Asymetrical Spinnaker Furling - Experience

[Nodak7]

OK I must admit that I love flying our Asym. :dance: The Admiral not so much. But It is a pain in the rear to set it up (you know the drill, drag it out, haul it up, etc. etc.) and needless to say once it is set up the wind usually increases or dies completely. Anyway I have been fascinated by the new spinnaker furlers that are being advertised in the magazines. I have watched the videos of how they work and think they would be a great way to increase the usage of this very fun sail. My question is does anyone out there have one or used one and what do you think of it? Is it just hype or is it the answer to being able to fly the Asym with a little less hassle?

No one around here has one so I need some definitive word on whether they are worth it or just another passing fancy!!! Sort of like Jib and Main Furling Systems!

 

[Jackdaw]

OK I must admit that I love flying our Asym. :dance: The Admiral not so much. But It is a pain in the rear to set it up (you know the drill, drag it out, haul it up, etc. etc.) and needless to say once it is set up the wind usually increases or dies completely. Anyway I have been fascinated by the new spinnaker furlers that are being advertised in the magazines. I have watched the videos of how they work and think they would be a great way to increase the usage of this very fun sail. My question is does anyone out there have one or used one and what do you think of it? Is it just hype or is it the answer to being able to fly the Asym with a little less hassle?

No one around here has one so I need some definitive word on whether they are worth it or just another passing fancy!!! Sort of like Jib and Main Furling Systems!

One of guys in our fleet with a J-109 just got one, and we went out to help him set it up. It's a Karver top-down unit. Aftrer getting it set up, it was easy to use. The sail wraps around a (very expensive) torsion line, and looks like a big snake when you take it it of the bag. You can run it up and leave it when not using it, but not all the time because there is no UV protection. It uses a continuous line to furl and unfurl. Furling is a bit of a trick as use have to maintain just the right amount of pressure on the sheets, but that gets easy over time. Overall a nice piece of kit.

The BIG requirement is that the tack mounting point must have a clear line of sight to the top swivel on the furler. That's because the torsion line must be tight. On a lot of boats, the bow pulpit will get in the way unless you have a small prod or sprit.

 

[stephen Penny]

I purchased a CDI asym sail furler last spring. It adds a lot of extra hardware on the deck. vs. a sock. I might go back to a sock, albeit that will require going forward to launch and douse it.

 

[Nodak7]

I purchased a CDI asym sail furler last spring. It adds a lot of extra hardware on the deck. vs. a sock. I might go back to a sock, albeit that will require going forward to launch and douse it.

Stephen, other than the extra hardware is there any other reason why you would want to go back? Does the CDI system work? Did you have to add a sprit to be able to install it?

 

[Nodak7]

One of guys in our fleet with a J-109 just got one, and we went out to help him set it up. It's a Karver top-down unit. Aftrer getting it set up, it was easy to use. The sail wraps around a (very expensive) torsion line, and looks like a big snake when you take it it of the bag. You can run it up and leave it when not using it, but not all the time because there is no UV protection. It uses a continuous line to furl and unfurl. Furling is a bit of a trick as use have to maintain just the right amount of pressure on the sheets, but that gets easy over time. Overall a nice piece of kit.

The BIG requirement is that the tack mounting point must have a clear line of sight to the top swivel on the furler. That's because the torsion line must be tight. On a lot of boats, the bow pulpit will get in the way unless you have a small prod or sprit.

Room at the bow pulpit was one of my main concerns (see pictures). I definitely do not want to purchase this unless I know for a certain that it would fit without modification to the boat. You can see the Spinnaker Halyard attached in the second photo.

 

[Jackdaw]

The plumb bow and vertical pulpit on your boat help... It looks like halyard comes close to clearing as it is. The trick will be mounting the furler base on the anchor roller and not foul the anchor. That tri-fluke unit have is not going to help!

Although I'm a big fan of CDI headsail furlers for boats under say 30 feet, I got to say I'm underwhelmed with the design of their asym furler. Too many compromises to keep the cost down. That little 'stick' at the top wacking the mast to keep the top swivel from turning makes me shake my head. I'd hate to have that jam.

 

[Nodak7]

The plumb bow and vertical pulpit on your boat help... It looks like halyard comes close to clearing as it is. The trick will be mounting the furler base on the anchor roller and not foul the anchor. That tri-fluke unit have is not going to help!

Although I'm a big fan of CDI headsail furlers for boats under say 30 feet, I got to say I'm underwhelmed with the design of their asym furler. Too many compromises to keep the cost down. That little 'stick' at the top wacking the mast to keep the top swivel from turning makes me shake my head. I'd hate to have that jam.

Yeah Jack that was one of my issues with that Unit as well. It seemed kind of a cheesy methodology. I see more and more companies coming out with them so I am sure the design will "mature". Actually my Bulwagga has never really even come close to interfering with my Asym. The sail flies well above the bow pulpit and away from the flukes.

 

[Jackdaw]

Actually my Bulwagga has never really even come close to interfering with my Asym. The sail flies well above the bow pulpit and away from the flukes.

Right.. The sail will be fore sure clear of it.... but remember that with an asym furler there has to be a furling drum down near the anchor now.

 

[sempre amantes]

I have a coligo marine top down furler on a 1900 sq ft a kite the tork line is exelent and does not need rollers or balls .I race and it works realy well coligo marin john franta will be very hepfull and has lots of goodes to go with it go to coligo marin.com