Missing something at the top of profurl furler

[WaldPinkler]

I'm trying to figure out the profurl part I'm missing.

The top section is laying against the stay. I believe there should be an upper bearing from looking at the manual. Where did mine go? Does it fall down the extrusion or should I just buy another?

[chrisr]

looks like the top bearing might be there...although badly worn. it's inside the extrusion

assume the headsail is down and the top swivel (attached to the headsail) is in order

however the wrapstopper is missing. fairly important piece of kit...

i'd talk to your friendly local rigger. at noosa this is colin quinn (good bloke) 0418 832 615

cheers,

[WaldPinkler]

Colin redid my rigging on my trailer sailor. I'll call him.

People recommended not worrying about the wrap stopper considering the angle of the halyard.

[RaymondR]

The bearings which go in there are made in two pieces and split along their length. The top and bottom of each piece have little tabs to keep them from sliding up or down out of the joiner sleeves which hold the sections together, What can happen is that the retainer tabs get broken off it the foil is lifted up or allowed to drop down onto the end fittings on the stay wires.

because they are split the bearings can be replaced without taking the foil off the wire.

[WaldPinkler]

Alright, so the bearing is there in the picture or it's dropped down? How do I get the old one out? I'd prefer to have rough idea because it's pain to climb up there just to look.

[RaymondR]

The foil is in about 2.5m sections held together by sleeves which are retained in place by grub screws. Removing the upper set of grub screws and raising the top section would allow the pieces of the bearing to fall out.

However, the upper bearings may never have been in place.

My last boat had one of these furlers and I removed the top bearing and extended to foil up so that the upper roll form fitting on the wire was mostly inside the bearing housing on the upper end of the foil. I did this after a failure of the wire because it was being flexed too much by the sail shaking.

Another reason why it may not be in place is to allow the foil and lower bearing housing to be raised up to allow access to the lower turnbuckle.

[PippaB]

The outer silver is the foil, the inner gold is the section joiner, although the top one is a bit special from the others and doesn't join anything. Inside the gold section the bearing sleeve is missing. Depending on size it is likely part #00051. It is exactly as Raymond R described above, but here's a picture:



As you can see, the only thing that holds it in place are some little plastic tabs top and bottom. If you don't have the wrap stop then I would suspect that UV got to the top tabs, they broke off, and the sleeve pieces are now inside the foil resting on top of the next lower joiner.

The joiners are hard come by these days, but you can usually find the sleeve bearings. We're in the US, but if you can't find one, and can confirm the foil size there's a chance I have one around (would have to dig, but if memory serves...) that I could drop in the post.

[Rumrace]

I know bearings and I see a casing with no races.
The rest of the contributors are like top quality educators. Thank you learned lots reading

[WaldPinkler]

Thank you very much for the detailed instructions.

I have the model NC42.

I'll wait for the rigger to reply next week. Otherwise I'll have to find someone to winch me up the mast again. I should just ignore the parts that have fallen through? A big pain otherwise.

[Jim Cate]

I'll wait for the rigger to reply next week. Otherwise I'll have to find someone to winch me up the mast again. I should just ignore the parts that have fallen through?

They have been in there for some while now without any issues, so should be ok in the future. Really not much that they can do... just a loose sleeve over the wire after all.

I would not worry, and everything will be better with a new bearing at the top.

Jim

[RaymondR]

They might be OK but they could possibly jam on the forestay wire and prevent you from furling or unfurling the sail.

Since it's only a matter of backing out 4-6 grub screws and sliding up the upper section of foil to let them fall out then sliding the foil back over the joiner and replacing the grub screws I'd be inclined to remove them.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

They might be OK but they could possibly jam on the forestay wire and prevent you from furling or unfurling the sail.

Since it's only a matter of backing out 4-6 grub screws and sliding up the upper section of foil to let them fall out then sliding the foil back over the joiner and replacing the grub screws I'd be inclined to remove them.

Hard for me to see how they would suddenly jam. I don't think they can get "sideways" inside the foil, and if properly aligned with the wire not much chance of jamming.

And I've watched a few folks struggling to get those bloody grub screws out after a few years of service (ie corrosion) and buggering the foil in the process.

His boat, his choice!

Jim

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Hard for me to see how they would suddenly jam. I don't think they can get "sideways" inside the foil, and if properly aligned with the wire not much chance of jamming.

And I've watched a few folks struggling to get those bloody grub screws out after a few years of service (ie corrosion) and buggering the foil in the process.

His boat, his choice!

Jim

Risk evaluation includes possibility, probability and the consequences of an event.

The foil ID may be sufficient to allow the two pieces together to become a wedge.

I disassembled the one on my old boat about fifteen years after initial installation without any problems, the chromate paste provided appeared to be very effective. You have to disassemble them to check or replace the forstay so it tends to get done fairly regularly.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Risk evaluation includes possibility, probability and the consequences of an event.

The foil ID may be sufficient to allow the two pieces together to become a wedge.

I disassembled the one on my old boat about fifteen years after initial installation without any problems, the chromate paste provided appeared to be very effective. You have to disassemble them to check or replace the forstay so it tends to get done fairly regularly.

I guess we just have different outlooks, Ray!

And BTW, we have replaced the forestay without disassembling the foils a number of times, including once on the lawn at the Aore Island resort in Vanuatu. IMO much easier than taking the thing apart!

Jim

[Tetepare]

Last week I discovered that we only have one of the halves when it dropped on deck. Of course it is now on the chart table, and the retaining lip looks pretty beat. I have no idea where the other went.