David,
This probably has nothing to do with your issue but it's worth mentioning just in case.  Once, while trailering, a screw fell out of the gooseneck area and disappeared.  I grabbed one out of my toolbox that looked good and replaced it.  Then when I was ready to furl it went a couple of turns and stopped.  It took me a while to figure out that the screw was a little too long and poked through to the inside of the donut "bearing" and could make contact with the furling tube.  It would unfurl fine but the tension in the furling direction jammed it up.
Patrick

On Wed, May 27, 2026 at 2:12 AM DAVID BERG via Rhodes22-list <
rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:

> I apologize profusely in advance as I haven’t had time to scour the
> archives but…
>
> I removed the main from the IMF furler last fall to clean and repair the
> sail. I re-wound the main onto the furling tube this spring and stretched
> he luff as tight as I thought was nessessary before re-installing the
> assembly into the mast, raising, launching and sailing…. to find out that I
> couldn’t re-furl at the end of an otherwise great sailing day. I got it to
> furl once, with great effort, then on the second outing of the day no
> effort of will or effort would get that thing to furl.
>
> After many hours of trying this and that, (including using the winch!) I
> hand fulled it outside the mast and secured it, and went home exhausted and
> defeated.
>
> The drum on bottom seemed clean and clear and easily moving. I think it is
> jammed at the top. It seemed like I was trying to twist the tube,
> indicating that it was jammed somewhere up the mast, likely at the top.
>
> My plan is to try to lower the mast at the dock, remove the tube and sail,
> bring that to shore and re-spool it. I think it just is likely jammed at
> the top and that, perhaps, I just need to reload the spool more evenly.
>
> Does anyone have good advice on anything I’ve missed? Peter (Silverheels)
> probably as a video on re-loading the IMF.
>
> All advice is welcome.
>
> David Berg
> Blue Loon 1996/2003
> Minneapolis, MN