Help.
I have the same problem faced by Anna & James in July 2007 in that the wire rigging at the top of the forestay (above the foil) is unravelling. The inner and the outer wires seem to be wound in opposition, so because the outer wire spiral is unravelling, the inner wire spiral is very tight. The whole thing is off the boat and I can unscrew the locknut and bolt at the bottom of the forestay wire (It's swaged onto a bolt with a locknut) from the receptacle at the bottom of the drum (the bottom part of which attaches to the bracket at the bow). I can then pull out yards and yards of oily plastic coated forestay wire out from the top of the foil, but then the same bolt? at the end of the wire (swaged on?) jams on the inside top of the foil and I can't pull the forestay wire completely out so I can't replace it. To do all this I haven't had to dismantle the drum. The drum seems to turn smoothly. I can get two of the three bolts out, but the third won't budge. Any suggestions or diagrams are welcome. Is it possible to dismantle the top of the foil somehow?
Forestay and roller reefing problems - Early Rotostay
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robvega
- Cruising
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:37 pm
- Location: Cleckheaton, West Yorks
- Boat Name: Vega
- Sail Number: 191
Andy,
The cast aluminium fitting on the top of the foil should knock off, not sure if the eye needs to come out first. It was very tight on mine and needed some force to shift it. Inside is a nylon bush which was very worn on mine, I replaced it with a short length of washing machine hose and packed out the forestay wire with heat shrink sleeving inside the hose. You will need to separate the drum to fit the new forestay. The bolts WILL be seized inside the bottom part of the drum but the nuts should come off the top and the top part of the drum can then be prised off!
I have the Rotostay fitting instructions in a file which was on the old Yahoo group, which may help. I can't attach it here as its too big and ditto if I try to PM you. If you let me know your email I can send it too you.
Cheers
Rob
The cast aluminium fitting on the top of the foil should knock off, not sure if the eye needs to come out first. It was very tight on mine and needed some force to shift it. Inside is a nylon bush which was very worn on mine, I replaced it with a short length of washing machine hose and packed out the forestay wire with heat shrink sleeving inside the hose. You will need to separate the drum to fit the new forestay. The bolts WILL be seized inside the bottom part of the drum but the nuts should come off the top and the top part of the drum can then be prised off!
I have the Rotostay fitting instructions in a file which was on the old Yahoo group, which may help. I can't attach it here as its too big and ditto if I try to PM you. If you let me know your email I can send it too you.
Cheers
Rob
I also have early Rotostay instructions if you want to contact me I will send copy Re Drum I had problems Try squirting vinegar on joints -Base of threads etc may be bound by aluminium chloride soak for 24 hrs wash off then WD4o
Should be easily enough slack between foil and top of forestay wire to open drum - mine is about 2-3 cms
Let me know if you want more help Suppose you know that fittings to drum are threaded as bottle screw having left and right hand thteads
Should be easily enough slack between foil and top of forestay wire to open drum - mine is about 2-3 cms
Let me know if you want more help Suppose you know that fittings to drum are threaded as bottle screw having left and right hand thteads
Nicholas