Roller Furler installation

[badchild]

I've been looking, but didn't find exactly what I wanted as information. I currently have the factory 100% jib with the hank on. I can get my hand on a CDI roller furler but would like to know what I'm going to need and how much that will cost.

Do I need a another sail or can I reuse the one I have?

Thanks

[gabid]

I installed a furling system last year on my 26x. I went to a sailmaker who converted the jib. He removed the hanks and installed the tape required. I think I paid around $120 for the conversion.

[badchild]

It seems like I could remove the hanks easily and the jib might already have the proper "rib" installed in the sail. Should have taken a picture today while I checked it.

[Catigale]

You have to add a luff tape ( number 5 IIRC) to the jib, you cant use the bolt rope alone. The. Specs are in the manual in the Manuals link above...

On edit...it's a number 6 luff tape

[vizwhiz]

I was thinking about finding some slugs that would go into the luff of a CDI furler...and put them on the jib where the hanks are...think that would work?

[Catigale]

They would fit but now he point load on the extrusion has gone up from 15-30x ( the ration of the length of the slug to the spacing. )This might not be good.

[raycarlson]

the strength of the channel in a 6061 t6 mast extrusion is about 20 times the strength of a pvc plastic extrusioin on a jib furler, 10 or 15 little slugs would come ripping out about the first time you got a good 15mph breeze filling your sail in my opinion, but you know about opinions, please report back if it works or not.

[Judy B]

I've been looking, but didn't find exactly what I wanted as information. I currently have the factory 100% jib with the hank on. I can get my hand on a CDI roller furler but would like to know what I'm going to need and how much that will cost.

Do I need a another sail or can I reuse the one I have?

Thanks

Hi,

[Full disclosure: I'm a sailmaker]

Yes, you can reuse the sail you have, but you will have to modify it to use it. Here's a short list of the 5 major differences between a hank on headsail and a roller furling headsail:

1. Luff tape (mandatory):
At a minimum, you'll need to have a size #6 tape installed on the luff. The tape permits you to use the sail with the furler. You will be able to furl and unfurl it from the cockpit.Sailmakers usually charge $5-6 per foot to add luff tape. Tape costs about $2.00 per foot if you do the work yourself (plus the cost of other materials such as adhesive tw-sided tape, needles, UV resistant thread, etc).

2. Reefing patches (highly recommended)
If you want to reef the sail, it's advisable to have reefing patches put on the foot and leech. Better quality sails intended to be reefed are built that way. They hold their shape much better than sails without reefing patches. You can use the sail without reinforcement, but it will stretch sooner and lose its shape.

3. Stronger cloth (highly recommended)
If you're going to reef the sail to a smaller size to be used in stronger winds, the sail should be made of stronger cloth. If you get a 150% and intend to use it as a 120%, it should be built of less stretchy cloth than a 150%.

4. Foam luff (optional, depending on the fullness of the draft of the sail, but typically recommended for 110% and larger)
If you intend to reef, you may want to have a foam luff installed. As the sail is rolled up, the draft fullness causes wrinkles, which makes the draft deeper and makes the sail baggy. You'd rather that it didn't get baggy when the winds got stronger. A foam pad in the luff "absorbs" the extra fabric in the draft and flattens the draft.

5. UV edge cover (very highly recommended and very convenient)
With a UV cover on the foot and leech, the sail is protected when you roll it up. Easy-peasy, with no work on your part. You have to cover the sail to protect it from UV damage. Your other option is a UV sleeve, which is more work. Also, if you use 4 oz UV treated dacron for the edge covers, it adds some extra strength to the leech and foot that's needed when the sail is roller reefed.

In my experience:

A headsail made for roller reefing typically costs 10% to 30% more than a hank-on headsail, depending on how many desirable features you add. The best time to add features is when the loft is designing, cutting and assembling the sail. Nowadays, the software designs everything at once, and the plotter cuts it all at once.

It is often not very cost-effective to add the UV cover, foam luff pad, and reefing patches to a hank-on sail, unless the hank on sail is in very good condition and has a fairly shallow draft. For sails on boats under 30 feet, It's usually more cost effective to sell the old sail and put the money towards a new sail built for roller furling and reefing.

Here's a pic of a roller furling headsail with a UV edge cover, segmented foam luff pad and reefing patch on the foot. And, of course, luff tape.



Hope this helps you figure out your options so they suit your sailing style and your budget,

Judy B

[Russ]

BTW, I just bought a 150 RF from Judy. The price was reasonable and the quality exceptional. Much better than the original 100% jib that came with the boat.
It looks just like this picture below.

I also had my RF 100% jib modified with the sunbrella UV sun protector sewn in by another sailmaker. That cost me just under $300 for that mod alone. To do the other sail mods probably would be expensive unless you are good with a sewing machine and have the UV protection materials.

[bscott]

BTW, I just bought a 150 RF from Judy. The price was reasonable and the quality exceptional. Much better than the original 100% jib that came with the boat.
It looks just like this picture below.

I also had my RF 100% jib modified with the sunbrella UV sun protector sewn in by another sailmaker. That cost me just under $300 for that mod alone. To do the other sail mods probably would be expensive unless you are good with a sewing machine and have the UV protection materials.

NIce--you're gona love those luff pads

Bob

[badchild]

thanks Judy for all your explanations. I feel like I know much more about it.