New to Sailing and I Have a Problem

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by prissypatty

Well, the drum is unjammed and now the halyard also seems to be fine, go figure. However now the wind has picked up so we attempt to raise and furl the jib next week. Thank you everyone for your help and advice.
Pat

Make sure you have enough extra furling line in the drum so you can wrap the jib sheets around the furled sail many times, so you can secure it when prepping for a hurricane.

[Ex-Calif]

Or just leaving it on the mooring for a week. We had a thunderstorm blow through last year and one of the boats had her genny flogged to pieces after the sail unwrapped.

[Tropic Cat]

Originally Posted by prissypatty

. .... I have a problem. With the help of a local sailor we attempted to raise the jib on a furling system. We were able to raise however the line in the drum was jammed and we could not fully roll the sail. We ran out of time for the day and he was not sure how to unjam so we hand wrapped the sail and tied it so it would not blow in the wind. Step two I did some online research and found a solution to that problem however after lowing the jib we were then not able to pull the halyard back up. It seems to be catching or is off track at the top of the mast.

Welcome to boat ownership. You will rapidly learn the expression "it's a boat" and also what a "boat buck is". Glad to see you solved the jib problems in short order.

This is the internet's best sailing forum. You will get all of your questions answered right here.

[captmick39]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Make sure you have enough extra furling line in the drum so you can wrap the jib sheets around the furled sail many times, so you can secure it when prepping for a hurricane.

Good Advice; Better would be that she take that headsail (& everything else topsides that can "move, bend or is cloth") and get it below decks.

Seriously Patty, Hud had good advice; the best is that You have the boat hauled, moved as far inland as possible (in the boatyard) and set on stands...if You have insurance they'll usually pay half that fee or more (some pay it ALL; it's CHEAP "insurance" also if You have none) while asking the yard to secure it To The Ground(no kidding). If "Bill" or any of our other now wide open hurricane season tropical events decide to head Your way, move early...make arrangements "now", in advance and go to the local yardmaster & give them a deposit to guarantee attention when the time is "right"(albeit 'wrong')as a thousand other things will be important then, and a thousand other "bigger" boats will be in front of You, and the mind of the yardmaster. They only have so much space, and stands, and TIME.

*Be SURE to REMOVE the sending Unit for depth sounder, knot meter, or if You had neither, open the seacock (valve thru the hull) under the galley sink and REMOVE THE HOSE FROM THE SINK TO IT, THEN OPEN THAT VALVE! Until You've experienced 38" of rain in 6 hours, well, no one can imagine that much rain. Your cockpit scuppers(drains) often get clogged from blowing trash/debris and Your cockpit fills like a big funnel dumping the water in to the interior of the boat. KNOWING It Can and Will get water in there and already having a "Drain" open for it to run right back out prevents any castrophes.*

Anybody on the Gulf Coast, Southeast Coast will tell You this was excellent advice; he(or she) who hesitates...loses everything. You'll sleep better while that rain and wind pounds the roof and windows at the house (hopefully inland) as well.

Glad Your problems both worked out...I'd still have a knowledgeable person lay their eyeballs on that masthead and sheaves before leaving sight of land. Ideally connect with someone else locally who Owns a Similar Hunter 27 and buy them Lunch for a afternoon of "education". Most folks would be glad to share their knowledge...best "lunchmoney" You'll spend this year!

From now until the end of November...Keep an eye on the Weather Channel, Weather Underground, or NOAA (last 2 online only) at least TWICE a day. Claudette is a classic example of how things can change in 12 hours (even in New Jersey).

[Ex-Calif]

Another thought is forestay tension. A sagging forestay can magnify furler problems.

There is a temptation to crank the halyard tighter if sag is seen. What this does is transfer mast load to the boltrope, halyard and furling units and the forestay is just along for the ride, loose in the foil. At the extreme you can fail the upper or lower drum units as the head and tack attachments are not designed for that level of loading - ask me how I know :-(

If the forestay is loose get the forestay tightened and perhaps the entire rig adjusted by a rigger, then hoist the genny with the appropriate halyard tension for conditions.

[captmick39]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Another thought is forestay tension. A sagging forestay can magnify furler problems.

There is a temptation to crank the halyard tighter if sag is seen. What this does is transfer mast load to the boltrope, halyard and furling units and the forestay is just along for the ride, loose in the foil. At the extreme you can fail the upper or lower drum units as the head and tack attachments are not designed for that level of loading - ask me how I know :-(

If the forestay is loose get the forestay tightened and perhaps the entire rig adjusted by a rigger, then hoist the genny with the appropriate halyard tension for conditions.

Patty You still reading? He touched on an Excellent point (& the guess is Ex-Calif experienced exactly the same thing). A "Loo's Tension gauge" is cheaper than most know, Your mast can be determined vertical in flat water w/a good eyeball, 4' & 6' level, and letting the mailsail halyard hang loose. That halyard SHOULD hang about 6"-9" AFT of the back of the mast (at right above Your boom). rather than going straight for the headstay and tightening it...oft times on a boat of Your size, they've been set up for racing (or not) and may have either a "split"(think like a "y") or "Running"(as in adjustable, easily) backstay. IF that halyard's shackle is slapping the back of the mast, You don't need to tighten (necessarily) the head stay...it's the Back Stay and should be tightened (and possibly the headstay even Loostened) until that halyard shackle is showing You that pendulum gap of 6-9". Gravity never lies. (Just don't OVER Tighten anything...that's worse and to an extreme can WARP your hull).
HTH,
-mick