Joe Lyvers
Alliance
I am in the process of trying to dissassemble the forestay to remove the halyard swivel so I can a. file out whatever is binding or b. send it off to the factory for same. Anyone done this before? Tricks? Advice? Thanks, Joe
Harken Roller Furling help
- Thread starter Joe Lyvers
- Start date
Harken furler probs
Joe,
First off, what model ericson do you have? Second, have you lowered the sail and confirmed that there is a problem with the swivel? If so, then you will need to take the whole furler off the boat and slide the swivel off at the top if the fitting swaged onto the forestay is smaller or the same size as the cross section of the foil. Contact me off line if you have more questions. Ryan
Joe,
First off, what model ericson do you have? Second, have you lowered the sail and confirmed that there is a problem with the swivel? If so, then you will need to take the whole furler off the boat and slide the swivel off at the top if the fitting swaged onto the forestay is smaller or the same size as the cross section of the foil. Contact me off line if you have more questions. Ryan
Tom Metzger
Sustaining Partner
Joe - Assuming that your 38 has a Harken furler and is the same vintage as my 1987 E-34 you have to watch out for roll pins in the foil interfering with the swivel. The LocTite that was put on way back when is failing now and the roll pins are vibrating out to interfere with the swivel. I have been replacing the pins one at a time as needed, but am about ready to go after them all.
This is a response by Bill Worsley to a similar question a while back:
I had the same problem with the Harken roller furling on my 1987 Ericson 34
and replaced the roll pins in the year 2000. My wife, 12 year old son and I
replaced them one afternoon by lowering the forestay/furling from the
masthead. I don't know any other way to do this. You really need to lay
the furler down on the dock/ground and disassemble each section, lightly
sand, clean and reassemble with two different LocTite. Harken support
can(phone or e-mail) tell you which LocTite (red or blue) should be used on
the inside sleeve and the pins themselves. They also recommend using a
punch and hammer to slightly indent the aluminum extrusion right next to the
roll pin on both sides to help hold it in place. If you replace the pins on
the dock, put a large piece of cardboard under each section as you work on
it to prevent loss of parts "overboard". I had no problem after repair per
Harken's suggestions and using this method.
As to the technique for removing the forestay, drum, furler, etc:
Run the jib and spinnaker halyards forward
Release bottom of Harken drum from bow tang
Went up mast on main halyard and carried a 60' or so line that I could tie
to head of headstay
Work with "ground crew" to keep furler as straight as possible while
lowering - seems like I may have attached a block at masthead to run the
lowering line thru.
Reverse order for re-assembly.
This is a response by Bill Worsley to a similar question a while back:
I had the same problem with the Harken roller furling on my 1987 Ericson 34
and replaced the roll pins in the year 2000. My wife, 12 year old son and I
replaced them one afternoon by lowering the forestay/furling from the
masthead. I don't know any other way to do this. You really need to lay
the furler down on the dock/ground and disassemble each section, lightly
sand, clean and reassemble with two different LocTite. Harken support
can(phone or e-mail) tell you which LocTite (red or blue) should be used on
the inside sleeve and the pins themselves. They also recommend using a
punch and hammer to slightly indent the aluminum extrusion right next to the
roll pin on both sides to help hold it in place. If you replace the pins on
the dock, put a large piece of cardboard under each section as you work on
it to prevent loss of parts "overboard". I had no problem after repair per
Harken's suggestions and using this method.
As to the technique for removing the forestay, drum, furler, etc:
Run the jib and spinnaker halyards forward
Release bottom of Harken drum from bow tang
Went up mast on main halyard and carried a 60' or so line that I could tie
to head of headstay
Work with "ground crew" to keep furler as straight as possible while
lowering - seems like I may have attached a block at masthead to run the
lowering line thru.
Reverse order for re-assembly.
Be aware that if you do not have enough headstay tension, the furler may bind. also loosen your backstay before you take the forestay off. If the forestay is released with the backstay tensioned, you are in a bad spot by the time you get it unscrewed. I have also seen the fittings break and/or strip while being unsrewed! Be careful! Have fun, have you a manual on harken? Harold
Oh my......
There are a ton of issues with Harken Roller furling units that this could be.
The most common wrapped halyards, halyard stuck in the top of the unit. You can also have some binding with the system depending on tension on the backstay or the forestay.
Next the bearings in the bottom are completely incased in salt because it has not been washed in a coons age. I have seen this cause failure in the bottom units bearings quite a few times.
Next is the ubiquitous aluminum on stainless steel bearin system that harken uses. Each of the bearings up the forestay are aluminum and ride on the stainless steel forestay, bad bad bad....
Hardly ever is it the top unit. But if it is, you generally have to replace the whole upper bearing swivel assembly. There are old style and new styles of these, the old ones seem to last longer, but are slightly harder to turn. Send a photo and I can tell which you have. The top swivel bearing assembly is available as a replacemtn unit from Harken. The easiest way is of course to first get it down to deck level or dock level for an inspection.
If you have one of the roll pin models, Harken makes a replacement kit for them. you get new sections, new bearings, and a new feeder, for a really good price. They freely admit that the roll pins in the mark I unit are a bad idea. If you want to purchase an upgrade kit let me know.
Guy
There are a ton of issues with Harken Roller furling units that this could be.
The most common wrapped halyards, halyard stuck in the top of the unit. You can also have some binding with the system depending on tension on the backstay or the forestay.
Next the bearings in the bottom are completely incased in salt because it has not been washed in a coons age. I have seen this cause failure in the bottom units bearings quite a few times.
Next is the ubiquitous aluminum on stainless steel bearin system that harken uses. Each of the bearings up the forestay are aluminum and ride on the stainless steel forestay, bad bad bad....
Hardly ever is it the top unit. But if it is, you generally have to replace the whole upper bearing swivel assembly. There are old style and new styles of these, the old ones seem to last longer, but are slightly harder to turn. Send a photo and I can tell which you have. The top swivel bearing assembly is available as a replacemtn unit from Harken. The easiest way is of course to first get it down to deck level or dock level for an inspection.
If you have one of the roll pin models, Harken makes a replacement kit for them. you get new sections, new bearings, and a new feeder, for a really good price. They freely admit that the roll pins in the mark I unit are a bad idea. If you want to purchase an upgrade kit let me know.
Guy
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