I have an early model Catalina 22 project boat I've been working on. It came with a CDI Flexible furler. Problem is, the previous owner did not properly store the furler foil and it is kinked in various places and various directions. I have had it stretched out between two trees with ratchet straps all last summer to try and straighten it out as well as clamping some boards on the really bad areas. It is still severely kinked. I contacted CDI and a replacement foil is ~$250 plus $50 shipping.
Here's my issue. I don't want to spend that much on a replacement foil. I would be happy with hank on sails, HOWEVER the boat came with a nice genoa sail that is near new. In fact, it might never have been used, it looks perfect. The sail is for the flexible furler though. So if I go hank-on, I would need to buy a new headsail and even the used ones on ebay are more than the replacement foil for the furler. And I would want a large and small jib. I will be sailing on the Great Lakes and the weather can change fast.
I am trying to better understand how this furler works. Is the furler in place of the normal headstay or is the headstay somehow in the flexible foil? Or will I have the furler and a headstay? CD also sell what they call the flexible furler halyard. This sounds/looks like it's a halyard that runs within the furler foil. It has a piece of metal swaged on the line and part of it is de-cored. This line is almost $100. It looks like I have that line in my older foil but its old and worn out looking with some green algae growing on it so I'm not sure it's still usable. So if I need that part I'm up to about $400 just to fix the furler. Anyway to use this furler without that internal special halyard?
What's the best option here? What would you do?
Here's my issue. I don't want to spend that much on a replacement foil. I would be happy with hank on sails, HOWEVER the boat came with a nice genoa sail that is near new. In fact, it might never have been used, it looks perfect. The sail is for the flexible furler though. So if I go hank-on, I would need to buy a new headsail and even the used ones on ebay are more than the replacement foil for the furler. And I would want a large and small jib. I will be sailing on the Great Lakes and the weather can change fast.
I am trying to better understand how this furler works. Is the furler in place of the normal headstay or is the headstay somehow in the flexible foil? Or will I have the furler and a headstay? CD also sell what they call the flexible furler halyard. This sounds/looks like it's a halyard that runs within the furler foil. It has a piece of metal swaged on the line and part of it is de-cored. This line is almost $100. It looks like I have that line in my older foil but its old and worn out looking with some green algae growing on it so I'm not sure it's still usable. So if I need that part I'm up to about $400 just to fix the furler. Anyway to use this furler without that internal special halyard?
What's the best option here? What would you do?