Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
Greetings All, As you can tell from my posts, this boat is new-to-me. In getting ready to step the mast, I noticed that some of the joints on the CDI furler extrusion were slightly bent. I see that I can purchase new torque links fairly cheap. Anyone out there have experience replacing/fixing these? Is it worth it to go with a one piece PVC kit (approx. $ 250) ? The model is a CDI FF4 with aluminum section extrusions. Is this something I'm going to need a pro to do? I'm a very capable mechanic but have not worked in this area before. Thanks in Advance. Jan
Are you sure that you can still get the links? I seem to remember reading here that they were no longer available.
If it's possible to change over to the plastic foil, that would be the route I would go. The plastic foil is bullet proof and makes raising or lowering the mast easy.
Davy J
2005 Gemini 105Mc PO 1987 C25 #5509 SR/SK Tampa Bay
I checked CDI and torque links are available for a few of the older models, but not many. I'd suggest you stock up on those links if they are available. Having said that, my old CDI with the aluminum sections has survived for 30 years with some bend at the links. So I wouldn't recommend that you actually replace torque links unless the bend is so sharp that it interferes with the sail or halyard. The system is difficult to disassemble without losing links or the little nylon centering beads. There is nothing like watching an irreplaceable link pop out, bounce off the deck, and go into the water! It is good that CDI has created retrofit kits so that we can avoid replacing the entire system. I've put on a new spool, but retained the old metal extrusions. Ed
Greetings all, Well, it seems the torque links are not available (that I can find) for the FF4 I have. I do however have two good links and 'halves' of the remainder. I'm fairly good at working through difficult situations, I've seen it mentioned that it is possible to use the 2" instead of the 4" links - I could do that and use an aluminum pop rivet as the stops. Additionally I have a question, the jib is raised thru one of the front channels - what is the other used for? If it's not used I 'could' place some 9mm aluminum stock in the un-used side and heli-arc it in place - between that and the 2" torque links I would have a very rigid rig once complete - although you would never get it apart. and yes I understand this would need to be done with the head-stay inside.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.