I have a Hood LD continuous line reefing system mounted in the well on a 35.5. It is very difficult to keep a reef in the sail, because the line tension is not enough to keep the sail from unfurling. I am thinking of replacing the LD with a single line replacement. Does anyone have any experience with a single line mounted in the well? Does it fit? Can it be easily reefed?
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Bob E.
Out of the well
A previous owner of my H30G moved the Hood LD 810 up out of the well, for better access. Other than recutting the jib(s), this doesn't look like a difficult job, and it sure makes maintenance easier. I haven't had any problem with the furler slipping, although there are many complaints on this site about this. I've also noticed that Hood has changed the marketing of this unit, which they still sell (see www.pompanette.com). Previously, it was marketed as a reefing unit, but recently the Web site was changed to specify it's use as a furler only. I keep the furling line fairly tight, and I suspect that the unit is more properly sized for a 30' boat than a 35' one. If you go ahead with the conversion, I would be interested in reading about how it went. Good luck.
A previous owner of my H30G moved the Hood LD 810 up out of the well, for better access. Other than recutting the jib(s), this doesn't look like a difficult job, and it sure makes maintenance easier. I haven't had any problem with the furler slipping, although there are many complaints on this site about this. I've also noticed that Hood has changed the marketing of this unit, which they still sell (see www.pompanette.com). Previously, it was marketed as a reefing unit, but recently the Web site was changed to specify it's use as a furler only. I keep the furling line fairly tight, and I suspect that the unit is more properly sized for a 30' boat than a 35' one. If you go ahead with the conversion, I would be interested in reading about how it went. Good luck.
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Chuck Wolfe
I replaced my Drum
One of the best things I ever did was to spend $300 or so and order the LD Drum conversion kit from Hood. My rigger installed it in less than 1 1/2 hrs. What a difference. I can reef easily and I can roll it up downwind with no strain. Go for it. Highly recommended. It's a good furling drum. chuckwolfe@mail.com
One of the best things I ever did was to spend $300 or so and order the LD Drum conversion kit from Hood. My rigger installed it in less than 1 1/2 hrs. What a difference. I can reef easily and I can roll it up downwind with no strain. Go for it. Highly recommended. It's a good furling drum. chuckwolfe@mail.com
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Paul Akers
I did too...
I replaced mine with a single line Hood furler. Pompanette gave me a deal at the Newport show two years ago. Only had to change the head. Used the old extrusions. Dimensions were the same. I had a rigger mount it. Call Pompanette. Their site is www.pompanette.com
I replaced mine with a single line Hood furler. Pompanette gave me a deal at the Newport show two years ago. Only had to change the head. Used the old extrusions. Dimensions were the same. I had a rigger mount it. Call Pompanette. Their site is www.pompanette.com
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Dave
Hood DL/SL Exchange
Marc, I have a 35.5 and swapped the Hood DL for a Hood 800 SL last year. If you contact Pompanette (the Hood distributor) directly, they will sell you a new Hood SL drum on an exchange basis. The cost is very reasonable. You only replace the drum -all of the other hardware is the same. I was able to make the switch myself. It only took several hours to do. Pompanette's tech service is great and is available by phone if you have any problems or questions as you are installing the new drum. The new SL drum makes a world of difference as compared to the old DL unit and I am generally pleased with its performance. If I were to do it all over again, however, I might upgrade to the Hood 900 SL (assuming it would fit in the well). The 800 SL may be a little light for the 35.5 as it binds occasionally when attempting to furl in heavier wind. If you have any questions about the install you can e-mail me directly at davbake@redwingshoe.com or dabake@uswest.net Good Luck Dave
Marc, I have a 35.5 and swapped the Hood DL for a Hood 800 SL last year. If you contact Pompanette (the Hood distributor) directly, they will sell you a new Hood SL drum on an exchange basis. The cost is very reasonable. You only replace the drum -all of the other hardware is the same. I was able to make the switch myself. It only took several hours to do. Pompanette's tech service is great and is available by phone if you have any problems or questions as you are installing the new drum. The new SL drum makes a world of difference as compared to the old DL unit and I am generally pleased with its performance. If I were to do it all over again, however, I might upgrade to the Hood 900 SL (assuming it would fit in the well). The 800 SL may be a little light for the 35.5 as it binds occasionally when attempting to furl in heavier wind. If you have any questions about the install you can e-mail me directly at davbake@redwingshoe.com or dabake@uswest.net Good Luck Dave
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Bryan
Drum Exchange
I exchanged the LD drum with a Hood SL drum about 3 months ago. I had no choice as the old LD drum basically froze (I never was crazy about the system anyway. I had a very difficult time with it because the extrusion tube was about 1" too long. I think it was a tad too long to begin with. I had to drill out a section of the tube (after getting my forestay stuck in the tube and in the process nicked the forestay. Fortunately the nick was low enough that a longer stuck did the trick and I didn't have to replace the forestay. Now I'm more experienced, but the boat was MIA for about a month. I am sure an experienced rigger could have done the job more more efficiently than I (but how else to learn?), and as the other posts reflect, most people do not seem to have had a tough time with the job. If you do it, make sure that Hood sends you the instruction manual with the new unit. I didn't get it with mine and just tried to figure it out myself which made the job more complicated. The SL unit does work nicely, furling is much easier. Its definitely the most cost effective way to go if you want to go to a single line system. However, I find I have just enough room in the drum to furl my 110 jib. If I had a larger sail, I'd have to use a thinner furling line, and I'm not sure how much more furler the unit could accomodate.
I exchanged the LD drum with a Hood SL drum about 3 months ago. I had no choice as the old LD drum basically froze (I never was crazy about the system anyway. I had a very difficult time with it because the extrusion tube was about 1" too long. I think it was a tad too long to begin with. I had to drill out a section of the tube (after getting my forestay stuck in the tube and in the process nicked the forestay. Fortunately the nick was low enough that a longer stuck did the trick and I didn't have to replace the forestay. Now I'm more experienced, but the boat was MIA for about a month. I am sure an experienced rigger could have done the job more more efficiently than I (but how else to learn?), and as the other posts reflect, most people do not seem to have had a tough time with the job. If you do it, make sure that Hood sends you the instruction manual with the new unit. I didn't get it with mine and just tried to figure it out myself which made the job more complicated. The SL unit does work nicely, furling is much easier. Its definitely the most cost effective way to go if you want to go to a single line system. However, I find I have just enough room in the drum to furl my 110 jib. If I had a larger sail, I'd have to use a thinner furling line, and I'm not sure how much more furler the unit could accomodate.
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Paul Akers
Trick for furler line
First of all, use the recommended diameter line on the drum. It's also recommended in the manual that the first 15' of the line that wraps around the drum be stripped of the line's core. There is a core line that is wrapped by the braided line. The braid can be slid up the core, thereby exposing the core line. Clip off 15'. This piece will flatten out. It will allow room on the drum, but still be plenty strong enough to do the job. Also when letting out the sail (the drum will take up the slack line), keep some tension on the line in order to get a tight wrap. This will also prevent the line from wrapping too loosly and jamming on the drum.
First of all, use the recommended diameter line on the drum. It's also recommended in the manual that the first 15' of the line that wraps around the drum be stripped of the line's core. There is a core line that is wrapped by the braided line. The braid can be slid up the core, thereby exposing the core line. Clip off 15'. This piece will flatten out. It will allow room on the drum, but still be plenty strong enough to do the job. Also when letting out the sail (the drum will take up the slack line), keep some tension on the line in order to get a tight wrap. This will also prevent the line from wrapping too loosly and jamming on the drum.
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Bill Howitt
Replace it with a Furlex!
I replaced the Hood with a Furlex unit when I first bought my 35.5 in 1993 and have had trouble free sailing ever since. The Furlex mounts in the well so you don't need to remove the drum if you race. I've been real satisfied with the arrangement.
I replaced the Hood with a Furlex unit when I first bought my 35.5 in 1993 and have had trouble free sailing ever since. The Furlex mounts in the well so you don't need to remove the drum if you race. I've been real satisfied with the arrangement.
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Mick Boland
Furler
My boat was missing a lot of equip when I bought it last year. While we were at the re-rigging, I had the furler replaced with a Harkin. We decided to keep the drum below deck, because it would fit, that's Hunter's original layout, and it would have made handling the anchor/anchor locker lid a marginal proposition if it were above deck. The only problem I've had is that I have to be carefull trying to furl or unfurl with the spinnaker up. The upper swivel sometimes catches the spinnaker halyard, and would twist the foil if forced. I had a new headsail made at the same time as we installed the furler, and the sailmaker used the forestay length instead of the length of rise possible on the furler to make the sail. He had to recut it, but still left maximum cloth - I can barely get enough tension on it at maximum rise- so, with a normally cut sail( a few inches shorter ) the swivel may not catch.
My boat was missing a lot of equip when I bought it last year. While we were at the re-rigging, I had the furler replaced with a Harkin. We decided to keep the drum below deck, because it would fit, that's Hunter's original layout, and it would have made handling the anchor/anchor locker lid a marginal proposition if it were above deck. The only problem I've had is that I have to be carefull trying to furl or unfurl with the spinnaker up. The upper swivel sometimes catches the spinnaker halyard, and would twist the foil if forced. I had a new headsail made at the same time as we installed the furler, and the sailmaker used the forestay length instead of the length of rise possible on the furler to make the sail. He had to recut it, but still left maximum cloth - I can barely get enough tension on it at maximum rise- so, with a normally cut sail( a few inches shorter ) the swivel may not catch.
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