SJ23 Tech Tip F10, (Updated 2022-07-02) Stan Franklin, Ralph Fuchs, Alan Weld, Randy Cook & Bob Schimmel. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Roller Furling for Panache. |
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The reliability of a jib furling system on a pocket cruiser is beneficial for a
solo sailor since reducing sail area quickly from the safety of the
cockpit is your safety valve. It eliminates a trip to a pitching foredeck that can
require a fair degree of balance in steep waves. Then there is the
issue of leaving the tiller while the boat does squirrelly things all on its own. For a trailerable sailboat the easy collapsibility (for lack of a better word) of the standing rigging is important when the mast comes down at the end of a season. I have seen many an expensive aluminum foil get kinked or bent while stepping the mast with little to no damage while sailing. Damage can also occur during road travel, which is usually due to inadequate support for the foil & drum. The simple task of lashing a support pole to the mast or removing the drum escapes some people! The damage is sometimes impossible to repair and requires expensive replacement. While I'm not trying to talk you out of installing a furling system, failures associated with component weakness or corroded bearings are two of the reasons why die hard sailors of the 1970s, including yours truly, stayed with a hank on jib and a down haul line. Thankfully flexible furlers are dependable today due to improved foils and drums to prevent salt water corrosion and Torlon ball bearings to make it turn easy. The advantages of a well installed flexible system are; ease and speed of use, less fatigue, dependability, fewer bagged sails cluttering the cabin and a drier cabin since you are not hauling wet sails inside. I am not going back to hanked sails. Read Tech Tip F10a, "How to keep your furling system alive" before you install your new system. You can glean some really good tips from Brion Toss. VARIOUS FURLERS TO CONSIDER FOR AN SJ23 - The difficulties of designing a strong furling system that can be shipped easily have been solved. Two techniques have evolved; sectional aluminum extrusions that are screwed together for installation or a flexible vinyl extrusion that is rolled in a coil for shipping and cut to length for installation. Hence the term flexible furler. The furlers shown in this Tech Tip are operational on various SJ23s. See Tech Tip H02 for rigging specifications to assist you in choosing a furler. TOP HARKEN 00AL - This sectional furler (shown at right) has the following features;
The entire system can be removed from the forestay but it would be a lot of work. (Harken furling 101) "The roller furling on Sail Boar is a Harken 00AL. It has a flexible two track foil and the furling drum is a split design that can be removed for trailering or racing. This frees up the full length of the forestay to attach the largest jib possible. I purchased the Harken 00 from the North Sails, Vancouver loft for approximately $1000 CA, (1996). Dave Miller at North Sails also removed the extra roundness of my 135 genoa and installed UV protection along the leech and foot for about $250. The loft needs the forestay length of the furling system to modify the sail. The installation of the furling gear is fairly routine since the system uses the existing forestay and turnbuckle. While Harken says, "It should not be necessary to install a halyard restrainer at the masthead," they are wrong. This is essential, unless you enjoy running up the mast to clear a wrap! The Harken 00AL works very well for single-handed sailing. The furling control line is fed back along a lifeline to the cockpit. My converted 135% genoa still has reasonable shape when partially furled. On Dave Miller's advice, I also converted a "Blade" as a heavy weather sail but so far have not hoisted it. From my experience the Harken system is built first class and virtually bullet proof." Stan Franklin. PREVENT a HALYARD WRAP - A wrap can be a real nuisance when you can't undo it, leading to forestay failure in a worst case scenario. Take every precaution you can to prevent one. "The extra block installed on the mast for the halyard is a modification I made after the Harken 00AL roller furling was installed. The jib halyard (green tracer) and the forestay through the furling foil were almost parallel to each other. The forestay (pulled away from mast for visibility) is attached just above the green halyard. Because they were almost parallel, there was a risk of wrapping the halyard around the forestay when operating the furling system. It never actually happened but came pretty close a few times. The solution was to add the block on the mast and run the halyard through it, thereby increasing the angle between the head stay and the halyard." Ralph Fuchs. TOP
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CDI FF2 - In 2012 I helped install a CDI FF2 flexible furling system on a friend's MacGregor and was impressed with the robust simplicity of the hardware. Especially the one piece tough vinyl foil that has incredibly high torque properties. This was my first time to install a flexible furler. Once assembled it was easy to push the drum and foil up to adjust the turnbuckle. Overall this is a very clever design that fully incorporates the kiss principle. I've since seen this system installed on other sailboats, all operating with no problem. The hardware can be removed from the forestay. It comes with a life time warranty. Bob Schimmel. - "One of the sailors at a local club on Wabamun Lake contacted North Sails in the Spring of 1997 about installing a Harken 00 system on his MacGregor 26. This time Dave Miller recommended the roller furling system made by Cruising Design Inc. (CDI). Boat Journal apparently rated it #1 among flexible furlers for trailerable sailboats. The unit was installed on the MacGregor 26 without any problem over the existing forestay. The foil has a single track and the drum cannot be removed for racing. The components have a lifetime warranty to the original owner. The cost in 1997 from North Sails in Vancouver was about $850.00 Ca. The Cruising Design system is somewhat less expensive than the Harken unit and according to Dave, more reliable." Stan Franklin. - "I love my FF2 and have had no problems with it. However, it is not rated for my 150% jib and if I had to do it over again, I would buy the FF4, the next size up. Also, buy the model equipped with the synthetic bearings to turn easier under load. Mine is very smooth and operates well when the wind pipes up." Alan Weld. The Cruising Design Inc. web site shows a good explanation of the hardware for all four models. Their specs will guide you to the model FF2 that fits the SJ23 with a 29' 3" forestay. For assistance 1(844) 379-2407 or info@sailcdi.com.
The drum can be slid up the foil to expose the turnbuckle for adjusting. Once adjusted, the head stay tension is set by the backstay adjuster. See Tech Tip F09. TOP
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HOOD SEAFLEX FURLER - Incorporating all the experience and quality of HOOD Yacht Systems, the SEA FLEX flexible furler is created with the needs of a pocket cruiser in mind.
The drum can be released from the furler housing and the side of the housing removed to expose the turnbuckle for adjusting. Once the turnbuckle is adjusted to the correct mast rake the head stay tension is set by the back stay. See Tech Tip F09.
"I acquired this system with the
purchase of my boat. After I replaced the missing components all
is working well with the boat on the trailer. The 150% genoa rolls
up nicely. Once the boat refurbish is
complete I'll report my on the water experience here." Randy
Cook.
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SELDEN / FURLEX 50S FURLER - Perfect choice for a sailor wanting a compact, low height furling and reefing system. This is the only manufacturer to supply a complete kit of the following: a new forestay wire e/w STA-LOK terminal, halyard lead, stanchion block, pre-feeder and furling control line with the furler. Everything included. Here's how to install it and measure it.
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ALADO
- Another good sectional furler for an SJ23. It has lifetime
warranty, double sheaves for twin sails, double integral halyard
sheaves, dual interlocking aluminum foils for aerodynamic profile and
optimum torsion strength, polypropylene bushings, no swivel under
tension to jam eliminating halyard wrap, open drum. Furling drum,
sheave boxes & luff feeder are made from aluminum. The aluminum
foils rotate on bearings around the forestay, keeping it centered and
straight.
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PANACHE
INSTALLATION (2018-04) - "I had
no intention of installing a furling system but I'll admit that I was getting
tired of the "panic" trips to the foredeck to douse a jib. Then in Fall of 2017
I was offered a
Schaefer Snapfurl CF-500 furler for a
price I just
couldn't turn down.
It was fun but sometimes frustrating to work out the bugs. All the hardware is now working just fine, thanks to advice from friends who own a furler. I learned lots. For more details read each section that follows." Bob
SCHAEFER SNAPFURL CF-500 - An excellent USA built flexible furler with a flexible foil designed specifically for stepping the mast of a trailerable sailboat. This is perfect if you frequently step the mast as it is easy to store and less prone to damage while doing this job. It comes with a 5 year warranty to the original owner. (Keep your receipt). The vinyl foil extrusion halves are coiled and shipped in a (36x36x5)" box with the associated hardware tucked inside. Keep that in mind for shipping. The two foil halves, fore and aft, snap together over a 1/8" to 3/16" diameter forestay. The swivel and drum are equipped with Torlon bearings. The swivel slides to the top of the foil to hoist the jib and tension the luff. The drum is equipped with a retaining clip and a locking strap to keep the turnbuckle toggle extended out the bottom for "pinning" the forestay to the deck. This is a clever design that allows a person to push the torque tube down to guide the turnbuckle into place over the chain plate, saving time by keeping parts attached. Once the forestay is on, the drum can be slid up the foil by loosening 4 captive 5/32" Allen screws on the sail feeder and the two screws on the bottom locking strap you see at right. Sliding the drum up over the foil exposes the turnbuckle so the tension can be adjusted. Once the turnbuckle is adjusted with the correct mast rake it is lock wired and the head stay tension is set by the back stay. This is why I installed a back stay adjuster on Panache. See Tech Tip F09. To remove the drum and swivel for winter storage loosen the 4 Allen screws and slide both off the bottom of the foil. For road travel and storage secure the foil with enough straps along the mast to prevent drooping and support the protruding end of the foil. The alternative is to support the torque tube with a (2x4)" or ski pole.
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A NEW FORESTAY YOU SAY - When you read the installation manual of any of these flexible furlers you'll discover all of them recommend replacing the forestay if it is even slightly suspect OR more than 4 years old. Selden goes so far as to supply a new forestay! All of them recommend using an open turnbuckle that is locked with SS wire since a roller furler has been known to unscrew a barrel turnbuckle that was locked. "Nasty that would be." An open turnbuckle sheds water & debris where a barrel turnbuckle can trap both. I have no access to a rigging shop to swage a new 1/8" forestay so I upgraded to 5/32" wire: 316 left hand lay SS, terminal a STA-LOK eye at the top and a STA-LOK 5/16" turnbuckle stud at the bottom. 5/32" wire is more robust than 1/8," has less stretch and a STA-LOK termination has the option of field repair.
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ASSEMBLE
FURLER - "Prior to installing a CF-500 furler on Panache in Spring
2018, the system was
assembled and tested on a new 5/32" forestay stretched between two trees.
Its a lot easier working horizontal on the ground than vertical on the boat!
Besides, the lake was still frozen.
It took two of us to snap the foil halves together, one to guide the
curled extrusions and the other to snap them together. As curled as the extrusions were
out of the shipping box, its
amazing they snapped together to form a fairly straight foil that
rotated easily on the forestay. To "help
it" acquire a new memory of being straight
I left the assembled foil to bake in the sun for several days, stretched between those two trees.
The 2' end section that didn't want to straighten was "persuaded" to do so with a
heat gun. The top of the foil
terminates about 2" from the end of the new forestay. The
halyard restrainer was installed on the front of the mast, level with
the top of the foil.
PIN THE FORESTAY UNDER THE LOW FURLING DRUM - After a few frustrating times pinning Panache's forestay while stepping the mast I needed a solution for the drum that is installed low to the deck. The Schaefer manual shows a sideways pin installation that would work well for a low drum installation but offers no suggestion for a fore aft pin configuration as on an SJ23. While some sailors like a low drum for a deck sweeper jib, this sailor prefers ease of access to the stem plate to confirm a secure pin. 1 PIN - The first problem is that the turnbuckle toggle didn't stick out far enough to easily insert the pin. The toggle must stick out reasonably well to work quickly on the ramp. It's why I fabricated the 3/4" spacer shown at right to push the drum up to expose more of the toggle. I also fabricated a new turnbuckle retaining clip (see red arrow above) that has a longer reach up to the mounting screws. This clip holds the drum down so the jib can be tensioned without pulling the foil up. Sounds confusing doesn't it? 2 RING - The second problem is that it is really difficult to twist the ring through the aft pointed pin since it is difficult to see under the low drum with my hands in the way. "Last I checked, these parts roll real easy on the parking lot, never to be seen again!" It doesn't help that the SJ23 tack horns block access! I'm hesitant to remove the horns because I use them to attach the jib sleeve zipper pull line to.
The following season I replaced the pin with a standard (1.5 x 5/16)" bolt pointed downhill. The extra nut and stack of washers are there to fill the space along the clear shank. They are glued together with Marine Goop so I don't mess with a bunch of loose washers at launch time. The threaded end of the bolt was bevelled so it slips easily through the stem & toggle holes without damaging the thread. A hole was drilled across the end of the bolt to accept the locking ring. It is now easier to slip the ring through the hole. CONCLUSION - Inserting the spacer and fabricating a new turnbuckle retaining clip saved me the effort of having to shorten the forestay foil and possibly the genoa (Argh, neither of these are gonna happen any time soon). Had I known about this problem before I fabricated the new forestay and cut the foil to fit, I would have included an extension. The trials and tribulations of installing new hardware on my own with a boat on the hard 15 KMs away from home."
Another thought was to fabricate a 2" extension
on top of the stem
plate using two 1/8" thick flat
bars (shown at left) or a 2" long
eye to jaw toggle (shroud extender). The top of either extension could fit inside the 3/8"
jaw of the turnbuckle toggle.
The bonus of an eye to jaw toggle is that the top pin
could go
athwart ship, as shown in the manual, making the job of pinning the
forestay easier.
The bottom bolt would stay permanent and the
top
would be removable. This is still a viable solution for others so I'll leave it
here as food for thought.
TOP
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FURLING CONTROL LINE - All furling systems use similar hardware for the furling control line. The idea is to have as little friction in the system as possible.
Cockpit - At mid cockpit I installed a tiny Harken 16MM ball bearing block
on the toe rail to keep the line low and prevent a tripping hazard. To maintain a tight
roll of the jib I installed a Ronstan RF42100 automatic ratchet block on the
bottom of the pushpit
leg. A
ratchet block works in much the same fashion as holding a line
wrapped around a winch, it maintains tension. The ratchet is automatically enabled in
proportion to line load and the force required to enable the ratchet is
adjustable at the swivel. It took very little time to adjust to this
feature and produces a neater wrap than a free spinning block. |
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HOW to REPLACE a DAMAGED FORESTAY (REPAIR 101) - Just suppose your forestay develops a problem and the foil can't be removed. Now what do you do? Its always good to have a plan for this prior to installing a furling system.
NOTE - I have done this job on another sailboat and it was
extremely difficult to install the bottom STA-LOK termination due to the
short protruding wire beyond the bottom foil. My hands cramped up trying to hold the strands in place while screwing on the threaded stud. Seriously, consider removing at least the
drum and torque tube plus maybe a bottom section of foil prior to attempting this
job. It may seem like overkill but it is the best way to guarantee a correct
installation.
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CONVERT the
FACTORY JIB to FURLING -
See Tech Tip F10b.
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REMOVABLE INNER STAY (Food for Thought 2)
- While not a go fast gadget, a storm sail set on a removable inner stay,
instead of a deeply reefed roller furling jib or a storm jib slipped over
a furled jib, can keep you going in rough weather by maintaining a more
balanced sail plan. See Tech Tip F36 for more
information.
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USEFUL REFERENCE LINKS
Screw-on Rigging Terminals |
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