Well, this is timely.  Just yesterday I posted a video on YouTube about how I went about replacing the furling line for my IMF mainsail.  It doesn’t show how the the sail is attached, but it does show how to access the furling mechanism by pulling the whole mainsail assembly out of the bottom of the mast.  To access the whole sail, you would just keep pulling.  I’m pretty sure the sail is attached to the inner tube with screws.

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH7hYJnoNpM

Peter Nyberg
Coventry, CT
s/v Silverheels (1988/2016)

> On Oct 30, 2017, at 3:56 PM, JP Dempsey <joedempsey at hughes.net> wrote:
> 
> Last Spring while my mast was on horses, we could not determine how to remove
> the main from the mast. It appeared that the peak of the main was attached
> to a bracket or swivel that was fastened inside the mast. We were looking
> through the mast slot as it lay horizontally. Having no prior experience
> with IMF systems, I had no basis with which to question my mechanic, who is
> very knowledgeable about furling systems. He had never seen anything like
> this. He said that normally there is an internal halyard that will lower the
> sail inside the mast.
> Have searched the List but cannot find an answer to THESE questions: How is
> the main sail secured at the peak? Were we looking at the upper donut
> bearing and the sail is fastened to that?
> 
> There is a tear in the main just forward of the UV Sunbrella cover at the
> clew and i need to remove the sail to have it repaired.
> 
> I would appreciate any assistance.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----
> JP Dempsey
> s/v Respite 
> Marshall,VA
> --
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