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Folks, I've been considering the installation of a Harken 477 under deck roller furler for the jib. I've assembled a mock-up, fit it in the boat, and determined I'll loose approx 4.5" of jib foot. Plus, I'll loose horizontal battens in the jib. Plus the furler costs approx $800.00 with hardware. Is it worth it for the convenience of rolling up the jib? What are your thoughts?

My sailmaker thinks the kite will breath better in light air without the jib, so it's a good idea to have some way to get it out of the way. A furler obviously accomplishes this very nicely.

Check the rules about the forestay attachment point distance aft of the stem. If you're ok there, then you can move the mast back a bit to regain some jib area.

Roller furling jibs can have vertical battens, and RBS makes some battens that can be furled- they're profiled like a tape measure, and snap straight but can roll pretty tightly.

What's the smallest continuous line, above deck furler? Seems that would be the better compromise of function and aesthetics...

Edit: see the RWO unit at the bottom of this link:
http://www.apsltd.com/c-1070-smallboatf ... stems.aspx

Chad,

Your reply has led me to more brainstorming. Thanks! I'm not quite certain how to mount the RWO furler to the stem. I'll contemplate for awhile and keep you posted.

It just attaches to a tang, like a regular headstay would. The two holes in the pic are guides for the lines, not fastener holes.

Like the price too!

Ohh! OK, I still think I'll brainstorm. I was trying to keep the control lines under the deck for cleanliness and simplicity. I may revert to just a tang on the stem with a control line leading from the head of the jib down to the stem and aft. This line (what ever it's called) will allow me to pull the jib to the deck without going forward. I'm trying to keep thing simple for when my girls are on the boat. Simple means less shouting (a good thing).

Yeah, a string to pull it down is how mine will be set up.

I ran across a pic of a Swiss boat a couple months ago- it had a snazzy prod guide, but it also had a furler with lines lead below deck through perfect little guide tubes. I'll go look for it in the morning- I think I posted it here in a thread about prods...
Edit: here it is:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=91#p1442

I'm definately going with the string idea, less weight forward, less money out of my pocket!

...I'd think the need for a furler is reduced the more your spinn pole can rotate

I've been using a downhaul line for the jib. 1/8" line works just fine, a block up forward, a fairlead halfway back and a cam cleat. Simple and easy. If the sheets are centered the jib stays out of the water.

micah202 wrote:...I'd think the need for a furler is reduced the more your spinn pole can rotate

Can't rotate much when it's light though- pretty sure this boat will need to do angles downwind...

Sailed on a boat that ran asyms off an oversized pole. The sailmaker sold the boat a staysail and insisted we use it in any reaching conditions. We ended up calling the staysail the Hoover, since it sucked the kite in and made it not fly.

You don't have to go to Switzerland to have cool through deck tubes. These aren't for a furler but are instead for an adjustable forestay and jib cunningham. Both are lead back to the cockpit sides. They are SS tubing with a .25" inside diameter. I plan to add a drip catcher on the inside that drains into my prod outer sleeve if needed. Right now I'll take all the water that can get through those holes as a blessing of awesome sailing conditions.

On a light day I have a jib pull down line if needed. It's a 29mm carbo that I hook into the snap shackle and couple of fairlead next to the cabin. No cleat because gravity keeps it down and a well placed stopper knot takes care of it when the jib is up.

Kevin.

I am planning on using the pull down line too, but I am considering using a furler for the spin. Watching those AC45s furl and unfurl those spins on tacks looks nice. Any concievable problems?

Chad: think that RWO furler would work?

Chris

No, I don't think it will work well to furl a downwind sail on an i550.
--too much weight on the end of the pole.
--too much luff curvature in any sail except maybe a code zero, unless you go with a top-down jobbie with a torsion line ($).
--a bunch of the furled snake would need to be on the foredeck going upwind, then wrapped around the shrouds, then laying underfoot in the cockpit, just a mess.
--your sailmaker will shoot you.
--chicks won't like the mess you've made with the end of your prod.
--it takes an extra person to jibe the kite- one to furl/unfurl, one to ease and trim the sheet.

The RWO furler is on the edge of being too small for the jib, but I suspect it would handle the loads of the kite easily if you ignore all the above reasons not to use it!

Well there you go! Thanks!