Our jib furler appeared to break when we sailed from Gozo, which meant some precarious bowsprit walking and manual rolling in of the sail. This appeared to amuse the skipper and crew of a French Canadian yacht who said they enjoyed the show from the harbour wall. Me balancing on the end of the bowsprit, Lotty shouting at me and me shouting back. Trying to hand roll a flapping jib at the end of a bowsprit is quite a tense thing.
So, I decided to investigate and fix , amongst other jobs. One other job being to put back in all the blocks to re-seat the mizzen mast. In the wavy weather the day before they’d all fallen out into the lazzerette.
And do you know what, the mizzen blocks and the furler issue were connected, a bit like that song, “The leg bone’s connected to the…” and all that. The mizzen mast is connected to the main mast by the triasic stay, between the top of each mast. As the mizzen had moved forward with her blocks out, the lesser tension on the main mast shifted it forward and there was a big curve in the jib furler/stay which must make the furling system not want to operate. Blimey, who would have known..?
So I re-tensioned the mizzen shrouds so the mast was straight and at its normal jaunty slightly backwards stance. I then re-blocked it, then re-tensioned the main mast shrouds which tightened the forestay, inner forestry and the jib furler. Simples… And sod me, the furler is working again after being rewound.
I wish I’d taken a picture, but I didn’t. However Yves Christian has sailed magnificently today, pulling like a train and doubling her normal speed in light airs. My love of sailing has returned. Amazing.
Lotty will kill me for this boring post, so I’ll add a nice picture. Ah I know, such a useful book for owners of traditional rigs. Everything in one place out of the heads of very old or now long dead sailors. She will kill me now…