Help...Losing my Balls! - (Fredriksen Cars)

[imagine2frolic]

neelie,

Sorry to hear about your balls. I have the same system, and everything on the boat is Fredrikson. I tried to find Fredikson, and only found this.
Hallett Canvas And Sails - Rigging

Thanks for the update to Ronstan. The internet is just great........i2f

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by neelie

Nevertheless, in the trial and (mainly) error process of losing a squillion balls, I have become an expert on Frediricken Batt Carr assembly, so thats a good thing.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advice - I learnt a lot.

niels

No... Thank you Niels...it is learning about these kinds of things that I dearly missed in my hiatus from the forums and their knowledgeable members this past 8 months..Sailnet and the likes are a gold mine of information at our fingertips..

Now I just have to not get sucked in as bad as I did last year.....Im a reformed 12 step AFOC...chant..chant..chant

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

Rather than start a new thread, I'm posting this bit of closely related information about batten car ball bearings to draw attention to an issue I had. Following the bottom line advice could save you some $$$ and possibly some potentially dangerous sail handling problems.

Last cruising season our fully battened main stuck up several times but eventually came down with some tugging and jiggling. In April the top batten car popped off its track and broke the ears off one side. A rigging inspection in May just before laying up for hurricane season revealed that the track was deeply scored along one side. The rigging inspector informed me that ball bearings in the cars need to be replaced every 4 years. Given that the boat is now 9 years old with the original ball bearings, this damage comes as no surprise.

This repair, including removing and restepping the mast, will cost me the better part of a boat buck so a word to the wise: Replace ball bearings in mainsail batten cars every 4 years.

[Darreneckersley]

WHILE MOANING ABOUT LOSING YOUR BALLS its a good idea to clean the cars bit of soap and water is how i do it amazing the muck that comes of tooth brush also handy take balls out and clean them they will work miles better after.
don't use ant oils or lube on them . they are easy to get back in the race when you get the hang of it .