CDI FF2 install on H26

[CHSN WND]

I've recently taken delivery of a CDI FF2 and have ordered the installation kit from Sail Rite (thanks Sam in IN for reminding me).

I've read that I need to install a tang / tangs to lift the furler drum above the deck and consequently, shorten the forestay.

My question is, exactly what size, quantity and type of tang(s) should I buy? Also, does anyone have pictures of a CDI furler on an H26 that shows how their furler attaches to the bow plate? If yes, I'd be grateful if you could post them.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I sent an email with the length of the tangs that use to be provided by CDI but no longer provided in a kit per owner of CDI. That email specified 6 inch length tangs with one end attached to the bow chain plate and the other end attached to the threaded rod with hole for a 1/4 inch clevis pin attached to the other end of the tangs. As for the wire size, it is 3/8 inch thickness 1 X 19 stainless steel wire. I would suggest looking at photos under the H 26 boat information as there are photos there.

 

[CHSN WND]

I sent an email with the length of the tangs that use to be provided by CDI but no longer provided in a kit per owner of CDI. That email specified 6 inch length tangs with one end attached to the bow chain plate and the other end attached to the threaded rod with hole for a 1/4 inch clevis pin attached to the other end of the tangs. As for the wire size, it is 3/8 inch thickness 1 X 19 stainless steel wire. I would suggest looking at photos under the H 26 boat information as there are photos there.

Thanks, Dave. Does it require 1 tang or 2? Are the Schaeffer 1" x 6" SS fixed shroud tangs an appropriate choice?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

two

 

[CHSN WND]

Thanks again, Dave. I presume the Schaefer 1" x 6" SS strap tangs are suitable?

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I have not seen them but yes.

 

[CHSN WND]

http://www.downwindmarine.com/Schaefer-Strap-Tangs-Stainless-Steel-p-90890652.html
model 85-02

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

yes as long as they are 6 inches.

 

[CHSN WND]

Finally had the furler installed yesterday. Quite the ordeal - the marina rigger seemed sort of confused - my furler is a CDI and they sell Harken. The rigger was certain the FF2 would not fit because my turnbuckle is a 5/16 vs. the standard 1/4 inch; special thanks to Crazy Dave for taking my call on his day off and helping me to convince the rigger that the FF2 IS the right furler for an H26. It also didn't hurt that CDI even stated in their installation instructions that if you have a 5/16th's inch turnbuckle, you simply need to drill out the hole in the bottom of the drum to 21/64ths and you're good... For whatever reason, the rigger was disinclined to read the instructions - he's an older fella whom I'm sure has installed 100+ furlers. Just none of them CDI or on an H26!

Wound up paying $445 to get the job done. About double what I expected (they rang me up for 3 hours of labor at $100/hour, which seems excessive). Then again, they did the work with the mast stepped and boat in the water, so it saved me the time of taking the boat off the water, lowering the mast, cleaning off any invasives, driving it ~2 hours and paying someone else to do the work, then driving it back to the lake. That itself was probably worth the extra $200.

So, I'll be furling that jib next summer and the expense will be long forgotten. Looking forward to more sailing vs. more work next year (fingers crossed!)

 

[flynhi4u]

Good to hear they were able to get everything set up for you. Were going to wait till spring to order our furler. Less to store over the winter. Amazing how much space all the stuff out of the boat takes up in the basement.
Cindy and I are still waiting on our invite to come up and sail on your yacht ;-)

Sam

 

[CHSN WND]

Good to hear they were able to get everything set up for you. Were going to wait till spring to order our furler. Less to store over the winter. Amazing how much space all the stuff out of the boat takes up in the basement.
Cindy and I are still waiting on our invite to come up and sail on your yacht ;-)

Sam

Of course, you two are welcome anytime! At this point, you'll probably prefer to wait until next June, since they're predicting our first frost of the year this coming weekend. However, if you decide to do any CC skiing in MN, plan on spending a night at my place on the way up. We can't sail, but we can swap hilarious stories about our sailing adventures!

I'll tell you my new one - not EXACTLY a sailing adventure, but still an adventure on a sail boat! It involves motoring back the approx. 3 hours from the rigger's marina to my home port in total darkness on Sunday night. That 2 hour installation job wound up taking 5.5 hours from beginning to end, so we didn't head back until about 7:45PM. By then, it was pitch dark and the winds had really kicked up - 30+ mph sustained and gusts to at least 50 mph (of course I had no idea - the marina is well protected and the wind was apparent, but nothing like it was on the open water). About 5 minutes into the voyage I was wishing I had left her at the riggers marina and gotten a ride back to our home port...

But, a combo of pride and fear kept me going - it was home port or bust by then! No way I could possibly scuttle her, she was flying a brand new furler - and, the ink wasn't even dry on the installation check! I'd be darned if that boat was gonna sink - not while I'm paying the bills!

I can attest to the fact that the H26 can handle some pretty intense waves; I'm very, very glad she's so wide and deep. I think my knuckles are still white from the death grip I had on the tiller. My acting job in convincing the Admiral that waves like that were no big deal was Oscar-worthy - good thing it was dark or she might have noticed the look of terror on my face as I spoke those encouraging words... Hahaha, oh man, I was beyond happy to get that boat into the slip!

And so the adventures continue..! I seem to learn something new everytime I leave the marina. I now consider myself a rather accomplished foul-weather sailor (or motor-boater, you pick)!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Join the crowd at night. In my stupider days, I sailed at night in the Chesapeake bay and was caught out after dark with a battery run down by the young rascal who I had a discussion with the next morning. Back then I always carried a flashlight and a state highway roadmap that contained an insert of the Bay. That young rascal had accidentially let the map go over board. I pulled out that trusty AM radio using the highway map, turning the radio to get the strongest signals and cross plotted on the highway road map where we were and headed in the compass direction that we needed to go and came within 500 feet of the mark after sailing thru the night in dark and fog crossing the shipping channels. I forgot two of those ships we stayed clear of. That was in a sense an old RDF way of getting home.