Thin line on winch

[gisywaterboy 4]

Hi all, I have recently brought a boat with Anderson ST28 winches and I require the winch to self tail 4mm line for the furling main (mandrel will not fit larger line diameter).

Has anyone ever heard of a type of insert that might fit into the self tailing jaws to allow it to accommodate smaller line sizes?

The winch is only really used for line 8mm and smaller.

 

Any other ideas?

 

Thanks.

[Battleship 100]

You don't really want to be winching a furling line unless the boat is huge. Should be able to just turn away downwind and pull it in by hand.

Apart from that you could get a larger line but then it would fill up the drum quicker or you could splice a larger cover on the section that goes into the winch.

[chippie 6]

Downwind?

[Battleship 100]

Yes downwind if it's breezy takes the load off better than flogging the sail. just be sure to keep adequate tension on the sheet to get a nice furl.

[gisywaterboy 4]

Ok, thanks, I guess being a smaller diameter mandrel it does require a little bit of effort to haul in, plus the smaller line is a bit hard on the hands. I have thought about tying the line to the winch and using it as a mandel but it will be hard to get it off once all wound on as the winch will not unwind.

A good furl requires a little bit of haliyard tension which also adds to the load on the mandrel (another issue altogether as it requires someone to tail the haliyard during the drop, not great short handed).

As for a downwind drop, I have swept back spreaders that the sail touches even on a reach, hate to think what the sail rubbing on the spreaders during a downwind sail drop would do to the main over time.

 

Thanks for the suggestions

[Battleship 100]

So you never go downwind because the main touches the spreaders?

[Battleship 100]

My bad just realized it's a furling main Was wondering why nothing made sense.

Can you not just up size the line most winches should handle a size smaller if the load isn't to high.

[Chewing Gum 17]

Is this on a Leisurefurl system ?

If so we have found the best way  is to get rid of the furling line altogether.

Way quicker to hoist the sail and to furl.

To furl - just go to the front of the mast and use a winch handle in the socket provided.

[chippie 6]

We've taken out the furling line too.  Much easier and less foulups.  You can also do it single handed if you either take the halyard around the winch and back into your other hand or just put one or two loose turns on the halyard winch and then wind from the front of the mast.  The Leisurefurl guys made us a stainless insert to replace the alloy socket which got too worn after a while.

[Chewing Gum 17]

yes our socket was also flogged out - we replaced the plate containing the socket with a new one (it was possibly 30 years old)

[gisywaterboy 4]

Ok, great, thanks guys. Will give this a go. I like the idea of having one less line in the cockpit too. How do you reef though? When I reef I have to lock off the furling line in the jammer.

[Chewing Gum 17]

There should be a spring loaded pin on the furling drum that stops the sail from unfurling.