Recommendation for new roller furler?

Apr 6, 2007
120
Hunter Legend 37.5 Isla Saboga, Panama
The old Hood Seafurl 800 SL on my '94 Legend 37.5 is just about shot. I'm contemplating just replacing it rather than trying to rehab it.

What's the best unit to replace it with if I decide to go that route?

The forestay is 9/32", and most of the furling units I see for that size wire say they are for boats to 33' feet in length. Is that OK for my boat, or should I get a beefier unit for 5/16" wire? And will that work with the smaller size wire?
 

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,065
Currently Boatless Okinawa
Can't help you with what to buy, but if you decide to stay with Hood, there pricing is pretty attractive if you tell them you are upgrading from the 800. They were going to sell me a $2300 system for about $1200, IIRC. Call Pompanette in Tampa, and ask for Marti, in parts. She is the bomb.
 
Apr 6, 2007
120
Hunter Legend 37.5 Isla Saboga, Panama
I like the Harken furler, as it's the only one I have any experience with other than this worn-out Hood furler that I don't like the design of. I installed one on my Catalina 27 years ago and it was pretty straight-forward. What I didn't like about installing the Harken was having to cut the forestay and use a compression fitting on the end. Other than that it assembled very easily and was easy to operate. The old Hood furler I have now uses the original forestay and turnbuckle with no cutting required, which I like the idea of. The problem is the design of that area of the furler sucks. Hopefully the newer designs have fixed that.
 
Jun 25, 2004
1,108
Corsair F24 Mk1 003 San Francisco Bay, CA
Check out the Furlex furlers. They come with a new forestay included in the kit price. They are less expensive than and every bit as good as the Harken furlers. They aren’t as racer friendly as the Harken Mkiv units bc the drums aren’t removable.

Shipping to panama is going to be very expensive, I fear.
 
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Mar 20, 2011
623
Hunter 31_83-87 New Orleans
I’ve had a Harken MkII which I liked. Never had a problem. Had to replace rig and went with a pro furl, mainly due to price. Suggest you check boater resale shops in Florida and Texas. I picked up my pro furl at a resale shop complete for $900as opposed to about $3500for new.