Jib furler on 25.5

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

Launched my boat last thursday and have been sorting thorough the running rigging since.
I've attached a picture of the Furler. The line is a continuous loop, long enough to reach to the cockpit. The furler spins freely although not smoothly. The way it looks to me is the jib sail is raised and lowered using a line that is integral to (but not inside of) the furler, then secured using the cleats at the bottom. I see no way that what I thought was meant to be the jib halyard could hoist sail and not get all wound up at the top.
That leaves me wondering why I have two unused halyards. There are three total, one for the mainsail, ?one for a spinnaker? and the one I thought would raise the jib.

Is it possible that in 1985 when this H 25.5 was made, it did not use a furler? and you would have just hanked-on the jib to the forestay?

 

[Justin_NSA]

My slip neighbor has an H25.5 with the Hood furler. I'd have to look next weekend how it is rigged. Those blocks on the deck don't appear at the optimum angle to the drum.

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

The blocks you see in the picture (which should have rotated counter-clockwise) are just lying un attached when I took that picture.

 

[Joe]

These type of furlers were meant to be detachable so the mast can easily be raised and lowered. The foil will have enough flex that it won't be damaged by slight bending. The internal halyard eliminated the need for a swivel for a mast attached halyard.

Whether it is OEM or not is irrelevant. If the original owner ordered this option, they would still have halyards rigged, so it could be changed back to another system. My guess is that a previous owner installed it because he wanted to drop the mast on a regular basis.... i.e. trailering.

Don't complain about having an extra halyard.... that's a good thing.
Use it as a topping lift for a spinnaker or whisker pole, for instance. Or hoisting someone up the mast with the other halyard as backup, a lifting rig to bring the tender on deck, or to support the mast if you want to take down the furler without dropping the mast.....etc....etc.

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

So last night we breezes were quite low and I hauled out one of the jib sails and tied it onto the line of the furler, hauled up the sail and tied off the tack. set the blocks along the toe rail and... it rolled in OK. Hope to give it a try soon, although we've seen many days of off-and-on showers & thunderstorms lately. Don't know why this picture is 90 degrees off - anyone?

 

[Justin_NSA]

Is the double pulley connected to the pulpit or the toe-rail? The angle to the drum looks off. Can it be move forward on the rail?

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

There are three blocks altogether. Because I didn't have a clevis the right size, I had to tie that forward one on. With the right hardware it can go closer and maybe the action will improve.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

The 25.5 did not come standard with any furling so it was either installed by the dealer or owner.
As Joe pointed out the furling line must come out correctly or it will chafe and wear out and that sir can be dangerous in high winds. Even the jaws or raised ridges within that turning drum assembly can wear out. Suggest that the turning block be moved as far forward or at least to the first hole of the toe rail until a permanent solution is made.

I am not sure if the furling line is a continuous loop or simply ending in two line. Ending in two lines, put a stopper knot in the ends so the lines cannot exit thru the hardware next to the cockpit.

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

If you look closely you can see a small, grey, horeshoe-shaped, plastic thing hanging there.
It is easier to see in the first picture I posted.
What the heck is that for?

 

[Joe]

If you look closely you can see a small, grey, horeshoe-shaped, plastic thing hanging there.
It is easier to see in the first picture I posted.
What the heck is that for?

The grey thing is the pre feeder for inserting your sail's luff (leading edge) into the groove that is cut in the foil.. the sail is supposed to be attached full length. If you don't have hanks(metal clips) on your sail, it should fit/
Please tell us the name of the furling unit, it appears to be printed on the wheel.

Pull back and take a wider angle picture so we can see the luff of your sail to determine if it needs modification to fit in the groove.

Based on the pictures you've provided... the tack (lower front corner) of the sail would attach to the metal shackle on the drum... it's the silvery U shaped device. The pre feeder is tied to the foil so you can insert the top edge of the luff through it and into a slot in the groove. The internal halyard.... it is part of the furling unit, rather than the mast, is used to hoist up the sail inside the groove... this is how you adjust the tension on the sail also. When it's hoisted you can use the large horn cleat at the bottom of the drum to tie off the halyard. Here's an example where having a two piece halyard would allow you to leave only what's needed on the drum, stowing the extra out of the way.

Now, listen carefully. What I've described is just my impression, based on the two pictures you have submitted. So before you start re rigging... take a picture of the foil, also the top of the foil, the sail's leading edge (not a close up), the name on the wheel(close up needed, here), etc. It may suggest another solution that what I've proposed.

The grey pre feeder is attached to the drum so you won't lose it... but you need some light line to tie it on to the foil... or you can have some one feed the luff into the groove while you hoist...

BTW, I hope that orange dock line is nylon. Dacron are hard on the fittings it doesn't stretch..... nylon stretches.... and... it is stronger. 3 strand 3/8, 7/16 or 1/2 inch would work well.

 

[justsomeguy]

Don't know why this picture is 90 degrees off - anyone?

Editing is needed?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I think that is a hood system but could be wrong. Ah age is catching up on me here.

 

[Submarine]

I have the Furlex Profurler Type A on mine. It looks like just one line comes out and goes back to the cockpit, so I'm assuming the jib sheets unfurl the sail? Any idea the optimum size and length that line should be? I'm assuming just regular Sta-set line. Haven't been able to raise the mast yet to figure it out.

 

[Zephyr-Jeffer]

The furler has been working better after about a dozen sailing adventures. The line is probably original, 30 yrs old, but has been pulling easier. The line is a loop, about 25 ft long, so there are two choices. Pull one side to wrap it all up and the other side to unfurl. It does help to either hold some tension on jib lines when furling, to get a snug wrap or pull a bit when unfurling. But it wouldn't unfurl by only pulling the jib sheets.

 

[isaksp00]

Submarine - If you have a single line furler then yes the jib sheets are used to unfurl it. If you are asking about the furling line, I think you can use most any reasonably non-stretchy line, like braided. I'd avoid 3-strand. There is not all that much stress on furler lines (unless the furler is not working). Not sure what size, check the manual for your furler - something like 1/4 inch, maybe 3/8. You could try to calculate the length by manually wrapping the jib on the furler, plus about 4 more turns, counting the number of times you turn it starting with it fully deployed. The length of the line will be roughly the circumference of the drum surface that it will wrap on, times the number of turns, plus enough extra line past the aftmost block for handling. That line should be fairly inexpensive, so you could add a fair amount of extra when you order, and cut it later.

 

[Submarine]

Yes I have the manual which doesn't give me any specs on size or length. Looks like 3/8" halyard line is on there now, but so many things seem rigged to me on this boat I thought I would ask.

 

[isaksp00]

I would think Furlex would be more than happy to tell you what diameter and length. I am not familiar with them, assume they are still in business.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Those furlers used to use 3/8 inch line

 

[sailorladyliz]

I don't know if this will help you any but on my 25.5 I use a 3/8" line with a CDI furler. It is a single line at 30' plus 4 wraps around the drum.

 

[Submarine]

I don't know if this will help you any but on my 25.5 I use a 3/8" line with a CDI furler. It is a single line at 30' plus 4 wraps around the drum.

Thanks, I had ordered 30 feet of 3/8" and they sent it a little longer so I should be good.