Roger .. I can't believe this .. Ms Lange again! I am confused though. If
she has no head stay, how is the jib flying?
What is the jib attached to? There is no luff attachment for the sail ..
right?

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"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
Donna Lange is finishing up her trip without a head stay and with a jib
set flying as the only masthead support. Being also without an engine
should make closing with the coast a bit of an exercise in a boat that
won't point much above 90 degrees. I hope the blows predicted for the
next few days don't cause further trouble.

Her roller furling had been acting stiff and funky for a few days. Then
she discovered that the headstay had come out of the Sta-Lock fitting at
the masthead. Although I might be wrong, this is pretty easy for me to
visualize. I changed headsails last year and then went to furl the sail
after tensioning the luff and the foil was turning very stiffly and
popping as it went. I discovered that two bolts that clamp it just above
the roller drum had come loose and the friction of the luff in the groove
had pushed the foil hard up into the swage terminal. It didn't take long
to straighten that out.

But, think of that happening with a screwed terminal. Easy to see how
repeated furlings and settings could eventually unscrew the terminal.
Reminds me of a lesson from aviation that unusual behavior or change of
characteristics of equipment should always be investigated. It also makes
me think screwed terminals might be a poor choice for roller furling
headstays.

--
Roger Long