Harken 948 MKIII Jib Reefing & Furling - Manual (Page 61)

Operation
Headstay Tension • Backstay Adjusters
March 2001 Unit 2.5 MKIII 31
■ Spinnaker Halyards
Spinnaker halyards occasionally cause problems
with furling.
On many boats it will not be possible to attach the
spinnaker halyard to the bow pulpit or it may be
"sucked" into the jib when you are furling.
On some boats the spinnaker halyard lays across the
headstay and will catch on the halyard swivel, foils or
jib halyard. It may be necessary to install a masthead
bail to move the spinnaker halyard block for ward and
to one side to prevent problems.
Many boats with external halyards will find it necessar y
to flip both ends of the spinnaker halyard behind the
spreaders to prevent fouling with the furling system.
■ Headstay Tension
A furling system will work best if the headstay is tight.
A loose headstay is difficult to rotate and can cause
unusual wear on the foil joints.
To adjust headstay tension, remove the sail and furling
line from the unit. Remove the two screws at the top
of the torque tube and remove the three screws at the
base of the torque tube. Secure the torque tube up
near the feeder. Unlock the turnbuckle by following
the instructions on page 24 in reverse order. Refer to
pages 24 through 27 for detailed instructions for
tensioning and relocking your turnbuckle.
■ Backstay Adjusters
Backstay adjusters allow headstay tension to be varied to change sail shape to
match the conditions. They permit a ver y tight headstay to be eased when the
boat is not in use. For best per formance, consider adding a backstay adjuster,
either a block and tackle, a mechanical adjuster like those offered by Harken, or
a hydraulic adjuster.
Remember to keep the headstay tight for best per formance when furling or
reefing.
If your boat is fitted with an adjuster be sure that it is tensioned before the hal-
yard is tensioned. If not, the backstay adjuster may adjust halyard tension and
could damage the sail or furling system.
Racing boats often slack the headstay completely when sailing downwind.
Check to be sure that the foil does not jam against the upper headstay terminal
when the backstay is released. It may be necessar y to shorten the foil slightly
to prevent this.
Tip: Before adjusting headstay tension, completely slack the backstay,
mainsheet and vang.