What is wrong with this roller furler?
- Thread starter IASailor
- Start date
The furling line wraps around the drum, I assume? That is what I was thinking. There's no good way for the furling line to wind around this thing.
That looks like someone's "better idea". 
It looks like the prior owner just wrapped the sail around the forestay.
The bulldog clamps are an unconventional way of securing standing rigging on a small sailboat.
It looks like the prior owner just wrapped the sail around the forestay.
The bulldog clamps are an unconventional way of securing standing rigging on a small sailboat.
I’ve seen thousands of furlers, literally, and I’ve never seen anything like this home-made contraption. I don’t see how it could work. The forestay assembly assembly looks like an accident waiting to happen. You should replace hardware store forestay with something more conventional.
Judy B
Semi retired sailmaker
Judy B
Semi retired sailmaker
You say "it works fine," could you take a video showing how it works? I'm curious.
by that statement I mean that the sheets pull through the blocks and back to the cabin and the sail can catch the wind. The issue is that when I'm done using it, I have to walk up to the bow of the boat to manually furl it. That's why I would like to get a furling line installed.
After seeing the bottom of the furling tube, I thought someone had cut the tube with a blowtorch. Close inspection, it looks better than a cut. Maybe someone just stole the drum? Does anyone recognize this lower end of the tube that would have seated in the drum... somehow???
Does the sail slide into a groove on the furler, or attached with hanks through slots in the tube?
I'm gonna roll the dice and speculate that when the P.O. replaced the forestay with the 3 clamp job he found the drum wouldn't fit anymore so he removed it. The furling drum is simple and you can fabricobble something yourself. Search for PVC furling for examples. PVC Roller Furler
Roller furling it's very low load intended for 2 positions: all in or all out. Roller reefing operates in between and sees higher loads.
I get it. The boat is 50 miles away at the lake so that's all I have for pictures right now. I appreciate all the comments and the guesses!That's all any of us can do without more/better photos...
Id still be far more concerned about the integrity of the rig, as adversed to the ability to furl. That wire, and those 89cent clamps are all thats keeping the mast from coming to sit with you.
I can't process what I am seeing. It's a 15 foot boat -right? Couldn't you get a piece of stainless wire and make a cleaner install. How does the sail attach to the forestay? I can't see any evidence of a foil. Or is there wire sewn into the luff of the sail?
It's a really small jib on that fractional rig. You could easily handle it without a furler if you don't want to spend the money for one. You'd need about 15' of wire, 2 swages, a tack fitting, and a turnbuckle. These are examples for purpose of estimating expense not recommendations:
1)You could probably use the 1/8 inch at half the cost. ALPS WIRE ROPE 1 x 19 Stainless Wire, Type 316 Extra Corrosion-Resistant Stainless Steel | West Marine
2) Again the 1/8" would probably be fine at half the cost ( Size has to match wire). C.SHERMAN JOHNSON Tubular Turnbuckle Jaw/Swage | West Marine
3) Something like this to attach the forestay to. You have to check to make sure turnbuckle pin can pass thru the loop. Sailing Shackles, Snaps & Fittings | West Marine
4) You need a terminal for the wire to mast. That depends on the hardware on the mast. I'm guessing it's a tang. There are terminals for that.
5) You may need a pennant from the tack fitting to the tack of the sail. Or maybe the sail could be set lower on the forestay, which would probably be better.
The SBO store here could set you up.
It's a really small jib on that fractional rig. You could easily handle it without a furler if you don't want to spend the money for one. You'd need about 15' of wire, 2 swages, a tack fitting, and a turnbuckle. These are examples for purpose of estimating expense not recommendations:
1)You could probably use the 1/8 inch at half the cost. ALPS WIRE ROPE 1 x 19 Stainless Wire, Type 316 Extra Corrosion-Resistant Stainless Steel | West Marine
2) Again the 1/8" would probably be fine at half the cost ( Size has to match wire). C.SHERMAN JOHNSON Tubular Turnbuckle Jaw/Swage | West Marine
3) Something like this to attach the forestay to. You have to check to make sure turnbuckle pin can pass thru the loop. Sailing Shackles, Snaps & Fittings | West Marine
4) You need a terminal for the wire to mast. That depends on the hardware on the mast. I'm guessing it's a tang. There are terminals for that.
5) You may need a pennant from the tack fitting to the tack of the sail. Or maybe the sail could be set lower on the forestay, which would probably be better.
The SBO store here could set you up.