Roller furling: where do I start?

Tally Ho · Jun 30, 2023

Hopefully others, with more experience with furlers will weigh in…but yes, the first thing you will need to determine is the length of your forestay. Probably need to know the size of the wire too, since the foils have to slider over the wire. I assume you have a halyard for raising the sail? You will also need to rig a furling line from the bow back to the cockpit. They usually run on a few blocks mounted on the stanchions to guide it back to the cockpit.

Best if you could find one off a Catalina 27…or maybe look at other C27’s and see what make/model of furler they are using.

I am not sure how hard it is to find a furler and the foils (in good shape).

Good luck.

Greg

JBP-PA · Jul 1, 2023

If you find a used one that is a little too long, you can cut it down to size. If you find one that is a little too short, you will have to find additional extrusion sections which can be difficult if the furler is old.

jssailem · Jul 1, 2023

I sold my used Pro-Furler online. Fellow was rebuilding a Pearson. He needed to cut the extrusion to fit his boat.

Inspect the drum and its bearings, shuttle, upper bearings and condition of the upper stop if the brand uses a stop. Check the angle needed to keep the halyard from wrapping the extrusion when furling the sail.

KCofKC · Jul 3, 2023

There is more to a furler than just the furler. Most likely you will also have to make an adjustment to each headsail by installing a luff tape, $3-5 a foot of luff length. Also most likely a halyard anti-wrap device about $45 then drop the mast to install it all. The furler new can cost from about $700 for a CDI, to about $900-1100 for a plastic Harken, about $1500 for an aluminum Schaeffer. So depending on if your putting it on yourself for paying to have it done it can get expensive. You also have the expense of the take up like, fairleads and cleat about another $250. Used furlers are a gamble, more so than a used car. Why do you think they changed it out if looking for a used one. If your paying for labor and lift time it is a fools errand to try and make a used one fit, it will cost more in time than if you installed a new CDI which is not a real good one in the first place. Good luck what ever direction you go.

Tally Ho · Jul 4, 2023

xavpil said:
C.D.I. makes it feel like you don’t even need to drop the mast…
I’ll do a quick search on C.D.I. users feedback
Very informative. Thanks!!

I think CDI uses an “internal “ halyard, meaning you done need a dedicated jib halyard in the mast.

That is the way my old CDI is set up.

Greg

Tally Ho · Jul 5, 2023

xavpil said:
this is what I understood
are you happy with yours?
how was the installation process?

It was on the boat when I bought it 9 years ago. Nice that it doesn’t require a dedicated halyard, but tightening the sail can be difficult. I raise my sail onto the foil using the internal wire halyard. Then I use a piece of dyneema tied at the tack, and it tightens the sail down to the furling drum. It works for me, but others have commented on how hard it is to tighten the sail.

I sail my O’Day 322 in all sorts of wind…many times jib only in heavy winds…

Her she is with all canvas up in 16 knots…

Another day with just my jib…

Greg

Roller furling: where do I start?

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SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John

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