Trailering with a Roller Furler

Valentina · Oct 20, 2008

Hey, John.
I installed a CDI on Valentina 3 years ago and trailer it with no problem.
You can look at the pix on my website (that you probably have seen before).
I found a simple and cheap solution to a furler overhanging while trailering. All it takes is a stick3-4 foot long and a bungee cord. One of the pix shows it really nicely. I stick an existing table leg(or a poptop support) into a mast, bring a furler to it and bungee it up with several wraps, securing it on a bow. Easy and simple- never failed on me. I also have seen people buy a big pvc pipe and cut it in half longitudinally - looks kool. One other guy was using a piece of a vinyl gutter run. If you don't have a mast raising system yet- build one or buy - worth every penny if you plan on trailering and de-rigging every time. (It sure would be nice to keeping in the water rigged up and ready to go- at this point I can't afford mooring fees in Chicago, plus I really like a trailer-sailor option)
http://mac22.valentina.googlepages.cm
Cheers
V

oldiesrocker2001 · Oct 20, 2008

Stepping and unstepping with a furler

While I won't travel round-trip from Jersey to Florida, for example with the jib still on the furler, I don't have a problem with short hops like upstate NY or Pennsy. I found that if my jib was already hanked on to the furler(it has a sunbrella cover that makes it even heavier) I could save a lot of time leaving it on. No need to worry about the messenger line to the furler halyard or pre-loading the handling line for the drum(CDI furler).
When stepping the mast, I re-attach the bungee cord that would be shoulder height on the mast back to the furling foil whether or not the jib is attached. Of course, I had to take it off to free up the jib haylard that's used to help in stepping/unstepping. This requires you to free the bungee cord when the mast is upright and to attach it just before lowering while the mast is still held in place by whatever system you're using(I assume it isn't only brute force). Doing this prevents the drum from flailing about too much and catching on trailer, tires, guide posts, spare tire etc. though it may drag accross the deck a bit in the process. My boat is only a V21 but it still is much more labor-intensive to set up than my old O'day 17.
Hope this helps...

Capt. Kermie · Oct 21, 2008

Get a Schaefer for Trailering

It sounds to me after reading these posts that trailering justifies the need for a Schaefer Snapfurl roller furler. You can hank the luff tape up the luff foil after raisng the mast and attaching the forestay and furler drum.
I do minimal trailering, mostly slip, but I have the Snapfurl CF700 and I just put a PVC tube over the end sticking out the mast bottom. I put the sail on last when ready to go sailing because it uses the jib halyard to haul it up.

hodge3000 · Feb 17, 2009

I trailer my 92 26S fairly regularly with the roller furling bungeed to the posts that the safety lines attach to. With the furling secured along the side, the base of the furling sits flush to the base of the mast, and I once again bungee the base to the forward rail. 4 bungee cords and no need for extension boards or any other equipment. I find this system works great.

Beija Flor · Feb 19, 2009

When I brought Bossa Nova home, I had to bend the CDI furler into an "S" curve. It was a nuisance to handle, and more nuisance when I put up the mast - flopping all over the place.

I may have crossed the line between "inventive" and "crazy", but I built a furler-support tray from a split piece of 4-inch PVC pipe - with a couple of "snap-ons" made of 3" pipe, to hold it in place. I split the pipes so they were a little more than half-round, so they would actually "snap on" and hold to the mast - which is just exactly 3" diameter on the 26X.

The tray is a bit less than 7 feet long, to reach from just under my whisker-pole ring to the upper flange of the reel. (That reel is bigger than 4" diameter, so it doesn't fit in the tray; but it's well-supported from above.) It's big enough that I'll be able to lay the furled sail into the tray. (Photo 1)

The snap-ons are bolted on with countersunk flat screws against the mast, and acorn nuts inside the tray - then glued with G-Flex epoxy, because it's what I had handy and I felt too cheap to buy PVC cement. (Photo 2)

I also built a couple of small brackets to hold the luff in place along the mast. (Photo 3)

This still needs to be bungied to the mast, but it will keep the end of the furler from drooping and bouncing as you go down the road. I can snap it onto the mast when I lower it, before I take the base off the tabernacle, and it keeps the furler "tamed" while I drag the mast-butt up to the bow pulpit brackets. It sticks out about 3 feet in front of the pulpit, but that hasn't been a problem with opening the back hatch of my 4Runner.

Blake · Feb 19, 2009

I have the CDI furler, 150% genoa and a canvas cover for it. I have the Mac mast raising set up and can't imagine raising the mast without it. As is , I routinely raise & lower mast solo. The P.O. stored the furler in a manner similar to Hoodge3000, if I am understanding him correctly. Without disconnecting the forestay and furler, this method made for a hard bend in the furler luff. I sailed my boat the first season with a break in the luff near the top. In the off season I fashioned a splint out of aluminum plate, pop rivets, and 3M 5200. Next season I trailered with furler bungied to the mast, with no support for the overhanging 2 feet or so of furler and drum. By the end of the season, I had broken the luff extrusion again down there. The new extrusion cost over $200. I now support the overhang in a manner similar to Beija Flor. I use an 8' section of pvc rain gutter cut in half and doubled up to make a 4' support. After seeing Beija Flor's set up, I am going to add those mast clips to the bottom of the gutter - Great Idea!
As to raising the mast, I have been experimenting with 2 methods. The first I got off this site, probably from Valentina, allowing the furler to hang over the side while raising the mast with the gin pole set up. Sometimes it will snag on the lifelines, but it is a simple matter to tie off the mast raising system and unsnag it as needed. The other way is to run the furling line from the drum through the bow fairlead, and back to the cock pit. Then as you raise the mast you can also pull the furler forward. This worked particularly well when partially dropping the mast to clear a low bridge in an area that we sail often.
I never take the foresail off of the furler, except of course when I am repairing or replaceing the luff extrusion!

Doug J · Feb 19, 2009

My setup sounds like it's just like Blakes. I have a CDI on my 26S, I always leave it on, and I keep a sunbrella cover on it. I use my mast raising system with the baby stays in place, and raise and lower it by myself. Like Blake said, I use the furler line to pull the drum forward as I raise the mast.

I also use the vinyl rain gutter method, to support the overhang while trailering. I put the rain gutter over the top, to keep moisture from settling in it.

Blake · Feb 20, 2009

Ah ha! Now I remember who I stole the rain gutter idea from. Thanks Doug!

Chris & Lenore · Feb 20, 2009

I think I use an even easier method.
First, I secure the furler to the mast using the topping lift.
Not sure what knot style this is but you travel a couple feet and loop the line over itself - then go another couple feet and repeat. This firmly attaches it to the mast.

To support the 4 feet that projects over the pulpit I simply lash it to my boat hook using the furler line itself. Same knot style just working from the furler up to the mast and a few more feet up the mast.

Keeps everything solidly supported with no bungies, PVC, rain gutter etc - just the topping lift and boat hook.

You can "sort of" see it in this pic:

Chris

Robspan · Feb 20, 2009

This forum is great! My boat lives in a mast up yard so the only time I've trailered since I got it was to move it out of the path of Ike. I have a CDI furler and I unbolted the sail from the mast and then tied it along the length of the mast. It chafed off some of the UV fabric near the furler spool, plus I lost the bolt. The rain gutter/boat hook solution would have been much better, easier and quicker.

Blake · Feb 21, 2009

And no special equipment needed - well done! I am going to keep my rain gutter, but I like the idea of using the topping lift and furling line to secure the furler. These lines have to be coiled and secured anyway. Another good idea from Teliki, thanks Chris.

Doug J · Feb 24, 2009

Preparing shrouds and backstay for trailering

Blake, you mentioned coiling lines for trailering. I'm wondering how all of you handle securing the shrouds, backstay and all other lines for trailering.

The PO of my boat used bungee cords to just pull the slack, so I've been doing the same. I see other boats with cables coiled. I've always thought the method my PO used works better.

Let me try to decribe it. Once the mast is secured for trailering, the headsail furled and laying on the mast. I use three heavy bungee cords. One pulls the lower shrouds forward and is hooked to something on the mast, such as the reefing hook. A second is used in the same fashion for the upper shrouds, and the third is used for the backstay. There are no coils. I use about eight ball bungies to secure everything to the mast. I then wrap the sheets over the mast to help hold everything together. Everything is up off the deck, there's nothing to flop around.

When I'm ready to launch, I just undo all the bungies, and raise the mast.

I'd like to hear about other techniques used.

Here's a pic. It's hard to see the bungies, but I think you can see that there are no coils, nothing hanging, and the deck is clear.

Blake · Feb 24, 2009

Doug, your method looks very neat and clean. I will have to see if I can't duplicate it this spring. I have been coiling the stays and shrouds and running a bungie through the center of the coil and around the mast and headsail. Your way looks better to me!

Gregg9020 · Feb 24, 2009

I have a home made furler, and I travel more than 40 miles with mine everytine I go sailing. I use a TON of bungee cords. I have never had a problem. I am thinking about sewing a sock for travel, but haven;t found the time. I am heading out maybe in a week, I will see how it fares then, but so far, I have been lucky....knock on wood.

I have the fabric to peice together, I just don't have the time to sew. I have been lucky so far, and I am really only concerned over the long haul of storage. I take my sail off when I get home and have to re-rig ig it before I head out again... As long as I have a day ahead, I am packing the boat anyway, I just add that to my steps. Really no big deal...

Gregg

Roy Rasmussen · Mar 2, 2009

hodge3000 said:
I trailer my 92 26S fairly regularly with the roller furling bungeed to the posts that the safety lines attach to. With the furling secured along the side, the base of the furling sits flush to the base of the mast, and I once again bungee the base to the forward rail. 4 bungee cords and no need for extension boards or any other equipment. I find this system works great.

Unrelated question. I have a 92 Mac and do not know whether the furler is a FF1 orFF2. It came with the boat. My can needs to be replaced and am not able to order one unless I find out the model of furler. Can you help me???? What is yours? Am thanking you in advance for your kindness. Roy

Robspan · Mar 2, 2009

FF1 or 2

Roy Rasmussen said:
Unrelated question. I have a 92 Mac and do not know whether the furler is a FF1 orFF2. It came with the boat. My can needs to be replaced and am not able to order one unless I find out the model of furler. Can you help me???? What is yours? Am thanking you in advance for your kindness. Roy

I got my FF2 from Sail Warehouse about a year ago. The FF2 was the only CDI available for the 26C (D or S). The FF1 manual says that it's limited to headstays 21' or less. The headstay of the 26C is over 23' so it's very likely that you have an FF2.

Zenbio · Mar 5, 2009

I use an old Volleyball ball that has a hole cut in the top of it and puts the end of the roller furler in it so it wont scratch up the deck when I raise and lower the mast. Seems to work good.

oldiesrocker2001 · Mar 6, 2009

I use the bungee cords method to secure the furling foil to the mast and also have a chunk of 2X4 shoved into the base of the mast using the hinge bolt to secure it. this 2X4 goes just up to the drum of the cdi furler and I bungee it to the foil there to prevent flopping. This is done whether it's the beginning or end of the season with no headsail attached or even on a 4,000 mile round trip to Florida and back with the headsail attached(I have the protective sunbrella strip on the jib). When raising or lowering the mast, which takes too long by my estimation, I leave the bungee attaching the foil to the mast that is about shoulder height on the mast. While this may allow the drum to scratch the topsides a bit, it prevents it getting caught on the spare tire, trailer, or pulpit rails going in either direction and keeps the masthead attachment for the foil from twisting. :dance:

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