Continuous Line Furler on Tiki 21

[Ian Bamsey]

I'm considering one of these on my Tiki 21. 

http://www.ronstan.co.uk/marine5/product.asp?ProdNo=RS006000

It would solve a bunch of problems with the existing furler drum filling or tangling. I'm just not sure this is right and have little experience.

Comments and advice would be most appreciated.

Ian

[sailorjoy]

Hi Ian,

This is a good product. I´ve only experience with gennaker and code zero but I think it also works with headsails.

It´s a very good price and have a high workingload. But it´s only for furling not for reefing.

If I want to have a furling headsail I would buy such a furler.

Jan

[Ian Bamsey]

Thanks for the comments here. I guess the point is therefore about reefing. My current setup is only a furler, so it's no different. I cannot currently reef the headsail, only the main. To change this I need a new head sail.

My sailing is southwest UK coastal cruising, perhaps a channel crossing. How much of a problem do Tiki 21 sailors think not being able to reef the head sail is?

[sailorjoy]

I find it necessary to reef the headsail in stormy conditions because with the headsail it is easier to tack.                          You didn´t need a new headsail you can install a reef in your old sail. But you can´t furl it when it is reefed.

Talk about this with your sailmaker.

Jan

[Roger]

Hi Ian,

I looked into these too. They are designed for flying sails with a wire luff (genneker, screecher, stay sail). It was no good for me because I was looking for a cheap asymmetric furler (no wire luff). Jib furlers are so expensive, that my budget solution is to run a downhaul line from the peak of the sail, to the tack, and back to the mast, so that I can quickly douse the sail and keep it down, without going forward.

Roger

[sailorjoy]

Hi Roger,

This is a cheap, traditional and easy solution working since 500 years. A real " Wharramstyle"!

Jan

[Ian Bamsey]

Thanks Roger, helpful stuff. My foresail has a steel wire sewn into the luff. Currently I have a drum at the bottom, and the swivel at the top. It works OK, but the line can easily run off the drum and snag, or in a blow, the sail is so tightly wound in that you run out of turns before it is full away. I cannot reef the current system (or I've not really tried in a blow).

I think this Ronstan system would work ok for me. The continuous line removes one problem an the captive line shouldn't snag. I will need to remove the thimble at each end of the current wire and have terminals swagged on that will fit the 6mm fork in new furler and swivel.

Ian

P.S. I'm back in the water on the weekend!

[sailorjoy]

Hi Ian,

Why removing the thimble? Try to fix the thimble with a shackle on the fork.

Jan

[Ian Bamsey]

The would be ok, but it would give about a half turn of slack, which is a bit ugly.

sailorjoy said:

Hi Ian,

Why removing the thimble? Try to fix the thimble with a shackle on the fork.

Jan

[sailorjoy]

You can use twisted shackles.

[Éric Bouvéron]

Roger said:

Hi Ian,

I looked into these too. They are designed for flying sails with a wire luff (genneker, screecher, stay sail). It was no good for me because I was looking for a cheap asymmetric furler (no wire luff). Jib furlers are so expensive, that my budget solution is to run a downhaul line from the peak of the sail, to the tack, and back to the mast, so that I can quickly douse the sail and keep it down, without going forward.

Roger

Roger,
I do not perfectly understand your rig. May you explain again please?
Thanks, Éric

[Maxim Jurgens]

 I would not fuff around using a code zero furler as a head sail reefer . It was not intended for the job and is unlikely to work satisfactorily . If you could lay your hand on a set of foils you could possibly convert the furler  in to a reefer but with a Plastimo 406 proper head sail furler costing just 270 ,- GBP there is probably little point in doing so .

We had one on our Hitia 24  and I never had any problem with it . Excellent value for money .

Maxim Jurgens 

Siam Sailing, Phuket