I have an old (ie worthless) Hunter 25. I would like to convert the hank on Genoa to a roller furler but am not willing to cough up the $1000+ necessary to have the sail modified and install a CDI furler. Has anyone out there perhaps made their own? I have seen reference to people that did their own DIY using a PVC pipe but these were on a much smaller boat than my 25.
DIY roller furler using PVC pipe?
- Thread starter busyengineer
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50 Years of Experience
...tells me it will ultimately cost as much as a retail item after many fits and starts. However, if it works well, it will give you the satisfaction of having made it yourself. Won't help the resale tho which the retail product will. I think rigging a simple downhaul will give you 50% of what an inexpensive furler has to offer. I haven't seen any DYI furlers since the 70's. Rick D.
...tells me it will ultimately cost as much as a retail item after many fits and starts. However, if it works well, it will give you the satisfaction of having made it yourself. Won't help the resale tho which the retail product will. I think rigging a simple downhaul will give you 50% of what an inexpensive furler has to offer. I haven't seen any DYI furlers since the 70's. Rick D.
I made one for a 26'T-Bird
The T bird class does not allow head-foils and I wanted one for Spinnaker sets and starts so I put a small furling drum at the bottom of my fore-stay, a swivel at the top of the fore-stay, and a swivel over the fore-stay for the halyard. I had to run a small line from my jumper stay to the halyard to prevent the halyard from getting rolled up with the sail, and then when I wanted to furl my 150% genoa I just rolled the whole fore-stay. I used it for a lot of years with no problems but it does not roll like a furler with a head-foil. The roll starts at the tack and works itself up the sail until it's all furled. That just means that thedrum has to be turned a little more than normal to get the job done. The picture shows the genoa furled. Have fun Joe S
The T bird class does not allow head-foils and I wanted one for Spinnaker sets and starts so I put a small furling drum at the bottom of my fore-stay, a swivel at the top of the fore-stay, and a swivel over the fore-stay for the halyard. I had to run a small line from my jumper stay to the halyard to prevent the halyard from getting rolled up with the sail, and then when I wanted to furl my 150% genoa I just rolled the whole fore-stay. I used it for a lot of years with no problems but it does not roll like a furler with a head-foil. The roll starts at the tack and works itself up the sail until it's all furled. That just means that thedrum has to be turned a little more than normal to get the job done. The picture shows the genoa furled. Have fun Joe S
Yea Rick, I think they are the most fun you can have for the dollar
I've sailed them from 1961 and originally owned #71 the 3rd number issued to the East Coast. Between that one which I bought in 1971, and # 883 which I still have, I have owned and sailed them for 37 years. Joe S
I've sailed them from 1961 and originally owned #71 the 3rd number issued to the East Coast. Between that one which I bought in 1971, and # 883 which I still have, I have owned and sailed them for 37 years. Joe S
Downhaul w/ a sailbag
I agree with Rick's reccos - install a downhaul with a sailbag to catch everything. That would least 50% of the way there (if not more). Even if you make a DIY furler - you still need to have a UV cover for the sail....unless you are good with a sewing machine and depending on the condition of your sail - it may be cheaper to just buy a new headsail altogether with a UV cover. Rob
I agree with Rick's reccos - install a downhaul with a sailbag to catch everything. That would least 50% of the way there (if not more). Even if you make a DIY furler - you still need to have a UV cover for the sail....unless you are good with a sewing machine and depending on the condition of your sail - it may be cheaper to just buy a new headsail altogether with a UV cover. Rob
I used hanked on, or zipper luff (sleeved luff) genoas on the T-Bird
because of the class rules, and I put them on when I got to the boat, and took them down, folded and rolled them, and put them in a bag that way when I was finished sailing. These were good racing sails and the thought of dousing them, and crunching them up into a sailbag on deck, makes me cringe. I always took better care of my sails than that. On other boats when we dropped we kept the down sail along the rail by the lifelines which the T-Bird didn't have. So look at the Picture (Sorry I checked movie) and note how clean the fordeck was. Joe S
because of the class rules, and I put them on when I got to the boat, and took them down, folded and rolled them, and put them in a bag that way when I was finished sailing. These were good racing sails and the thought of dousing them, and crunching them up into a sailbag on deck, makes me cringe. I always took better care of my sails than that. On other boats when we dropped we kept the down sail along the rail by the lifelines which the T-Bird didn't have. So look at the Picture (Sorry I checked movie) and note how clean the fordeck was. Joe S
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