Now that I am in mast up storage I am looking to get a roller furler.Is the ball bearing upgrade($70) a common option for all you CDI owners? luckily, laying the extrusion in the sun for several days to straighten it should not be a problem, in So Cal...should push 80 today!
Lastly is the UV strip better than a sock on the RF? I have hanked on my jib for 4 years and looked with envy at the Macs with a RF. But after 4 years of towing, riging, launching, recovery, derigging it time.
CDI furler
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Captain Steve
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Steve K
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Hi Steve,
I have a couple opinions about the CDI furler.
1. Save a buck........ Get a can of McLube and spray the nylon bearing surface and backing washers first. This will make the furler run very smooth without the other bearing. If this doesn't prove to be good enough, you can always order the roller bearing later. It's a good idea to retreat the furling drum/bearing surface with McLube once per year. (not a bad idea to spray some on your mainsl slugs, or boltrope either).
McLube is great. I'd give my boat a bath in it once a year if I could afford a swimming pool full
(except, DON'T GET ANY ON DECK SURFACES......SLIPPERY
)
2. My UV cover on my Genoa was made of black sunbrella, to match my mainsl cover. It was pretty to have everything all color coordinated. However, this made the Genny way too heavy for a lot of light air sailing. I eventually removed the UV strip and things went WAY better on those very light air days that before. This is why I would lean towards a UV sock, rather than a UV strip, or anything that would add weight to the genoa.
JMHO
I have a couple opinions about the CDI furler.
1. Save a buck........ Get a can of McLube and spray the nylon bearing surface and backing washers first. This will make the furler run very smooth without the other bearing. If this doesn't prove to be good enough, you can always order the roller bearing later. It's a good idea to retreat the furling drum/bearing surface with McLube once per year. (not a bad idea to spray some on your mainsl slugs, or boltrope either).
McLube is great. I'd give my boat a bath in it once a year if I could afford a swimming pool full
(except, DON'T GET ANY ON DECK SURFACES......SLIPPERY
)2. My UV cover on my Genoa was made of black sunbrella, to match my mainsl cover. It was pretty to have everything all color coordinated. However, this made the Genny way too heavy for a lot of light air sailing. I eventually removed the UV strip and things went WAY better on those very light air days that before. This is why I would lean towards a UV sock, rather than a UV strip, or anything that would add weight to the genoa.
JMHO
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Sloop John B
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The factory option CDI comes with the nylon bearing. It works fine, and I dont know if the upgrade ball bearings would be worth it or not. Im going to take the McLube advice above and hope that it continues to operate smoothly
As for straightening out the furler, check the instructions. Bend it in the opposite direction.
I have the black factory option sunbrella sock. I preferred this for sailing performance as mentioned above. Some complained that it flapped like mad in a strong wind while youre trying to get some sleep. This can be mitigated by wrapping the genoa/jib sheets around the cover.
The only good argument I saw against the sock was by those fortunate enough to have the Mac slipped in their backyard. They want to pop out for a few hours and pop back in. The sock takes a few minutes to unzip and pull down, and then zip up and raise
Steve, I think its more difficult in the rigging department to have the CDI furler for day sailing. That is, if you travel to the ramp, rig, and then come in that same night. Thats what I was doing at first and tried to sell my CDI furler and switch to a couple hanked on sails. The only disadvantage was getting fooled by the weather report and hoisting the genoa to find yourself overpowered by strong winds. Instead of furling the genoa, you have to crawl up out of the front hatch and completely douse the thing. The hanked foresail, as long as its the correct size, is superior to the furled foresail.
If youre slipped or moored, parked mast up, or take cruises of any length, then the furler is handy to have. If you trailer out and back in the same day, Id stay with the hanked (and save a few bucks).
As for straightening out the furler, check the instructions. Bend it in the opposite direction.
I have the black factory option sunbrella sock. I preferred this for sailing performance as mentioned above. Some complained that it flapped like mad in a strong wind while youre trying to get some sleep. This can be mitigated by wrapping the genoa/jib sheets around the cover.
The only good argument I saw against the sock was by those fortunate enough to have the Mac slipped in their backyard. They want to pop out for a few hours and pop back in. The sock takes a few minutes to unzip and pull down, and then zip up and raise
Steve, I think its more difficult in the rigging department to have the CDI furler for day sailing. That is, if you travel to the ramp, rig, and then come in that same night. Thats what I was doing at first and tried to sell my CDI furler and switch to a couple hanked on sails. The only disadvantage was getting fooled by the weather report and hoisting the genoa to find yourself overpowered by strong winds. Instead of furling the genoa, you have to crawl up out of the front hatch and completely douse the thing. The hanked foresail, as long as its the correct size, is superior to the furled foresail.
If youre slipped or moored, parked mast up, or take cruises of any length, then the furler is handy to have. If you trailer out and back in the same day, Id stay with the hanked (and save a few bucks).
I am in the same position as Capt. Steve.
I am thinking of installing a RF. I trailer out but try to stay out at least one night, coming back the next day. I'm told the extra effort involved with a RF is not worth it, but I sail in variable winds and a Genoa, that I could reef quickly would be nice. I'm still learning and so is my wife, who steers while I'm up front dropping the sails and that can be scary stuff some times - my wife's steering, that is!
Some boat suppliers here are selling a RF that does NOT have a sleeve or call it what you will, that attaches to the stay. Instead, you still use the clips on the stay, and attach the jib to the RF and an optional piece of epuipment at the top. Pardon my language, like I said, I'm still learning and I don't have my books in front of me. I've seen one used on a much smaller sail boat, and it seemed to work ok. The advantage of a RF, but simply remove the jib when your finished. I don't know what effect it would have on the sail itself.
Does anyone know what I'm trying to describe? If so, any comments. They sell for about a quarter of the price of a CDI or Schaefer.
I am thinking of installing a RF. I trailer out but try to stay out at least one night, coming back the next day. I'm told the extra effort involved with a RF is not worth it, but I sail in variable winds and a Genoa, that I could reef quickly would be nice. I'm still learning and so is my wife, who steers while I'm up front dropping the sails and that can be scary stuff some times - my wife's steering, that is!
Some boat suppliers here are selling a RF that does NOT have a sleeve or call it what you will, that attaches to the stay. Instead, you still use the clips on the stay, and attach the jib to the RF and an optional piece of epuipment at the top. Pardon my language, like I said, I'm still learning and I don't have my books in front of me. I've seen one used on a much smaller sail boat, and it seemed to work ok. The advantage of a RF, but simply remove the jib when your finished. I don't know what effect it would have on the sail itself.
Does anyone know what I'm trying to describe? If so, any comments. They sell for about a quarter of the price of a CDI or Schaefer.
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They Theirs
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Captain Steve
Too bad you cannot try someones X boat with a CDI Furler? For the cost of a case of the beer and ice, maybe some lunch, you might find some realities with the CDI FF2 that make or break your decision to purchase and install. If your sails are ready for replacement, it is a good time for some soul searching regarding the performance and benefits roller furling can provide and surely before purchasing sails to best take advantage of reefing in the area youll be sailing.
Steve K
I like your choice to remove the UV cover to maintain some performance benefit for light air sailing. Ill keep the McLube in mind, as I used WD40 on my other Furlers duralon bearings in the swivel frequently to improve performance. I do not want something that builds up over time.
Sloop John B
I fully agree with your summation on the advantage of the Hanked on Sails and Stepping the Mast.
Crackles
Are you posting on a Wire Roller Furler from earlier times, one that cannot be reefed? Our other boat had a drifter on a wire we attached to the deck and hoisted with a halyard. It was a great sail for really light air below 4 knots boat speed only. A real light air benefit to keep you moving, no slating.
I like the sailing performance and Forestay benefits with hanked on sails for the Mac Trailer Sailor
Too bad you cannot try someones X boat with a CDI Furler? For the cost of a case of the beer and ice, maybe some lunch, you might find some realities with the CDI FF2 that make or break your decision to purchase and install. If your sails are ready for replacement, it is a good time for some soul searching regarding the performance and benefits roller furling can provide and surely before purchasing sails to best take advantage of reefing in the area youll be sailing.
Steve K
I like your choice to remove the UV cover to maintain some performance benefit for light air sailing. Ill keep the McLube in mind, as I used WD40 on my other Furlers duralon bearings in the swivel frequently to improve performance. I do not want something that builds up over time.
Sloop John B
I fully agree with your summation on the advantage of the Hanked on Sails and Stepping the Mast.
Crackles
Are you posting on a Wire Roller Furler from earlier times, one that cannot be reefed? Our other boat had a drifter on a wire we attached to the deck and hoisted with a halyard. It was a great sail for really light air below 4 knots boat speed only. A real light air benefit to keep you moving, no slating.
I like the sailing performance and Forestay benefits with hanked on sails for the Mac Trailer Sailor
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Captain Steve
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Frank C
Your hank-on Genoa needs modification, Steve. A sailmaker will remove the bronze hanks (he kept mine!), and then sew a special cloth tape all along the sail's luff. The No. 6 luff-tape has an embedded plastic bead that is correctly sized so it can slide into the slot along CDI's plastic foil. I recall it's about $5 per foot along the 25' luff.
hey guys, nice discussion. I'm wondering about a furler as well for the 26M. But I do put the mast up and down fairly regularly. I have the hank on 100% jib. Its good when the wind is "just right", but its too much in stronger breezes with the main up and reefed. Sailing with just the main reefed and no headsail means not enough boat speed to tack effectively. So, I reckon a smaller jib or a furler to handle the stronger breezes.
Does anyone have a reef in their hank on jib, or is it just best to go for a smaller jib (hank on or furled) ?
Craig
Does anyone have a reef in their hank on jib, or is it just best to go for a smaller jib (hank on or furled) ?
Craig
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They Theirs
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