Homemade Roller Furler

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Jeff B

Jeff B

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Jun 16, 2007
30
Hunter 25 '78 Hunter 25 - s/v Winter Fox - Everett, WA
I just bought our first sailboat - 1978 25' Hunter. And after taking her out a half dozen times and fighting the head sail up and down, I decided I needed a roller furler. Yet the cost of a furler system right after our boat purchase made it a tough nut to swallow. So after some research online, I found a few sites where people made some homemade roller furlers and decided to try it on my own. I used 3/4" & 1 1/4" sch 40 PVC with a SS washers on top at the eye swedge and at the bottom where I put a adjusting nut on the top threaded pin of the turnbuckle. At the hank points I used PVC couplers on the pipe and notched out so the hank could be inserted just enough to grab the forstay. I still need to add (1) 1 1/4” PVC coupling just below the roller drum. I had to cut out a section, it was too high up the forestay at the top of the mast and the spinnaker & jib blocks wouldn’t let it spin. But now I have approx 8" of "free" forestay above the top of the PVC and the swedge at the eye. ** Is this too much? ** Do I need to add a section at the top to fill in the space for a more snug fit? ** Should the roller be closer to the deck, or do I need just enough space on top for it to be able to furl/unfurl freely? I still need to add the blocks and rollers on the deck and rails for the furler line and add the jib sheets. Just has a single line now to hold the sail in place in the meantime. It unfurls and furls back up very nicely, I ran it in & out 4 or 5 times, the last 2 were great, the wind was picking up and it tightened the furl nicely. It has yet to be tested on the water. Parts Used: (4) 10’ x ¾” PVC Pipe (12) ¾” PVC couplings (1) ¾” PVC plug - (top end termination) (1) ¾” x 1 ¼” PVC bushings (1) 10’ x 1 ¼” PVC Pipe (14” total used) (4) 1 ¼” PVC couplings (1) 1 ¼” PVC plug - (bottom support termination) (2) 4” ABS caps (3) 1 ¼” x 5/16” SS flat washers (1) ¼” SS fine thread nut Total Cost: $47.90 Any/all advice or comments, (good or bad), will be appreciated. Pictures @ link below. Thanks, Jeff S/V Winter Fox
 
B

bob G.

Good Job

My Dad (who himself is a WW2 veteran) says this is why we won the war, when the Germans stuff broke down they got out and walked back home where as the Americans went to the nearest farm house and got bailing wire and tin cans and what ever else they needed to keep their Sherman tanks running....all the way to Berlin. GREAT job Jeff.
 
CalebD

CalebD

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Jun 27, 2006
1,479
Tartan 27' 1967 Nyack, NY
Very clever home made RF mechanism

for under $50. Nice job! I dont think that the height above deck of the furling drum is that much of an issue. The higher the sail the more wind it will catch. You do want the leading edge of the sail (luff) to be taut but now the leading edge IS the PVC pipe. My only worry with this setup is that since the hanks are always left on the forestay they will be dragged around the wire several times each way as the sail is furled and unfurled. You may get some accellerated wear on the forestay at the hank points over time. You still can't beat the price.
 
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novelman17128

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Oct 25, 2005
265
Macgregor 22' Long Beach
furler

Could we get a close up photo of the top and bottom of the unit when it is completed? Thanks. Novelman
 
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Steve O.

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Jun 4, 2004
125
Hunter 333 Elk Rapids, MI
How do you hank on the sail?

Must be you hank on the sail while the mast is down, then roll it up?
 
GuyT

GuyT

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May 8, 2007
406
Hunter 34 South Amboy, NJ
Halyard wrap

Considering the amount of troubles with furling jams I have seen posted on this site from halyard wrap, you may have trouble on this issue. And as others are asking - How do you hank the sail??
 
Jeff B

Jeff B

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Jun 16, 2007
30
Hunter 25 '78 Hunter 25 - s/v Winter Fox - Everett, WA
Hanks....

I didn't lower my mast to do this. I secured it with the spinnaker and jib halyards, the disconnected at the lower turnbuckle. I then started sleeving the PVC over the forestay and connecting the hanks as I went. I had run a small line from the bottom of the forestay connection thru the entire length of the PVC so I could keep tension on the forestay as I pushed the PVC up towards the masthead. I connected the hanks to the forestay thru notches cut in the PVC couplings which were measured out to be at those points for more strength due to the notches The completed top of the unit is a 3/4" PVC plug fitted into a 3/4" coupling with a 1/4" x 3/4" SS flat washer. ( the plug gives it a flat end, instead of a cap which is rounded ). This gives me a Flat surface to butt up against the swege of the top forestay eye. I'm unable to give a picture of this for obvious reasons, I cant get to it unless I go up in a boson's chair. I too have seen a lot of stories of jamming, but there is very few places for anything to jam. Worst case scenario is it would roll over the outside of the reel onto the round PVC and keep rolling. In that instance, I could either continue or unreel to clear. I'll post pictures of the lower end tonight, need to go down to the boat and finish.
 
Jeff B

Jeff B

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Jun 16, 2007
30
Hunter 25 '78 Hunter 25 - s/v Winter Fox - Everett, WA
Furler Sea Trials

The furler worked great under sail this afternoon, it unfurled and furled nicely in a 10 kt breeze. Pictures of lower end and hank connection in link below.
 
GuyT

GuyT

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May 8, 2007
406
Hunter 34 South Amboy, NJ
Now I get it Jeff

So if I am seeing this correct, you need to take off the forestay to get the sail down? Small sacrifice to get a furler for under 50 bucks. Let us know how you made out after a season.
 
caguy

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
Why can't you just hank on to the PVC pipe?

That would eliminate wear on the forestay. Granted the hanks rub on the forestay under normal conditions but not constanly in the same spots. Frank
 
Jeff B

Jeff B

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Jun 16, 2007
30
Hunter 25 '78 Hunter 25 - s/v Winter Fox - Everett, WA
Hmmmmm.....

caguy: That might be a good idea, it would take a little more effort in set up. Instead of notching the couplings, I could drill a hole thru it and attach a small ring, then attach the hank to the ring. BTW, there is a little bit of play in the unit so the hanks are not siting exactly on one point all the time. Yet the same problem arises, the wear is still limited to a small area. GuyT: Yes, to change sails I have to disconnect the forestay and slide the whole unit down while unhooking the hanks and removing the sail. I'm using my 135% now as a happy medium and can always furl in some if the weather gets real bad. This is definitely not a long term situation. It is purely financial. :) I'm already looking at CDI furlers and new head sails with luff tape built in, ( or is there a way to modify hanked sails to fit in the furlers? ). The challenge of "seeing if I could do it", in addition to being a plumbing contractor and working with pipes was too great. :) Thanks to everyone for their input and comments, I'll let you know how it performs over the next few months. Jeff
 
C

Chuck

Luff Mod

You could have a sailmaker modify your luff by adding a sock to it and extending it 2-3" on either end, then use hose clamps to hold it to the pvc. This was done on some of the early Chrysler (Buccaneer/Mutineer) sail boats. You would have to extend your pvc longer than the present luff. The sock would only have to be large enough to slide over the pvc couplings.
 
Jeff B

Jeff B

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Jun 16, 2007
30
Hunter 25 '78 Hunter 25 - s/v Winter Fox - Everett, WA
I'm talking about.........

.....modifying my existing sails to fit a new CDI or similar furler. Are the furlers on the market set up for hanked sails? Or only those with luff tape? Jeff
 
C

Chuck

Luf tape

Most if not all would require a luff tape. They (sailmakers) will cut off the current luff and replace with tape. Check around, probably about $10.00 a foot.
 
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