A Photo & Discussion Forum for Wharram Design Enthusiasts

Roller/Furler arrangement

I'm refurbishing my newly acquired Tiki 21. Currently it has a roller/furler arrangement for the jib: see photo below.

This has a drum and ss wire to the mast head. It acts as the fore stay. So I'm concerned that this is the only thing holding up the mast. I know this is often the case on a dingy, by is this ok on a Tiki 21?

I'd like to keep this arrangement, so what's the solution if it's not sensible as it is?

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Permalink Reply by Robert Sheridan on December 2, 2013 at 1:29pm

There is a firm called CDI who make a roller for small boats that is independent of the forestay.

The cheap back up is to keep a spare halyard cleated of to a forward beam so that if the forestay lets go the mast will still be held. A spinnaker halyard works best for this as it is in front of the forestay. On our boat we have a purchase from each of the bows which are joined and the spinnaker halyard attaches to it; it is not only very good for adjusting the angle of a cruising chute but provides a purchase for a controlled drop of the mast and is an effective emergency forestay.

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Permalink Reply by Andrés on December 2, 2013 at 1:58pm

I use two halyards, one for each bow.

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Permalink Reply by Ian Bamsey on December 3, 2013 at 4:24am

So I've read all these really useful comments and I think I know where I am now. As we did when borrowing the boat before I bought it, I'll start sailing with the existing roller backed up with spare halyards to the bows. Once the boat's back in the water and we've gained a bit more experience of the set up, I'll be looking at that Plastimo 406S. I'll need to save my pennies.

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Permalink Reply by Ann and Neville Clement on December 3, 2013 at 1:19pm

Do the ropes from bows to top of mast interfere with the jib or the spinnaker? Ann and Nev

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Permalink Reply by Ian Bamsey on December 3, 2013 at 2:48pm

We had the spinnaker halyard tied off on the bows. It wasn't a problem for the jib, and when down wind the tension was off the fore stay with the spinnaker was flying.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Sheridan on December 5, 2013 at 5:34am

I found it a problem on my hinemoa on broad reaches when I was using the genoa as I could not tie off right on the bow but to a cleat a couple of feet back. If I was going to be readching for a while I would move the halyard to the other side or tie it off by the mast foot.