Furling Asym - budgetary cost?

druid

druid

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Apr 22, 2009
837
Ontario 32 Pender Harbour
My Ontario 32 has a "traditional" spinnaker, complete with pole and snuffer. While I love the way a symmetrical chute sails (no "blind spot" where it's blanketed by the main), it is a bear to get up, especially single-handed. So I was looking at those nifty "top-down" furling asym chutes...

Any idea how much one would cost for my 32 ft boat? furler and chute?

Cuz I haven't spent NEAR enough on the engine yet! ;)
druid
 
Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,722
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
If you have to ask you can't afford it. But seriously, buy one and report back. I'm pretty sure we'll all buy one if you give it two sails up!
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Your asym will cost the same, in a bag or on a furler.

The furler will be I'd guess US$1600. It adds up. The furler top swivel/bottom drum is the big part, followed buy the very-high-tech anti-torsion cable and and an endless furling line.
 
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druid

druid

.
Apr 22, 2009
837
Ontario 32 Pender Harbour
OK, $1600 for the furler and (I'd guess) another $1600 for the asym - that's US$3200. That's $4600 to me. Maybe NEXT year...

Here's a thought: can I fly my symmetrical like an asym? With no pole, just a tack line? Maybe gybe it like a sym: release the tackline and attach it to the "other" clew...somehow...

druid
 
weinie

weinie

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Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
The price is about what I paid for my setup last year. One thing you should check if you go with it is to make sure you're boat can handle it. The furler needs ALOT of halyard tension to furl properly especially if it is still loaded up a bit. My sailmaker told me to winch it in till you think the mast is about to break and then go a 1/4 turn more.
 
Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
druid said:
OK, $1600 for the furler and (I'd guess) another $1600 for the asym - that's US$3200. That's $4600 to me. Maybe NEXT year...

Here's a thought: can I fly my symmetrical like an asym? With no pole, just a tack line? Maybe gybe it like a sym: release the tackline and attach it to the "other" clew...somehow...

druid
Click to expand
Yes, Etienne at ATN can get you set up to use you Sym kite like a Asym. He has the sock, tacker and all the gear.
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

.
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
druid said:
Here's a thought: can I fly my symmetrical like an asym? With no pole, just a tack line? Maybe gybe it like a sym: release the tackline and attach it to the "other" clew...somehow...
Click to expand
You can. But with some big limitations.

To set it up, its best to use a ATN Tacker, a device designed for this specific purpose. It wraps around your furled headsail and holds the windward clew at the forestay.


Looks like this with a kite.


Downside? Symmetric kites are designed to be poled back, and that means that they are always set square to the apparent wind. You cannot do that with a tacker, so your symmetric kite will only be anywhere near optimal when reaching (think pole forward to the forestay). Asyms are cut to rotate to windward, so will sail deep much more effectively.
 
jepomer

jepomer

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Jan 22, 2008
507
Catalina 310 278 Lyndeborough NH
I have been looking into a top-down furler for my Capri 22 asymmetrical spinnaker. Since I sail short handed and solo, I want a simple system that I can control from the cockpit when needed. I did order the spinnaker with a dousing sock, but think the top-down furler will be a better investment.

I need to add some type of bow sprit (looking at Selden) to move the sail at least 12 inches out (I will go farther). This will cost me about $600. The Selden GX 7.5 furler with anti-torsion line will be about $900. Best pricing I found so far is at hydesailsdirect.com — you can choose the proper size for your boat.
 
weinie

weinie

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Sep 6, 2010
1,297
Jeanneau 349 port washington, ny
You don't need a furling system for a 22' boat. Even the sock is overkill.
 
druid

druid

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Apr 22, 2009
837
Ontario 32 Pender Harbour
Jack, got it! ;) I had one of those things on the Crown 28's asym except it was a line with what looked like solid golf-balls on it so it would roll up and down the furled genny. Bit of a moot point on the Ontario 32 - it has hanked-on headsails. And yes, it's a Big Compromise without a pole. One sail up the coast on my Cal 25, I had the sym chute flying, and some 30+ ft boat was maybe 5 miles ahead of me with an asym. But the course we had to take kept his blanketed by the main, so he had to continuously zigzag and gybe. I was 5 miles ahead of him by the time I got to Welcome Passage :)

Oh, and how would you gybe the sym chute? like an asym or by changing the tackline to the other clew?

Sounds like I might just get an asym with a snuffer and forget about the furler. I don't like the sound of putting all that tension on my 40-yr-old rigging.

druid
 
Meriachee

Meriachee

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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Jackdaw said:
The furler will be I'd guess US$1600. It adds up. The furler top swivel/botto
Click to expand
Actually, we looked at the coolest carbon and what appeared to be aircraft aluminum job at the yvr show that listed at 1600 Cdn WITH a real Marlow cable and top swivel. It weighed nothing!
Of course I got dragged away before I couldn't resist, but I managed to get a picture of sorts.
This is all I know:
image.jpeg
 
Meriachee

Meriachee

.
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
jepomer said:
I need to add some type of bow sprit (looking at Selden)
Click to expand
Jepomer, if you're not overly critical of the finished look and you're handy, you can get a length of 3" aluminum pipe which fits nicely into the Selden ring. 5 or 6 feet of pipe costs about $50 to powder coat, and you could easily rig up a couple of blocks for the tack line and rings for the mount. I milled ends for mine, with locking pins, fairleads and jam cleats, and the whole thing was significantly less than buying one, kept me busy over the winter, and fits in the forward berth out of the way, which was a design requirement. You gotta store it someplace.
IMG_0521 copy.JPG
 
jepomer

jepomer

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Jan 22, 2008
507
Catalina 310 278 Lyndeborough NH
weinie said:
You don't need a furling system for a 22' boat. Even the sock is overkill.
Click to expand
For the same reasoning that I have a furling genoa, I want to simplify the handling of a spinnaker. Otherwise I would rarely fly it.

Yes, one can do it without a furling system or a sock, BUT I will usually be the only capable person who will be on the boat most of the time. I am 64 and no longer need to be as "manly" as I was in my youth.

Isn't the idea to get MORE people out sailing? Not everyone is a hardcore racer (or wanna-be).
 
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jepomer

jepomer

.
Jan 22, 2008
507
Catalina 310 278 Lyndeborough NH
Meriachee said:
Jepomer, if you're not overly critical of the finished look and you're handy, you can get a length of 3" aluminum pipe which fits nicely into the Selden ring. 5 or 6 feet of pipe costs about $50 to powder coat, and you could easily rig up a couple of blocks for the tack line and rings for the mount. I milled ends for mine, with locking pins, fairleads and jam cleats, and the whole thing was significantly less than buying one, kept me busy over the winter, and fits in the forward berth out of the way, which was a design requirement. You gotta store it someplace.
View attachment 119108
Click to expand
I have been toying with that idea since my career has included much prototyping and early production. The New England Boat Show is in a few weeks. I will be looking for ideas.

One added constraint is the array of Ganz flexible solar panels on the foredeck (no, I am not a hard-core racer). I have been investigating the way to mount the sprit under the deck like the "big sport boats" do!
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Meriachee said:
Actually, we looked at the coolest carbon and what appeared to be aircraft aluminum job at the yvr show that listed at 1600 Cdn WITH a real Marlow cable and top swivel. It weighed nothing!
Of course I got dragged away before I couldn't resist, but I managed to get a picture of sorts.
This is all I know:
View attachment 119107
Click to expand

Indeed.

I mentioned US bucks because know that, and I'm not sure how that will translate into loons (for you and the OP); depends on what the importer wants to do. But also you have to factor your 27 vs his 32... That normally pushes you up a size (and $$$).

My absolute fav spin furling gear for the moment is Karver.
 
Meriachee

Meriachee

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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
That's why the whole "cross border" thing has reversed. Except, apparently, cabbage. :)
 
G

gettinthere

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Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
Druid
The N American rep for Bamar continuous line furlers is based in Vancouver. I've posted the video I produced for them elsewhere on SBO. If you havent seen it, I can repost. It's on my boat and it works very well.
 
C

cooperbill

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Dec 18, 2014
7
cal 33 ny
jackdaw, just bought a doyle asym,haven't used it yet. I can't visualize how the ''tacker'' will work when you gibe.
 
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