CDI Questions

[Singaporesam]

To make a long story even longer, as a friend likes to say, we finally got GE back in the water again after her upgrades. The one big issue we have, though, is that we have been unable to slide the CDI furling drum down the last 1/4" or so to slide in the luff support pin. When a helper was tightening the turnbuckle, he didn't hold the forestay with another wrench. Could this causing warping or twisting on the stay? Could that be the reason the extrusion won't slide up or down on the stay? and prevent us from pushing down the drum that last 1/4"?
Or does the washer need to be held in center by some gooey stuff to prevent it from falling off center? Something is hitting bottom (it seems like) yet I know the drum still has a ways to go to seat properly. Has anyone ever had this issue before when reinstalling their CDI? I'm sure we're doing something wrong just don't know yet what it is. I'm going back down to the boat later this morning to try to figure this out so any advice is appreciated as to what to check for. Thanks, Dana
Dana
sv "Gladys Erzella"
1977 CD25

[Steve Darwin]

Dana, I put a CDI furler on a daysailor and had the same problem. The pin wouldn't go through because I'd cut the luff extrusion too long and couldn't lift it high enough to clear the pin without the top of the extrusion hitting the mast. Raise the jib and check to make sure you have extra extrusion extending beyond the head of the sail. If so, that's how much more you can shorten the extrusion to give enough room to lift it above the pin. Cutting off an extra inch of extrusion solved my problem. However, if the sail's luff extends to the top of the extrusion you'd have to have the sailmaker alter (shorten) the sail to make it fit the furler. On the other hand, if the problem is with the drum not going down as far as it should, it may be that the turnbuckle is too long. A short stack of washers under the drum elevates it to the proper height on the stay. I had to build up about 1/2 inch of washers for the drum to turn poroperly. But after adjustment, my CDI furler has worked flawlessly. A very simple mechanism. Hope this helps. - Steve

[DanaVin]

Thanks for the tips. We finally got it all straightened out.
Works great!
Thanks again for the info....
Dana