Main jammed

[mowa]

We are on vacation in the Balearic. The other day, probably due to the very light wind, and that I did not take enough care to maintain tension in the outhaul line, the main was furled incorrectly. Now it is furled in the mast but jammed at around four meters before the mast top. Tomorrow we are going to a port and I will try to unfurl the main.  Some advice would be very welcome about how to proceed.

[Yngmar]

Look at it (use binoculars) and determine how and why it is jammed, then work to resolve that specific situation. The one time I jammed mine was because leech tension was insufficient (not enough vang/mainsheet - I was playing around to see how much inappropriate handling it could take - great learning!  ), and my 16 year old main (in dire need of replacing) has a very floppy leech, so the leech folded over and got furled in that way.

To unjam that, I furled it out as far as it would go, then jiggled the furler back and forth (you can put a winch handle into the winch at the mast), which got it out somewhat more, but then it was jammed tight at the top spreader. I then let the halyard go and took the sail down, sliding it out of the luff groove until the jam arrived at boom level (the slot is the same width the whole length, so usually a jam even partially furled can be slid down and pulled out), where it was fairly easy to sort out. If you can get it neither unjammed nor take it down, someone will have to go up and tug on it there.

Also if you have an adjustable backstay, let all the tension out of it so the mast is straight, and what also helped was putting the outhaul tight and then furling in some more, which tightened the coiled up sail from the inside and thus made the whole sausage a bit thinner.

[mowa]

Many thanks for the tips, but it is impossible from the deck. I think the only solution is to climb the mast and help the cloth to get out out by hand. But I dont have herer the means, so I need to wait to arrive to my base port to try again.

[Lyra]

I had a similar situation several weeks ago after I took the sail off for repair and put it back - when I furled it in something probably happened and then when I went sailing it  jammed 2/3 way out. I also thought that there was no way of escaping a climb up the mast but eventually was able to do it by myself from the deck.
My procedure was quite similar to what Yngmar describes but still seems to be a bit different so maybe resembles your situation.
What I did is as follows:
Using a winch handle on the furling mechanism at the mast (pay attention it is not in ratchet mode as it may lock on you - you must be able to turn both ways) I slowly furled it back into the mast.
I then started unfurling it, still winch handle only, about half a turn at a time (that is half turn of the furler, not the winch handle), and after each time I pulled from the clew along the leach (the out haul puts most of the force along the foot). It got harder as the sail unfurled because the jam point got further and further from the pull point but eventually I was able to unfurl it completely.

[Ronald]

Another trick i have seen done by a charter service guy is to release your boom vang and the boom as far upwards as you can get it.

Tighten the out haul as strong as you can and then pull the boom down. By this you hav created a pretty strong arm pulling the sail..

The sail came out this way.
This is how the sail looked. (Wasn't me  )
Worth a shot.

Succes Ronald.

[Salty]

I can't help you in regard to your jammed sail, but from reading both within this topic and elsewhere within the forum where boat owners have reported that their in mast mains have become jammed, I'm just glad that my boat does not have this system. From the first time I heard of in mast mains becoming jammed, and having experienced it on my previous boat, I've been concerned that having such a system at a time when weather conditions are worsening, that a jammed sail might result in the boat being overwhelmed by the weather. (OK, so you let go the end of the sail and try to wrap it around the mast or allow it to flog itself to death = expensive).
Having also seen several comments within the forum advising that "in mast" was "the way to go," I'm sure that many will disagree with my concerns.
Obviously you pay your money and you make your choices, but until in mast becomes as reliable as slab reefing I'll give it a miss.

[Yngmar]

Obviously you pay your money and you make your choices, but until in mast becomes as reliable as slab reefing I'll give it a miss.

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?462418-It-was-supposed-to-be-an-easy-trip

[Salty]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?462418-It-was-supposed-to-be-an-easy-trip

Not happened to me...........................Yet !

[mowa]

Another trick i have seen done by a charter service guy is to release your boom vang and the boom as far upwards as you can get it.

Tighten the out haul as strong as you can and then pull the boom down. By this you hav created a pretty strong arm pulling the sail..

The sail came out this way.
This is how the sail looked. (Wasn't me  )
Worth a shot.

Succes Ronald.

I got it!!. Exactly the same history!! Yesterday I asked a charter guy here in  Palma and gave me exactly the same advice and after some maneuvers (half an hour or so), the main came out. This is the trick!!
To summarize:
- the boom totally free (almost at 45deg respecting the mast)
- the outhaul tight and playing with the tension
- the furling system completely unfurled and playing to unfurl and to furl a little
- the wind coming from starboard
- pulling the extreme of the boom up and down with energy (by doing this, you can induce a lot of movement in all the upper part of the mast and  force in the jammed part of the sail)

[Ronald]

Great. Enjoy.

Ronald.

[Symphony]

I can't help you in regard to your jammed sail, but from reading both within this topic and elsewhere within the forum where boat owners have reported that their in mast mains have become jammed, I'm just glad that my boat does not have this system. From the first time I heard of in mast mains becoming jammed, and having experienced it on my previous boat, I've been concerned that having such a system at a time when weather conditions are worsening, that a jammed sail might result in the boat being overwhelmed by the weather. (OK, so you let go the end of the sail and try to wrap it around the mast or allow it to flog itself to death = expensive).
Having also seen several comments within the forum advising that "in mast" was "the way to go," I'm sure that many will disagree with my concerns.
Obviously you pay your money and you make your choices, but until in mast becomes as reliable as slab reefing I'll give it a miss.

If you follow the instructions on using the equipment, the chances of a jam are remote. Nothing difficult about it. Just make sure you are on starboard tack, have some weight of wind in the sail if reefing underway, keep some tension on the outhaul and wind in with the reefing line. 

You might like to know that almost all Halberg Rassy boats over 37' in the last 25 years or so are fitted with the same Selden in mast. These boats are widely used for ocean voyaging, so would think that the owners do not have the same concerns as you.

[philipa]

A tip which we discovered after many years with a selden furler and consistently works for us: let the boom rise a metre or two (free off the main and kicker) when pulling the sail out, and keep the boom down when furling.

[Yngmar]

A tip which we discovered after many years with a selden furler and consistently works for us: let the boom rise a metre or two (free off the main and kicker) when pulling the sail out, and keep the boom down when furling.

+1

The exact advice from Selden when furling the main in is to keep the leech relatively taut (by keeping the boom down).