Roller Furler

Divecoz · Post by **Divecoz** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:27 am

As many of you have this item, and have for the most part enjoyed or endured numerous years of sailing adventures with it in use....
Would you mind sharing , the good , the bad and the ugly.
Knowing what you do now, what is the best bang for the buck?
Its now been three years of hanking on, and we more often than not, we are finding ourselves sailing on main alone. Just because of all the bother with Hanking On....
Its time to purchase a roller.

Beam's Reach · Post by **Beam's Reach** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:57 am

I love mine. Especially the ease of rolling it out when needed and rolling it back in to get rid of it. The down side (so I've heard) is that it is harder to get a good sail shape with the furling genny, however, I think it's a good tradeoff for the ease of use and not having to go forward in rough water - especially when singlehanding.

Trouts Dream · Post by **Trouts Dream** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:30 am

We are new to sailing but one of my first mods (thanks to this board) was a CDI rolling furler. Love it. We have a 150 genoa and probably do suffer sailing performance at times and better at others but love the roller furler.
We were out on a whitecap filled lake and were taking my Sister,Brotherinlaw and two daughters out for a sail. Main was reefed at first reef (added a mid point reef to original sail) and had the genoa furled about 20%. Wind got a little stronger and my sister started to get nervous and her daughters were beginning to follow suit.
Before I had histerical woman aboard I let out the genoa all the way and then Hove to. This stopped all the healing and allowed me to go forward to drop and tie off the main. (Although I have the main haulyard led aft and sail slugs, I find I still need to pull the last bit of sail down, flake and tie off the main) I was able to do this safely behind this genoa and then start up the motor and when we were ready to motor back I furled the Genoa in 5 seconds and away we went.
I have also sailed up to a dock when my engine wouldn't start on just the Genoa and furl it in at the last second. If I had done it on the main only I could have dropped the main but without lazy jacks would have still had to deal with the main draping over the boom as I try to dock.
Love my rolling furler.

temall00 · Post by **temall00** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:00 pm

Has anyone made the changes for a furler to their sail themselves?

I would rather learn how to modify the sail myself instead of paying someone to do it for me.

I also have the 150. If that matters...

Thanks!!
Tim

Frank C · Post by **Frank C** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:35 pm

You'll need to sew the entire luff-length of the sail to attach a tape-luff.
That's way too much sewing for me

but see sail-rite's website for materials and advise.

KayakDan · Post by **KayakDan** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:47 pm

Furling Genoa is great. Our old boat had a hanked on jib,and the Admiral used to haul it up and down from up on the deck. Made me way too nervous,especially when it was rough water.
Now,it's all done from the cockpit. Needlesss to say ,the Admiral likes this feature too!

Divecoz · Post by **Divecoz** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:06 pm

Is there a better unit? CDI versus Harken versus Profurler / whom-ever?

bscott · Post by **bscott** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:01 pm

I am installing a Schaeffer SnapFurler and will have a lightly used CDI FF2 for sale--it will fit either an

or

Bob

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:35 pm

Divecoz wrote:Is there a better unit? CDI versus Harken versus Profurler / whom-ever?

Yes there is!
I am also at the same point as you Divecoz and I have two hank-on headsails to switch back and forth. I check conditions befor leaving my slip then choose the sail to hank-on and get it set up before making way and just bungee it to the pulpit till I get out there. I have tried a light downhaul but it really does not work that well so I will remove it, never cost much anyway. I am not keen about a CDI that is either difficult or won't allow switching sails at my slip. I ran across some discussion on a different site about the better furlers and will likely goe that route. I still want to be able to check conditions and decide which sail to hoist and have been led to believe the higher end furlers accommodate this easily. Yes I will pay more but without that ability I may as well stay with the hanks, I really want the furler for single handing and want the choice of sails to use. Seems every time I turn around there is some new expense to consider but I am getting very close to retiring before my wife and will likely have to aquire the taste, skills, and rigging for single handed sailing for a few years while I wait for her to join me.
From another site:

I had pro furl racing model furler with a removable drum. For racing I had a mylar deck sweeper genoa. I would take the drum off and hoist the jib up the track
when the race was over I took it down. I never partially rolled a jib. I dont
believe in it.

Divecoz · Post by **Divecoz** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:28 pm

I am seeing that CDI is very popular and its the least expensive BUT would it behoove me to pay the extra money for a unit that might ( I assume for the Xtra Cash) run more trouble free and for longer? How many of you have paid for the ball bearing option as well? Was this money well spent looking back or just, a come on ?$?$?
bscott: What are you looking at for a $# on your used CDI ff2?

Moe · Post by **Moe** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:00 pm

Download the CDI Flexible Furler 2 Owners Manual. Print a copy for you and a copy for your sail loft. They'll need to sew #6 luff tape on down to about 13" (according to the manual) above the tack.

Here are some CDI sources. I've had excellent service buying from SailboatOwners.com and haven't purchased from the others. The 26M should use the same size as the 26X since the foresails are the same.

Cruising Direct

Mauri Pro Racing

SailboatOwners.com

I've never used the ball bearing model, and have been okay without it, but those who've used it rate it highly. I might spend the money on it if buying new, but haven't felt the need to buy it for retrofit. For a 26 powersailer, I'd mount the drum with the opening 45º to port, rather than straight aft, and spool the line aft off the port side of the drum to a metal-lined fairlead on the deck, a couple of inches to port of the anchor locker. It needs to be located fore and aft so the line comes off the drum at 90º. In this case, you'll want UV protection on the starboard side of the jib.

There's all kinds of debate about how Sunbrella strips on the leech and foot are too heavy and cost you sail shape, but having them is half the benefit of roller furling. I use lighter weight sacrificial Dacron strips to protect the sail over the weekend and still use a sock during the work week. More work at the dock than Sunbrella strips though and if you want convenience, Sunbrella's probably the material you want your loft to use.

The downsides to the Flexible Furler are that you can't get luff tension as high as you can on a furler that uses the boat's halyard (needed in high wind areas), and that it's harder to switch sails once the mast is up. You have to tie a messenger line to the end of the FF halyard when pulling down a sail because the end of the halyard will be near the top of the forestay when the sail is down.

If you're sticking with just the working jib only, and are going to partially or fully furl it in high winds (I recommend the former used in combination with a deeply reefed main), the CDI FF2 will work fine for a cruiser.

--
Moe

Divecoz · Post by **Divecoz** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:22 pm

Thanks Moe .
Lots of info there in your post. I guess I need to get with Bill and see about making this happen.

Catigale · Post by **Catigale** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:33 pm

Rather than converting your sail to furlnig with the luff tape, a new sail is probably only twice as much.

Consider adding another forestay (about a 100 USD mod) which would allow you to use both a furler and your hanked on sails - as well as providing mast support redundancy

I have the bearing option on the FF2 and do like the reduced furling effort - especially with that 150 genny

At Chicago latitude UV protection may not be that important - my genny lasted 5 years in Upstate NY with no UV degradation that I could see.

Frank C · Post by **Frank C** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:48 pm

FWIW ... Your sailing venue is the criterion. Amplifying Moe ...
if you rarely see winds at 18 knots, I guess the CDI is fine.

On SF Bay we need the luff adjustability of a full halyard swivel, such as offered on the SnapFurl or the Hood SeaFlex. Further, when trying to reef in very high winds, the CDI's flexibility makes it prone to very difficult reefing, if not jamming. It's very high on my upgrade list, and I think Leon's too. My primary stumbling block ... they require a #5 luff-tape, and both of my sails have #6. And don't forget to add that luff-tape cost into your upgrade budget.

OTOH, I've never used the fancier furlers, so 'grass' over there is 'greener.' Search on SeaFlex to find one Member who absolutely hated the steps required for dropping that furler. I never quite understood how it differed. But I can't imagine it would equal the frustration of a non-reefing furler. (only one thing worse ... a stumbling, stalling outboard).

Highlander · Post by **Highlander** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:17 pm

I bought two sets of bearing kits for my CDI Furlers what a diff when reefing

John

MacGregorSailors.com

MacGregorSailors.com

Roller Furler

Roller Furler