Facnor Furler - Difficulty Furling
Printed From: myHanse.com
Category: Hints & Tips
Forum Name: 430
Forum Description: 430 Hints and Tips
URL: https://www.myhanse.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14906
Printed Date: 27 March 2026 at 01:44
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Topic: Facnor Furler - Difficulty Furling
Posted By: Issywa
Subject: Facnor Furler - Difficulty Furling
Date Posted: 01 December 2024 at 23:09
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I know there are several posts already on this topic but thought I’d start a “fresh” one. In windy conditions, I am unable to furl the sail without winching it in. Even in light air, I really need to pull hard and I don’t consider myself weak. Wondering how effective your results have been after a couple years of either replacing it or replacing parts? And what did you do? Or is the geometry of the furling line in conjunction with the routing of the jib sheet the culprit? KP |
Replies:
Posted By: Rock
Date Posted: 02 December 2024 at 06:57
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This made a difference for me Did this before the season, no issues during season whatsoever. Guess every situation may be different  ------------- Hanse 400e "M-square2" #0241 |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 02 December 2024 at 16:30
| It looks like your post is about 9 years old. Has your rinsing routine continued to keep your furler manageable? |
Posted By: Rock
Date Posted: 02 December 2024 at 17:37
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Actually found this advice on another forum (think jeanneau) last year. Followed it last spring. Worked well this season. ------------- Hanse 400e "M-square2" #0241 |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 09 December 2024 at 23:17
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I've previously hosed down the furling components and didn't notice any improvement. I had a rigger look at it today and he thinks that the system as designed just has too much friction in it. I'm reluctant to use a winch to furl but am wondering if that's "life" and just do it... - is that what you guys and gals do? |
Posted By: Rock
Date Posted: 10 December 2024 at 11:55
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For what it’s worth, by no means do I pretend to be an expert. What I read is that the facnor is actually designed to perform and spin under (high) load. Same with the rinsing procedure, it says ‘load’. It may just be my swivel, but I find it easier to spin under load than without. I tried that by bringing the swivel down, tying it off and tension the halyard again. That’s also how I did the rinsing and WD40 flush. Anyways, not everyone is experiencing the same I guess, but in my case The 17 year old swivel is doing fine (again) ------------- Hanse 400e "M-square2" #0241 |
Posted By: JohnWoff
Date Posted: 10 December 2024 at 12:27
On my 400 we struggled to furl without winching, there wasn't a magic bullet, but several incremental gains have made a huge difference:
As a result we now have a furler that can be managed by hand except in strong winds when we may have to sweat the line between two of the stanchion failrleads to get the first couple of turns in. I prefer sweating the line to winching as it gives more feedback to avoid winching a potential halyard wrap. ------------- John Hanse 400 (2011) "Red Snapper" Gosport UK. |
Issywa wrote:Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 11 December 2024 at 01:24
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I’ve already installed the Harken furling line system as well as a new smaller line. No interference in the anchor locker where the under deck furler lives. I have new dyneema jib sheets on a 104 jib that uses the deck mount tracks so that eliminates the friction of the sheet running up through the mast. And it’s still pretty difficult to furl. But thinking I’ll try once more to rinse the system and report back.
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Posted By: Bruno
Date Posted: 11 December 2024 at 19:39
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My easiest way to furl, is to send someone in front of the mast and pull
down the sheet to release the tension on the sail while I pull
manually. I intend to change my sheet to 10mm (142 ft).
------------- Bruno Hanse 400, 2010 Hull 660, Canadian flag sailing Lake Champlain, VT USA |
Posted By: S&J
Date Posted: 11 December 2024 at 23:38
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I am able to furl by hand in almost any wind strength. I do turn downwind if the wind is stronger so that the jib is blocked by the main so is under zero pressure. I would never attempt to furl when hard on the wind as the sail will flog badly. ------------- H458 #159 Primal Mediterranean cruising |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 16 December 2024 at 02:07
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S&J - do you have similar geometry and equipment as on the 430 - under deck FACNOR furler, and self tacker etc? I looked online at a couple of H458 and they appear to have an above deck furler. Totally different animal as the under deck furler requires a couple of almost 90 degree turns in the line before reaching the stanchion blocks.
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Posted By: S&J
Date Posted: 16 December 2024 at 02:53
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Correct. I have an above deck drum which simplifies things. However I'd still advise reducing friction by using a thinner line and trying the downwind furling technique as there is no load on the sail this way Good luck! ------------- H458 #159 Primal Mediterranean cruising |
Posted By: Mark Pullen
Date Posted: 11 April 2025 at 20:40
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I've a Facnor on my 350. 14 years old. I experienced trouble with it over two years, with it eventually jamming completely after wintering in Greece. I tried many things including rinsing and loosening the backstay. I applied the winch occasionally, but this has its dangers, as you can inadvertently damage the forestay. For instance, if the halyard is wrapped around the forestay at the head, which can feel similar to a problem with the drum. I contacted Factor, who explained it was probably the age of the unit. They also said the drum was not a serviceable part. There is one post on a site (I'm afraid I have lost the link), where someone successfully services the drum, but to do so takes some skill, equipment and know-how. In the end I replaced the drum and had the marina technicians fit it. It works perfectly and can easily be sweated by hand in all conditions that I've experienced so far - up to Force 7. I brought the old drum back to the UK and tried to get into the workings. However, the seal washers top and bottom were rusted into the drum and nose. In the end curiosity got the better of me and I took an angle grinder to the drum. The result was interesting. Seems that over the years the seal washers top and bottom had been slightly damaged, allowing water and grime into the bearings, spacers and circlips. As a result the seals and circlips were rusted into the side walls of the drum, and the bearings had started to come apart. An critical step in servicing is removing the circlips, which in my case would have been impossible. So, fortunately it was a write-off. A key sign of trouble is damage to the rubber seals at the top and bottom, particularly the top seal. It is possible to loosen the top plate sufficiently to view the top seal without removing the drum from the forestay. If this is damaged and the drum is tight, it might well be time to consider replacing the drum. If the other components are sound, you can purchase the drum and nose only. Swapping the old one out. You will need to detach the forestay at the bow. In my case, for an LS160 the cost was around £900 plus fitting.
------------- Mark |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 13 April 2025 at 02:27
| Great information - I’ll check it out but sounds like some new parts are in my not so distant future. |
Posted By: Dogscout
Date Posted: 13 April 2025 at 23:44
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I winch my furling line without much care. I have never been able to comfortably furl my jib by hand. I have done it but it is a work out that is about equivalent to furling the asymmetrical spin. So I use the winch on the furling line. Like many I learned to furl and unfurl by hand on many boats. When buying the 430 I was amazed at what it took to pull in the furling line. I researched it, inspected the top swivel as I had read that it often was the cause. My top swivel is tight but spins freely. I looked at the furling line friction and routing and it is not ideal. In the end I realized that I was worried too much about it and I now use the winch. yes I am careful about the forestay binding, but dam that's a lot of stainless that I would have to rail on to mess up. ------------- Adventure awaits |
Posted By: Aussieangus
Date Posted: 30 June 2025 at 10:54
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ive sprayed WD 40 and silicone on the top but not the bottom furler. However i will do so mine is a 430e 2008 model and because theres so many curves in the furling its pretty hard to furl unless its low wind. ------------- Sydney Australia GODS COUNTRY |
Posted By: Issywa
Date Posted: 21 August 2025 at 17:08
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So to close out my post, I finally replaced the Facnor furler with a new Harken Mark IV unit. Amazing difference - I can now furl by hand! The rigger had both units sitting side by side on his work bench. The top swivel on the Facnor had to be manually rotated whereas the Harken would spin freely. In hindsight, I should have done this at the time I bought the boat. Next up - new standing rigging and an adjustable back stay. |