barberhaul line chafed and broke at the front aka hole

Mast, Boom, Standing and Running Rigging, Furler System, Reefing, Barberhauler, Lazyjack etc
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EarthBM
Posts: 206
Joined: Fri 17 Sep 10, 0:54
Your Country: USA, So Cal -- So Florida

barberhaul line chafed and broke at the front aka hole

Post by EarthBM »

Sailing downwind (wing-in-wing) in 20-25kt for a couple of days straight last week resulted in the barberhaul sheet completely severed by the chafe against the hole in the front aka. The line was working hard pulling the genoa clew within 1-2 feet of the hole. The line also chafed in a couple more places where it spent several hours under different trim to the point where it needs to be replaced now. All during our 1-week long sail down West Coast from Puget Sound to So. Cal.

Any good solutions? It look like there should be a block there, just no obvious way to mount it.

(Here's a video from the sail http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olUdy8sSFFY
we stayed in this sail configuration for 4 days)
Ivan -- DF 35 #29 "Lykke"
Double Horizon
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed 09 May 07, 0:18
Your Country: USA

Post by Double Horizon »

I get a lot of squeaking also, from that line rubbing the surface of the fiberglass ahead of the bullet block at the forward ama pivot, and find that using McLube Dycoat spray reduces that.

I think the only way to mount a block for that line at the beam end would be to use a U-bolt on top of the beam end to mount a conventional swivel block with bail; or a cheek block (you'd have to be careful about the angle if using a cheek block). Mount location could be the solid FRP overhang at the aft end of the upper beam-end surface.

BTW it looks like you had a nice sail.
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
EarthBM
Posts: 206
Joined: Fri 17 Sep 10, 0:54
Your Country: USA, So Cal -- So Florida

Post by EarthBM »

After scratching my head over this for a while I can’t see a good way to attach a block to the aka. Steve B observed that our wing’n’wing point of sail was not the fastest VMG-wise, just most comfortable given the swell*. So typically there should be no need to pull the genoa that far out. On a 120-degree reach (higher VMG point of sail) the angle and therefore the force on the barberhaul line coming out of the aka hole are a lot smaller. What I will do is apply George’s (vminkovsky) method for halyard covers discussed here http://www.dragonfly-trimarans.org/phpB ... .php?t=395 to the part of the line where it goes through the aka and spray it with silicone lube (thanks Larry!).

Re: nice sail, here is the mandatory vid of dolphins surfing the underwater waves off the bow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1UZ79S4_uE&feature=plcp

* Unrelated, but before using it I had reservations about wing’n’wing stability under auto-pilot and risk. While stability was ok given how far out you can move the main using preventer lines and the genoa using the barberhaul on a multihull, my thoughts on risk remain. In a wind shift >45 degrees you move from dead-downwind to a reach, leaving you with too much sail for the increased apparent wind. You are also left with a need to gybe either the main or the genoa. We had a “situation” off Cape Mendocino and even though our recollections of what happened in what sequence differ, my conclusions are to approach capes with less sail than you think is optimal and to not use wing’n’wing.
Ivan -- DF 35 #29 "Lykke"
Double Horizon
Posts: 440
Joined: Wed 09 May 07, 0:18
Your Country: USA

Post by Double Horizon »

Well, McLube is Teflon, not silicone :)

Also, I agree about being conservative with how much sail you carry, but give the choice I'd always rather gybe the genoa.
Larry - Former Owner DF-1200
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