Roller Furler Mainstay Warped

[Leeward77]

Hi all this is my first post. I have had a 1988 26D, 1998 26X, and now a 2004 26M .... my first two the roller furler mainstay was straight/true and taught. However the previous owner of this 26M stowed the roller furler inside the cabin, which it now has a permanent warp shown in the pictures.

When installed, it furls however wobbles a little, unlike my other 2 Macs which spun smoothly.

Should I use a heat gun or other to try and remove this -- OR -- is this by design so that it could be somewhat folded and stowed inside the cabin?

[WinSome]

That kinky bend is due to improper storage. Lay it out in the sunshine with some weight on it to try flatten the bend.
These are designed to be shipped coiled into a 4’ diameter. When laid out they are to return to flat with memory.
It’s likely getting older and has lost some memory ( like me!)
If After a day or two in warm sun it’s not strsight enough, I’d do as you suggest and add heat with hair dryer and work out that kink. It has to be straighter to operate as intended. It’s surprisingly tough.

[Russ]

First of all, WELCOME!

I had the same thing happen to my furler. Mine was warped more than yours. I tried laying it flat in the sun. I helped a little, but mine was too warped to flatten. I suppose I could have tried harder as suggested above. Try laying it flat with some heavy flat items (bricks) on top.

I'd be careful adding heat from a gun or other source.

What ended up doing was buying a new one from BWY. It came coiled up as mentioned but not kinked like mine was.

https://shop.bwyachts.com/category-s/286.htm

NOW, I am careful to store it straight. I lash it to the mast with a piece of PVC tube to extend the mast to the end of the fuller. So far that has worked well.

[NiceAft]

Ditto on welcome to the forum. Also, ditto on questioning the hair dryer technique.

You didn’t say how many summers you have had this M, or how many days rigged in the sun. I was just wondering if several days rigged wouldn’t help somewhat? Fastened to the bow pulpit, pulled, back by the mast, all the while baking in a hot Charlotte sun; I’m questioning if that wouldn’t help. Has the opportunity to do that occurred

Just wondering out loud on the internet.

[Leeward77]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!

I picked up this a couple years ago, it was in a slip at a lake for a few years before I came across her. Fully rigged, mast up when I first looked - so for at least a week it was in the sun with full tension "straight". Since that time I had it lashed to the mast in storage hoping that would help...I was taken out of the life game for a short time, back now and brought this home to go through everything...after 2 years lashed tightly to a straight mast it was still like this.....going to try the hair dryer/heat gun -- if no joy then look at replacing. Will post results here.

bonus round....I debated selling this as I started to get into the clean up and repair....and buying one needing less work....but took a chance and just spent $2,500 to restore the gel coat (planned to do it myself but nooooo time). Came out EXCELLENT! Highlights a few scratches and several chunks/spots to restore the gel coat but wow, the reflection now at 20 years old. Now just have to figure how to match the blue....and drain 2 year old gas, fix wiring torn up near the motor..motor tilt not working, hoping its wiring.

[Russ]

bonus round....I debated selling this as I started to get into the clean up and repair....and buying one needing less work....but took a chance and just spent $2,500 to restore the gel coat (planned to do it myself but nooooo time). Came out EXCELLENT! Highlights a few scratches and several chunks/spots to restore the gel coat but wow, the reflection now at 20 years old. Now just have to figure how to match the blue....and drain 2 year old gas, fix wiring torn up near the motor..motor tilt not working, hoping its wiring.

Gelcoat looks amazing! These boats clean up nicely. You could have done that yourself, but of course that takes time and energy. Hopefully there is a good coat of polymer or wax or something to protect it going forward. I still find the blue gelcoat will oxidize no matter what.
The good thing is seeing a nice shiny boat is motivational.

I would try laying that luff in the sun and place some heavy bricks or something on top to flatten it. Maybe some gentle heat but keep it along a large area.

Why do you need to match the blue?

Old gas: At the end of every year I siphon out as much gas as I can into my car.

Wiring? Ug. Yea, hopefully you can sort that out.

[Arqueiro]

did you end up fixing this?

[leefrankpierce]

B.W.Y. suggest putting into a pvc pipe in the sun.