[C320-list] Mainsail Hard to Raise/Lower

[Robert Seastream]

David:

Thanks for your input.  Now I know it's not just me or my  
imagination.  It gives me fresh perspective, and a concrete point to  
proceed from.

Bob

On Oct 13, 2008, at 5:02 PM, Henderson, David wrote:

> This is a somewhat delayed response to Bob Seastream’s post of a  
> couple of weeks ago.  Bob, yes, I have had issues raising and  
> lowering my in-mast (Charleston Spar) furling main on my four year  
> old 320 (#1049), and I think I have discovered a potentially serious  
> problem.  I would love to know if others have encountered this issue.
>
> I noticed the problem for the first time during the 2007 season.  It  
> was slightly worse this past spring when I raised the main, and now  
> just last week when I tried to take it down in preparation for haul- 
> out, it is worse still and I couldn’t get the sail down.  It  
> appeared that the head of the sail and/or the swivel first stuck at  
> the upper spreader.  I was able to force it through.  But then it  
> became really stuck at the lower spreader.  I feared that the luff  
> tape was cut or frayed and somehow hanging up in the groove in the  
> foil.  I also wondered if perhaps there was a joint in the foil that  
> it might be catching on.
>
> This past weekend my 25 year old daughter went aloft to take a look  
> (my days of going a loft are long over).  When she opened the  
> shackle and disconnected the sail from the swivel, the sail fell  
> easily down through the foil.  So it was now clear that the problem  
> was not the luff tape or the sail, but rather the swivel seemed to  
> be the culprit.
>
> Upon closer inspection, it became clear that groove in the outer  
> part of the mast (that the sail passes through to wind onto the  
> foil) was slightly narrowed in the area of the spreader.  And in  
> fact, the entire mast cavity had narrowed and was pinching the  
> swivel enough that it could not slide up and down through it.  She  
> then went up to the second spreader and lo and behold, same problem,  
> just slightly less severe.
>
> The broker who sold me the boat came by today for a look, and after  
> attempting to raise and lower the swivel, he confirmed the problem.   
> He even pointed out that the narrowing in the outer mast slot is  
> readily visible by line of sight as you look up the mast.  Our joint  
> conclusion is that the load carried by the spreaders is slowly but  
> surely bending the mast and narrowing the slot and cavity, and it is  
> a progressive problem.  Not being able to raise or lower the main is  
> the first level of concern, but ultimate mast failure is obviously  
> an even a greater concern.
>
> Though I am told that I am out of warranty, the broker immediately  
> offered to contact Charleston Spar and Catalina on my behalf.   
> Needless to say, I anxiously await their response.  Meantine, I  
> wanted to bring this to the attention of anyone else with a similar  
> vintage 320 that may be experiencing similar mast issues.
>
> Dave Henderson
>
> Dottie B    #1049
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
>
> Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2008 20:16:39 -0400
>
> From: Robert Seastream <robert.seastream at comcast.net>
>
> Subject: [C320-list] Mainsail hard to raise
>
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>
> Message-ID: <AADF86C2-2204-418F-BFC2-BF17EEE6486F at comcast.net>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> All:
>
> Has anyone ever had issues raising their (in mast furling) mainsail
>
> past roughly the two thirds point, almost requiring winching to raise
>
> it fully?
>
> We've had this issue since we bought the (used) boat.  I don't think
>
> there's any 'burrs' in the furler track; I'd expect rips in the luff
>
> if that were true.
>
> I'm wondering if the roller furler might have gotten bent, although I
>
> can't imagine how.  By comparison, the roller furling jib goes up its'
>
> own track smooth as silk.
>
> Another question is how does one access the furling mechanism for
>
> inspection/repair, once the mast is unstepped?  Perhaps that's a
>
> question for Charleston Spars.
>
> Regards,
>
> Bob Seastream
>
> Intuition # 906
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
>