I have a Cat 30 with regular headsails. I am wanting to go with a furling jib and need an education from you guys. What should I be looking for? How is the attachment made at the head of the mast? Will it be necessary to remove the mast to install? Any advise on brand and places to purchase would be greatly appreciated.
Let's talk Furling Jibs
- Thread starter Admiral
- Start date
There are a lot of jib furlers out there, & everyone has their opinion on what is best.
Pro Furl have a good reputation & claim to have a system that prevents halyard wrap at the top of the mast. I had a boat with a Harken, new Mark III model & it was nothing but trouble. Jammed up all the time, not matter how it was rigged. Flexible furlers are a little less costly to buy, & are easier to service & repair down the road. You usually do not have to remove the mast to install a furler. Most slip over the existing head stay & spin round the stay when operating. Make sure that the haliard swivel at the top of the mast does not wrap around itself, as this is a common problem, that will cause the furler to jamb.
I have found that the most important thing to watch out for when using a furler, is to make sure that you keep tension on the furling line when unfurling & to cleat the line tight, so that it cannot come loose. I the furling line gets slack in it, it can allow the line to roll off the drum, & cause it to jamb up on you. Furlers are great when they work, & suck when they don't. But I would not sail without one, as hank on sails are tiring. You will likely need to purchase a jib sail that was designed to work with a furler as they are cut higher to fit the furler length, & have luff padding at built into the sail to prevent it from getting baggy when partially furled for better performance. A furler is a real, but expensive investment in your boat, that can pay big rewards when they are installed & work properly. Don't forget to have a sacrificial strip of Sunbrella fabric sewn onto the outer edges of your jib to protect it from U.V. damage, as the Dacron will fall apart after a year of not being protected from the suns harsh rays. Expect to pay a couple of grand for a good furling system, & another $1,500 + for a new jib sail built for your furling system.
Pro Furl have a good reputation & claim to have a system that prevents halyard wrap at the top of the mast. I had a boat with a Harken, new Mark III model & it was nothing but trouble. Jammed up all the time, not matter how it was rigged. Flexible furlers are a little less costly to buy, & are easier to service & repair down the road. You usually do not have to remove the mast to install a furler. Most slip over the existing head stay & spin round the stay when operating. Make sure that the haliard swivel at the top of the mast does not wrap around itself, as this is a common problem, that will cause the furler to jamb.
I have found that the most important thing to watch out for when using a furler, is to make sure that you keep tension on the furling line when unfurling & to cleat the line tight, so that it cannot come loose. I the furling line gets slack in it, it can allow the line to roll off the drum, & cause it to jamb up on you. Furlers are great when they work, & suck when they don't. But I would not sail without one, as hank on sails are tiring. You will likely need to purchase a jib sail that was designed to work with a furler as they are cut higher to fit the furler length, & have luff padding at built into the sail to prevent it from getting baggy when partially furled for better performance. A furler is a real, but expensive investment in your boat, that can pay big rewards when they are installed & work properly. Don't forget to have a sacrificial strip of Sunbrella fabric sewn onto the outer edges of your jib to protect it from U.V. damage, as the Dacron will fall apart after a year of not being protected from the suns harsh rays. Expect to pay a couple of grand for a good furling system, & another $1,500 + for a new jib sail built for your furling system.
jrowan makes a lot of great points. The only input I'd provide is that the CDI furlers for your boat could be in the $1000 range. I'm not familiar with the 30 dimensions but take a look at this:
http://www.sailcdi.com/ffmain.htm
A significant characteristic of the CDI is that it is designed with it's own jib halyard and is halyard-wrap proof.
http://www.sailcdi.com/ffmain.htm
A significant characteristic of the CDI is that it is designed with it's own jib halyard and is halyard-wrap proof.