DaySailer.org Forum

Greetings,

From some of the recent posts, I see a lot of us in the north are getting antsy. Its still -21 Celsius where I live, but I've nonetheless made a date with my sail maker in Southern Ontario for mid March.
Last summer, I had a knock down because I was carrying too much sail when the wind changed (for the worse). My lake has a very rocky and unpredictable shoreline and I'm singlehanding most of the time so putting into shore to get the jib down and reef the main was out of the question.
This year I'm considering a jib furler (for safety). Some of my sailing colleagues think I've turned into a nervous nellie.
My question for the collective is: Jib furler....Yes/No Recommendations on brands/price. I can order a simple (no ball bearings) outfit from a Canadian company for about $655 CAN + Tax.....is this reasonable.
Thanks for the help.

Marv (in still frozen Northern Ontario)

Marv:

I have a jib douser which kills the jib immediately, if that's what you're trying to do. (If you want to be able to reef the jib for different wind conditions, this won't work, so read no further...)

I have a line clipped to the jib halyard shackle. It runs down alongside the jib luff, and goes through a small block, which is shackled to the stemhead. It runs back through a cleat at the cuddy edge. It's loose when I run the jib up. When I want to douse the jib, such as in a windy and emergency situation, I uncleat the jib halyard and pull on the jib douser, and the thing comes screaming down immediately. I cleat the douser and the jib stays down out of the wind.

Carlos

Wow!

It feels good to post. Our DS-1 is tucked away in the barn.

Marv, rather than a furler (and all the attendant problems/cost) why don't you just rig a downhaul (downfarker). A 3/16"" line from the head of the jib, passed through a few hanks to the tack, thru a turning block on the bow, back through a fairlead on the cuddy. Elegant solution, and jib down in seconds in all conditions. The sail can then be stuffed beneath the tied-off downhaul on deck.

The DS really does not any more windage forward in a blow, my opinion, and a furler provides just that.

The money you save could be spent on a reefing system on your new main.

Has everybody serviced trailer bearings (not I, not yet, and must not forget)...

SadieB

Great minds think alike...but I like "downfarker" much better.

Carlos

Hey man...soon to be spring, I hope.

I was out in OR, Coos Bay, in late October. Fell in love with your part of the world. Can't really see running a DS across the bar tho...

Thanks for the low cost solutions.

They seem so obvious now, but a few hours ago I was ready to pony up $$$$.

This will also preserve peace in the realm since first mate is already a little huffy about the $500+ I just spent to have my custom upholstery guy make two new cushions with all the bells and whisltes (perhaps a mixed metaphor when we're talking cushions here). She has reminded me that the original $1,500 purchase price for my Day Sailer was supposed to be the highwater mark on the expenditure side of the leger.

Thanks again,
Marv (its still cold)

This is the jib roller furling system I have on my boat. Cost is around the $100 mark for both parts.

http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d273000/e270845.asp

You will need to add a cleat and line. This is a small furler, but for the DS it is perfect.

My DSII came with a Harken roller furler when I bought it. Another advantage I like about it is I don't have to hoist the jib. The jib is "hoisted" when I step my mast since it is attached to my forward stay. It is really nice to not have to use my motor to move away from the dock. Most of the time (when the wind cooperates) I can just unfurl the jib in a few seconds and sail away into the lake to put the main up. I also beach mine a fair amount and usually drop the main and sail into the cove under jib alone and furl it up when I get close and let the enertia take me on in. You don't have to worry about lines and sails getting tangled up as much on the bow either. Just my 2 cents.

Sean McGuire
1984 DSII "Iona"

I took a look at Roger's furler. That's a bargain. My douser works fine, but this is more elegant. Had I known, last year, that I could get one for $100 I probably would have. That's the way to go.

Carlos

Can someone describe to a new sailor how the sail and furler would be set up. My jib clips onto the forestay. Would the existing forestay be used in this system? How would the sail be hanked on? Would the sail need to be modified?

ktcdvm wrote:Can someone describe to a new sailor how the sail and furler would be set up. My jib clips onto the forestay. Would the existing forestay be used in this system? How would the sail be hanked on? Would the sail need to be modified?

The existing forestay will remain in place. The furler/drum will mount to the stem. The sail is modified with a wire (bolt rope) along the leading edge. (sail hanks are removed). The wire bolt rope is connected to the furler and the jib halyard. The jib halyard will have a u shaped strap allowing it to ride along the forestay. The tension of the halyard and wire hold the sail vertical. The sail can remain vertical even when not in use.

The sail is modified with the wire bolt rope, usually not to expensive at all. Also the sail should have a strip of UV resistent material (similar to a main sail cover) sewn along its rearward edge so that when it is furled it will protect the sail from the sun. This is recommended especially if the sail will remain on the boat exposed to the sun when not in use.


http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d273000/e270845.asp

If you use the enless line furler, I describe in earlier posts, then the sail requires minimal modification. The hanks are not used, so could be (but don't have to be) removed. Just don't hank them on to the forestay. The tack of the jib is attached in the aft hole of the stemhead. The head of the sail is hoisted with its typical halyard. The only difference is that between the stemhead and the tack of the sail, is the lower part of the roller furler, and at the top between the head of the sail and the jib halyard is the upper swivel.

Check this image out for the two items of equipment needed.

http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d273000/e270845.asp

Of course you will also need an endless line, a turning block at the aft end of your boat for the endless line, and a cleat to 'lock' the endless line in position, when the sail is furled.

The luff of my sail (and most sails) has a luff wire on the leading edge. This essentially provides the 'pivot' if you will, around which the furler wraps the sail.

The existing forestay continues to support the mast, but no longer is used to support the leading edge (luff) of the sail. Extremely rarely, a hank will clip itself on to the forestay, but this has only happened once or twice in the 23 years I have had my furler. I still like to use the hanks when I am racing, as I get a bit better sail shape.

The only other modification to the sail, is to add some sun protection along the foot and leech (trailing edge) so that when it is furled, the UV rays do not rot the Dacron.

Send me your e-mail at roger02 att mts dott net and I will show you a bunch of pictures which portray the setup better than these words can describe.

When using that link, which of the systems am I supposed to be looking at?

Is a roller system good if you trailer and step the mast everytime?

I appreciate your advice. I am taking this info and much more from this site to fix up the boat and make it more family friendly. Thanks to all.

on that link the system you are looking at is at the very bottom, and is called the RWO endless line dinghy furler parts number R2080 and R2090
http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d273000/e270845.asp