I'm new to sailing, looking at 27 footers. Until this latest one that I'm looking at, they've all had roller furling. How much should I take that into account? What's the expense to add it later?
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Matt, roller furling genoas are the standard today
If the boat you are looking at doesn't have it, be concerned about other missing stuff. Plan on spending about $2K to add it after the sale.
If the boat you are looking at doesn't have it, be concerned about other missing stuff. Plan on spending about $2K to add it after the sale.
hey matt
my hunter 30 doesn,t have roller furling(althuogh it would be really nice). We just make the appropriate sail call, hank on the sail and away we go. if the wind blows up during our trip we do have to go forward and drop/ change sails. Can be a challenge ( even more so if singlehanding). Another thing to consider is sail inventory if no furler. Adding it on later will run me at least 2k to 2500 after sail recutting, purchase of equipment, and such. This is doing most of the work myself. As for wheel vs. tiller i prefer wheel because it's much easier with family and friends in the cockpit. pray for wind' Lugeman
my hunter 30 doesn,t have roller furling(althuogh it would be really nice). We just make the appropriate sail call, hank on the sail and away we go. if the wind blows up during our trip we do have to go forward and drop/ change sails. Can be a challenge ( even more so if singlehanding). Another thing to consider is sail inventory if no furler. Adding it on later will run me at least 2k to 2500 after sail recutting, purchase of equipment, and such. This is doing most of the work myself. As for wheel vs. tiller i prefer wheel because it's much easier with family and friends in the cockpit. pray for wind' Lugeman
Not for me...
I don't find a roller furling a necessity at all...but, then again, I own a Nonsuch. But seriously, my previous boat had a furler. This was the first boat I ever owned that did. I don't know how I did without it for all those years. Taking the family out turns into a much nicer experience. However, if it's beer can racing you're into, you might want to go the other way. Cheers, Bob
I don't find a roller furling a necessity at all...but, then again, I own a Nonsuch. But seriously, my previous boat had a furler. This was the first boat I ever owned that did. I don't know how I did without it for all those years. Taking the family out turns into a much nicer experience. However, if it's beer can racing you're into, you might want to go the other way. Cheers, Bob
Not Necessary, But....
...for $1K, you will have something that is recoverable in large measure upon resale. It's not that buyers will add for furling, they will deduct if it does not have it. And, you'll limit your market. I have changed many a jib underway, and it isn't my favorite job. I did rig a downhaul to help pull the jib down. That helps, but doesn't keep it on deck and the sheets out of the prop. So... no, not a necessity, but like those of us who still drive stick shifts, a diminishing minority. Rick D>
...for $1K, you will have something that is recoverable in large measure upon resale. It's not that buyers will add for furling, they will deduct if it does not have it. And, you'll limit your market. I have changed many a jib underway, and it isn't my favorite job. I did rig a downhaul to help pull the jib down. That helps, but doesn't keep it on deck and the sheets out of the prop. So... no, not a necessity, but like those of us who still drive stick shifts, a diminishing minority. Rick D>
Bargaining Chip.
If the boat doesn't have one, use that as a bargaining chip in your favor. A RF will cost you about $2K (price them out first), so work that into your offer. RF is one of those things that you don't want to try going without. You may quickly learn that they are worth the expense.
If the boat doesn't have one, use that as a bargaining chip in your favor. A RF will cost you about $2K (price them out first), so work that into your offer. RF is one of those things that you don't want to try going without. You may quickly learn that they are worth the expense.
Not that thrilled with roller furling
If something goes wrong it can be really difficult to correct. Ours wrapped wrong and the only way to get it undone was to take the sail around the furler!!! This was probably the worst experience that I've had while sailing. We were just getting out of the ICW heading north into a north wind in Mobile Bay. Lots of shallow water and a wicked chop. Any convience on a boat ends up costing money and they tend to break at the worst possible time. If I had been singlehanding I would have been blown ashore. Simplicity is happiness especially when something breaks. The biggest complaint that I have about roller furling is that the sail has a lousey shape when partially rolled. On my last boat I had three headsails and just used the one appropriate for the conditions. Changing one is childsplay compared to trying to handle an improperly rolled furler. That said I furling headsail is great when conditions are moderate and everything is working correctly. Tom
If something goes wrong it can be really difficult to correct. Ours wrapped wrong and the only way to get it undone was to take the sail around the furler!!! This was probably the worst experience that I've had while sailing. We were just getting out of the ICW heading north into a north wind in Mobile Bay. Lots of shallow water and a wicked chop. Any convience on a boat ends up costing money and they tend to break at the worst possible time. If I had been singlehanding I would have been blown ashore. Simplicity is happiness especially when something breaks. The biggest complaint that I have about roller furling is that the sail has a lousey shape when partially rolled. On my last boat I had three headsails and just used the one appropriate for the conditions. Changing one is childsplay compared to trying to handle an improperly rolled furler. That said I furling headsail is great when conditions are moderate and everything is working correctly. Tom
We are all a product of our past.
I can tell stories of hanked on sail disasters too. When a roller furler jams, it's almost always the fault of an installation error.
I can tell stories of hanked on sail disasters too. When a roller furler jams, it's almost always the fault of an installation error.
Not a necessity
No it is not a necessity. I have 30+ years sailing without it and tend to avoid boats that have it. Several bad experiences offshore have made me this way. If you have it have the best and have it right! Takes some of the fun out of sailing for me.
No it is not a necessity. I have 30+ years sailing without it and tend to avoid boats that have it. Several bad experiences offshore have made me this way. If you have it have the best and have it right! Takes some of the fun out of sailing for me.
Safety?
I think roller-furling is a safety thing. While the jam at times, they mean a lot fewer trips to the foredeck. We're looking for a raceboat now and even then I'd like a sportboat type with rollerfurling.
I think roller-furling is a safety thing. While the jam at times, they mean a lot fewer trips to the foredeck. We're looking for a raceboat now and even then I'd like a sportboat type with rollerfurling.
I like it
Having sailed since a kid without a furler never thought it was needed. Just recently having purchased my own boat that came with one it was a wonderful experience to have. Easy to set and retrieve. And the safety of not having to go to the bow especially single handing is great. I'd require one on any boat I bought>
Having sailed since a kid without a furler never thought it was needed. Just recently having purchased my own boat that came with one it was a wonderful experience to have. Easy to set and retrieve. And the safety of not having to go to the bow especially single handing is great. I'd require one on any boat I bought>
Furler
I have sailed both with and without furlers, and I see no boats in my future without a furler. It is so easy to use, and when it starts to blow, crank in the genoa via the furler and you are reefed.
I have sailed both with and without furlers, and I see no boats in my future without a furler. It is so easy to use, and when it starts to blow, crank in the genoa via the furler and you are reefed.
Some of you must be kidding!
There is something to say for getting back to the basics but this ain't one of'em. Why do you think that all those boats that you are looking at have roller furling? For a 27" er, deduct $1500 to $2000 for those without RF. No, It isn't a necessity but neither is a kicker, or bottom paint, or a compass. Jon
There is something to say for getting back to the basics but this ain't one of'em. Why do you think that all those boats that you are looking at have roller furling? For a 27" er, deduct $1500 to $2000 for those without RF. No, It isn't a necessity but neither is a kicker, or bottom paint, or a compass. Jon
Roller furling?
Different strokes for different folks. Some like an automatic transmission in a car. Some prefer four on the floor. Think of roller furling as the former. While a RF sail may not give one the flexibility of having three or four headsails, they provide an element of ease and safety that is not available with hanked on sails. If you single hand or have an inexperienced crew, you will appreciate having an RF installed. I wouldn't sail without one. I have no desire to be scampering about a pitching foredeck in the rain, trying to wrestle a stubborn genoa into submission. Those who have horror stories to tell about RF most likely would not have them to tell if they had been paying more attention to what they were doing. Sure, mechanical failures may occur, but they are rare. Carelessness is usually what contributes to RF problems.
Different strokes for different folks. Some like an automatic transmission in a car. Some prefer four on the floor. Think of roller furling as the former. While a RF sail may not give one the flexibility of having three or four headsails, they provide an element of ease and safety that is not available with hanked on sails. If you single hand or have an inexperienced crew, you will appreciate having an RF installed. I wouldn't sail without one. I have no desire to be scampering about a pitching foredeck in the rain, trying to wrestle a stubborn genoa into submission. Those who have horror stories to tell about RF most likely would not have them to tell if they had been paying more attention to what they were doing. Sure, mechanical failures may occur, but they are rare. Carelessness is usually what contributes to RF problems.
Good question....
IMO, it depends on the conditions you sail and whether the convenience (and potential safety) outweigh performance. With RF, there is usually no need to go to the foredeck to drop the jib. But the same can be said using a jib downhaul on a hanked jib. We added a downhaull to keep us off the foredeck. Its effective and met my needs for single handing (jib just lays on the deck when we drop it). As for convenience, there is no doubt that RF saves time, but at the sacfice of sail shape if the jib needs to be reduced. Its a compromise either way, but a boat without RF usually has lower resale value than one with RF.
IMO, it depends on the conditions you sail and whether the convenience (and potential safety) outweigh performance. With RF, there is usually no need to go to the foredeck to drop the jib. But the same can be said using a jib downhaul on a hanked jib. We added a downhaull to keep us off the foredeck. Its effective and met my needs for single handing (jib just lays on the deck when we drop it). As for convenience, there is no doubt that RF saves time, but at the sacfice of sail shape if the jib needs to be reduced. Its a compromise either way, but a boat without RF usually has lower resale value than one with RF.
RF is NOT RR
There's a lot of talk here about reefing using a roller furling system. That is just plain wrong. The roller furler is used for one reason only and that is to store the sail in a rolled up configuration. I have roller furling and use it to either have the sail out or rolled up. Nothing in between. It I need to reduce sail I go to the sail locker and pick one. If you want to store a headsail quickly use a RF. If you want to reef a headsail you're in the wrong place.....
There's a lot of talk here about reefing using a roller furling system. That is just plain wrong. The roller furler is used for one reason only and that is to store the sail in a rolled up configuration. I have roller furling and use it to either have the sail out or rolled up. Nothing in between. It I need to reduce sail I go to the sail locker and pick one. If you want to store a headsail quickly use a RF. If you want to reef a headsail you're in the wrong place.....
Regarding RF reliability
Most, if not all of the around alone open class boats use roller furling. That says a lot about the reliability of today's RF systems. Kevin
Most, if not all of the around alone open class boats use roller furling. That says a lot about the reliability of today's RF systems. Kevin
Roller reefing
OK Ron, then I have got roller reefing on my Catalina 350. No problems at all after one season.
OK Ron, then I have got roller reefing on my Catalina 350. No problems at all after one season.
Mat I think that we've established
that roller furling is not a necessity. It is an added expense and it is a convenience. Overall I like my roller furling. Even though a plastic insert broke and I must go up the mast and detach the forestay to replace the plastic insert with a new improved aluminum insert. The insert cost $25.00 but it would probably cost at least another $100 to have it installed. I'm hopeing that I can find a way to install it without going up the mast. BTW I have two headsails with the roller furling. It is fairly easy to change sails at the dock if I'm expecting windy conditions. But once the wind is up it would be harder to change sails on the RF.
that roller furling is not a necessity. It is an added expense and it is a convenience. Overall I like my roller furling. Even though a plastic insert broke and I must go up the mast and detach the forestay to replace the plastic insert with a new improved aluminum insert. The insert cost $25.00 but it would probably cost at least another $100 to have it installed. I'm hopeing that I can find a way to install it without going up the mast. BTW I have two headsails with the roller furling. It is fairly easy to change sails at the dock if I'm expecting windy conditions. But once the wind is up it would be harder to change sails on the RF.
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