Mainsail endless furling line

[stevem]

The end to end splice on my mainsail furling is  too thick and causing jamming as it goes around the winch under the boom and through the clutches on the coachroof.

Does anyone know if the clutches can be dis mantelled to enable the furling line to be removed in order to get it replaced or re-spliced?

[Anthony]

It would seem quite obvious that you cannot put an end to end splice in a section of running gear... of course the bulge will jam... and at time you least want that, given that reefing is often a swift and necessary procedure.
Someone has lengthened the rope on the cheap. You'd be wisest to replace the entire reefing line... with a couple of extra metres for the boom tie-on at one end and tidy bagging in the cockpit.

[stardust]

 I renewed the endless line ,if done properly there should be very little bulge .There is a lot of help on the internet to complete an endless splice.I  coudlnt figure out how to dismantle the jamming cleats .In the end I paid someone who knew what they were doing to do an endless splice with a new furling line.

[Anthony]

Ah, now it is clearer... you want to replace the line?
Well don't use an end to end splice... rather whip off the ends of the new and old ropes and sew them together end-to -end with sailmakers needle and thread... tedious yes, but the join will run through all the blocks and pulleys and you can separate the lines when you fully replace the old with the new.

[stardust]

Sorry Anthony you dont understand .the mainsail furling line on in mast reefing is endless IE joined end to end .The line must be joined and with very little bulge so as to run free around the mast winch and thro the jamming cleats . It must be very strong to be able to reef .To make an end to end splice you will have to buy some tools ie a Fid. As I said there is plenty on line about this.