Re: Furlers (Barton vs Harken vs CDI)

The Costas (uffda@sonic.net)
Thu, 13 May 1999 08:02:51 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
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Rye wrote:

The CDI unit is the Cadillac of the group with a nice tubular luff =
arrangement that seems to maintain decent sail shape during the reefing =
process. I suspect that this one is preferred by the racing and =
efficiency minded members of the group.=20

I have not heard anything about the Harken units on the List and =
wonder if anybody has had any direct experience with them.=20

All

=20

I owned a Capri 14.2 that had almost as much sail area in its =
standard lapper as a P-15 has total. That large sail was hooked up to =
one of the little Harken units. I owned that boat a year and a half and =
sailed the heck out of it. During that time the Harken performed =
perfectly with one exception; sometimes I forgot to prewind the spool =
and then when I pulled the halyard the sail would only half-furl. =
Mechanically these are very sound units when used properly.

As to the CDI being used by "racing and efficiency minded members of =
the group", I just wish Jerry would install one on Sunshine. It would =
be nice to out point him! My experience, sailing against boats so =
equipped, is that as long as the sail isn't furled the boat performs =
normally, but the second they are reefed the captain looses about 5 =
degrees when going into the wind. =20

You forgot the cheapest furler, a down haul. mine cost about $6 to =
install and (as long as I take normal precautions) works flawlessly. I =
read a string earlier about how downhauls don't work and was confused by =
the problems encountered. All that I could come up with is that they =
are not being set up properly. =20

The equipment must included: =20

Brass snap hanks on the jib. The plastic "twist on" type don't work =
and will jam. =20

1/8" (or metric) line. If you try to shove a 1/4 inch line through =
those tiny hanks they are just going to jam. And yes, the line should =
go through the hanks. I tried to run it outside and ended up with it =
wrapped around the forestay. Don't worry about that tiny line, it =
doesn't carry much of a load and is plenty strong.

Block (not a ring or what ever) mounted on the bow, this halyard =
needs to run free and clear.

Cleat on the cabin top (where you can reach it). It is very =
important to haul back on the downhaul and cleat it tight after raising =
the jib, if you don't it could end up wrapped around the stay.

Does this system work? I have been using it for around four years =
now and have never (when I follow the above) had a failure. Besides, if =
it does fail the worse that can happen is a sail that won't come down. =
releasing the sheets and heading into the wind usually clears things up. =
If a reefer-fuller fails you could end up with the mast in the cockpit =
(not likely, but with those hidden parts it could happen). Besides, =
when sailing against the big Js (Jerry and Judy) I need every degree of =
point I can squeeze out of Happy Camper.

OTOH, if you are a "cruiser", I think the CDI unit would be perfect. =
What a joy to not have to go forward when the wind pipes up.

Larry

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Rye wrote:

The CDI unit is the Cadillac of the group with a nice tubular = luff=20 arrangement that seems to maintain decent sail shape during the = reefing=20 process.  I suspect that this one is preferred by the racing = and=20 efficiency minded members of the group.=20

I have not heard anything about the Harken units on the List = and=20 wonder if anybody has had any direct experience with = them.=20

All

 

I owned a Capri 14.2 = that had=20 almost as much sail area in its standard lapper as a P-15 has = total. =20 That large sail was hooked up to one of the little Harken = units.  I=20 owned that boat a year and a half and sailed the heck out of = it. =20 During that time the Harken performed perfectly with one exception;=20 sometimes I forgot to prewind the spool and then when I pulled the = halyard=20 the sail would only half-furl.  Mechanically these are very = sound units=20 when used properly.

As to the CDI being = used by=20 "racing and efficiency minded members of the group",  = I just=20 wish Jerry would install one on Sunshine.  It would be nice to = out=20 point him!  My experience, sailing against boats so equipped, = is that=20 as long as the sail isn't furled the boat performs normally, but the = second=20 they are reefed the captain looses about 5 degrees when going into = the=20 wind. 

You forgot the cheapest furler, a = down=20 haul.  mine cost about $6 to install and (as long as I take = normal=20 precautions) works flawlessly.  I read a string earlier about = how=20 downhauls don't work and was confused by the problems = encountered.  All=20 that I could come up with is that they are not being set up = properly. =20

The equipment must included:  =

Brass snap hanks on the jib.  = The plastic=20 "twist on" type don't work and will jam. 

1/8" (or metric) line.  If = you try to=20 shove a 1/4 inch line through those tiny hanks they are just going = to=20 jam.  And yes, the line should go through the hanks.  I = tried to=20 run it outside and ended up with it wrapped around the = forestay.  Don't=20 worry about that tiny line, it doesn't carry much of a load and is = plenty=20 strong.

Block (not a ring or what ever) = mounted on the=20 bow, this halyard needs to run free and clear.

Cleat on the cabin top (where you can = reach=20 it).  It is very important to haul back on the downhaul and = cleat it=20 tight after raising the jib, if you don't it could end up wrapped = around the=20 stay.

Does this system = work?  I have=20 been using it for around four years now and have never (when I = follow the=20 above) had a failure.  Besides, if it does fail the worse that = can=20 happen is a sail that won't come down.  releasing the sheets = and=20 heading into the wind usually clears things up.  If a = reefer-fuller=20 fails you could end up with the mast in the cockpit (not likely, but = with=20 those hidden parts it could happen).  Besides, when sailing = against the=20 big Js (Jerry and Judy) I need every degree of point I can squeeze = out of=20 Happy Camper.

OTOH, if you are a "cruiser", I think the CDI = unit would be=20 perfect.  What a joy to not have to go forward when the wind = pipes=20 up.

Larry

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