a layer of corrosion on the surface. Depending on how long the piece is anodised for, determins the depth of that layer. The layer should be deeper than you can scratch. Well theoreticaly. The colour is just on the very surface of that layer.
I have done a lot of anodising and if anyone is interested in doing any themselves, I am happy top post here with how to. It is actually quite easy and fun.

The deck is Ferro, so I have a hole different set of problems attaching the track. Not to mention trying to get to the deck down inside the boat. It's all very pretty timber work below, but no one ever thought about gaining access to the hull structure afterwards, when they built it all in. I intend using that bedding adhesive sealant and I may have to use those construction screws, that have the wing thing on the nut. You drill a hole big enough for the wing to push through and it springs open trapping the nut. Tighten the screw home and bingo. But I will have to see if I can get them in SST.

[delmarrey]

Humm! I don't have ANY experiance with ferro cement except for a close inspection once.

I guess you could drill and under cut, then epoxy in threaded "T" inserts using the track as the jig. It works good for heavy machinery foundations.

Not applicable now, but here is the picture of the inside under a track going thru a bulsa cored deck. It proved to be good even after a two week run in bad weather.

They are remnants of 1/4" SS plate sheared into 2" squares and a 5/16" hloe punched thru.

[Alan Wheeler]

Wow! When I l;ooked at the Picture, I just realised howmany holes I am going to have to drill through the Ferro Cement.
Actually the big mistake made with Ferro is ataching stuff with Epoxy. Epoxy doesn't expand and contract at the same rate as Cement and fittings will eventually break right out of the Cement, usually taking a chunk of Cement with it.
It is best to treat it just like that cored deck and place washers underneath. You can't easily break the Ferro cement lamination out. It has a Tensile strength of 19000PSI. I saw a guy with a big and I mean BIG sledge hammer just bounce right off the side of his Hull trying to break out a piece.