Roller Furling for a cape dory 27

[John Tsampas]

My Cape Dory 27 is currently rigged for hanked on sails. I am thinking of installing a roler reefing system this winter and I was wondering if anyone has any sugestions.
I realy love the way "AEOLUS" handels with the limited sail inventory she has,(a working jib and a 110 % small genny) its just so much work to get going and to put the sails away at the end of the day.
With the smaller working jib she handles well to windward, and tacking is a breeze. Storage of the sails is also a problem'
I am worried that i will not get the same performance from a roller furling system.

The questions I am asking are as follows:
1. can any one recomend a particular brand of roller furling system that works well with a CD27.
2. How well do these systems work as opposed to hanked on sails.
3. When reefed does the roller furling head sail do well
to windward.
4. Should the roller furling sail be a 165, 150 or smaller.
(so as not to over power the boat)

5. Whats the best way to run the lines aft for the roller furling.

Thank you in advance for your help.

[Bob Miller]

John - I had a Hyde Stream Stay roller furler when I bought the boat in '95. It was old and I didn't trust as the foil was the headstay. I couldn't tighten the rig as the bearings would be overtightened. I just (June) had my yard put on a new Shaefer 750 roller furler. It works great and I would recommend it highly. With installation,, it was about $ 1500. You will have to bring your genny to a sailmaker to convert the hanks to a luff rope and to install a sunscreen as well. I have a 150% genoa and that is more than enough sail. I am not too concerned with performance as I am with safety (hence a CD), but it handles ok when it is furled. The roller furler line is 1/4" Samson LS and it runs from the drum to the port cleat aft. I put on three of these Shaefer stanchion rollers to guide it. I believe that Shaefer sells a roller furler kit to control the roller furler line. Anyway, you won't be disappointed with the 750. Also, I am partial to Shaefer as all of the hardware on my boat is made by



millerfam5050@worldnet.att.net

[Warren Kaplan]

John,
Last week I just got my old "tired" roller furling system replaced. I put on a Furlex system (Made by Selden). I also got a brand new roller furling genny by Doyle sails and they installed the whole unit with the mast still stepped. Its expensive to do it that way but I sure as hell wasn't going up in a bosun's chair to install this in the rain.
The Furlex is one "impressive" piece of hardware. Very well made and the difference between furling a sail with this unit and furling with the old one is like the difference between "Chicken salad and Chicken s--t". If you're interested I can get you the exact size of the unit but on my CD27



Setsail 728@aol.com

[Neil Gordon]

>>can any one recomend a particular brand of roller furling system that works well with a CD27.<<

I have a CDI furler, which has been flawless for 4 years. There are no complaints from anyone I know who has one.

>>When reefed does the roller furling head sail do well to windward.<<

They lose their shape as they are reefed. It depends how much of the sail is rolled up. That may suggest going with a 150 rather than a 165. Talk to your sailmaker.

>>Whats the best way to run the lines aft for the roller furling.<<

Mine go alongside the cabin top, but you can lead them along the stancions, too. There's hardware made specifically. You need a cleat in/near the cockpit to secure the furling line.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



neil@nrgordon.com

[yves feder w1ux]

The questions I am asking are as follows:
1. can any one recomend a particular brand of roller furling system that works well with a CD27.

I had a very old SeaFurl on my CD27 when I got it last fall; worked but hard to operate. The newer stuff is lightyears ahead of the old in terms of bearings, construction and ease of operation. I opted for a Schaefer 1100 system and let me tell you it is SLICK. VERY easy to operate.

2. How well do these systems work as opposed to hanked on sails.

My earlier boats all had hanked on sails and I was very skeptical of furling systems when I got the CD27. I have since changed my mind!
I'm not a racer, but I do enjoy good performance; so perhaps I can't point 1 degree as high as a really well tuned hanked on sail but this is of no practical consequence.

Of course the sail cut is important. We have a new 140% done by O'Neill Sails in Waterford, CT (he just retired) and often in heavy air we sail with the genny "reefed". There are two colored tapes on the foot to set reefing points so we can sail either with a 90% and a 110% more or less.

I think the secret is in the drum mechanism and of course the rigidity of the forestay assembly, which in the case of the Schaefer 1100 (a bit of overkill for a CD27 but worth it I think) so there is an absolute minimum of twist when furling.

Dousing the heads'l in moderate to heavy airs is just a "breeze" and sure does save going for'd on the pitching deck to bring down the flogger!!!!

3. When reefed does the roller furling head sail do well
to windward.

Yes indeed, see above.

4. Should the roller furling sail be a 165, 150 or smaller.
(so as not to over power the boat)

In SE CT (Eastern LI Sound and Block Island Sound) I find the 140 to be excellent. Great light air sail. Depends on where you are!!! We do reef often when the air freshens but she sails very well.

5. Whats the best way to run the lines aft for the roller furling.

One line from the drum, led aft by good quality fairleads attached to the base of EACH stanchion on the port side (don't skimp and miss one!) and then to a hexaratchet block attached at the base of the forward stanchion of the stern pulpit, then to a cleat mounted outboard on the coaming. Easy to single hand!!!!!

Thank you in advance for your help.

A pleasure and enjoy the beautiful boat you have!

Yves
CD27 #4 "Alphee"



saltwater@tinyradio.com

[Jim Snyder]

My Cape Dory 27 is currently rigged for hanked on sails. I am thinking of installing a roler reefing system this winter and I was wondering if anyone has any sugestions.
I realy love the way "AEOLUS" handels with the limited sail inventory she has,(a working jib and a 110 % small genny) its just so much work to get going and to put the sails away at the end of the day.
With the smaller working jib she handles well to windward, and tacking is a breeze. Storage of the sails is also a problem'
I am worried that i will not get the same performance from a roller furling system.

The questions I am asking are as follows:
1. can any one recomend a particular brand of roller furling system that works well with a CD27.
2. How well do these systems work as opposed to hanked on sails.
3. When reefed does the roller furling head sail do well
to windward.
4. Should the roller furling sail be a 165, 150 or smaller.
(so as not to over power the boat)

5. Whats the best way to run the lines aft for the roller furling.

Thank you in advance for your help.

____________________________________________________________________
John,

My CD270, while not identical to the CD27, has some similarities. I bought her already equipped with a Furlex furler. I don't know what size the genoa is (maybe 140-150) nor can I compare the furler to hanked on sails on this boat. However, I am very satisfied with its performance. I had intended to equip my non-furling Pearson 30 with a Furlex but sold it before doing so. The furler has made my sailing so much easier.

Jim



snyderj@computer-connection.net

[Warren Moore]

My Cape Dory 27 is currently rigged for hanked on sails. I am thinking of installing a roler reefing system this winter and I was wondering if anyone has any sugestions.
I realy love the way "AEOLUS" handels with the limited sail inventory she has,(a working jib and a 110 % small genny) its just so much work to get going and to put the sails away at the end of the day.
With the smaller working jib she handles well to windward, and tacking is a breeze. Storage of the sails is also a problem'
I am worried that i will not get the same performance from a roller furling system.

The questions I am asking are as follows:
1. can any one recomend a particular brand of roller furling system that works well with a CD27.
2. How well do these systems work as opposed to hanked on sails.
3. When reefed does the roller furling head sail do well
to windward.
4. Should the roller furling sail be a 165, 150 or smaller.
(so as not to over power the boat)

5. Whats the best way to run the lines aft for the roller furling.

Thank you in advance for your help.

John,
Just a few thoughts to add to whats been said. I have a Harken furler and am very happy with it. Second, since you are happy with the 110 genny, you don't need to go much higher. I have a 135 on my CD28 I sail near you,Eastern Long Island, Peconic Bay. Most of the time winds are 15 knts and higher. My crew(wife) doesn't like it when we heel more than 15-20 degrees so more times than not I'm furled in with a wide choice of sizes from 135 down to 90 or less. Rarely do I wish I had a bigger genny. One word of caution, with any furling system you need to keep some tension on the furling line to keep the line from overriding itself and jamming the drum. This will be the only time you will wish you still had a hanked on genny.
Good Luck & Good Sailing
Warren Moore
CD 28 "Crisscross"



wmoore@peconic.net

[Jon]

John,

Roller headsails are great, but they tend to lose their shape if rolled part way (reefed). You can only realistically roll up about half the sail and still have a somewhat efficient sail shape. You can't roll a 170 down to a storm jib, but you can roll a 135 down to about a 90. Many sailmakers sew some foam into the luff of a roller headsail to minimize this effect, making the sail much more effective for reefing. I have new 135% Doyle Durasail (with foam) on my Harken HeliFoil, and it does seem to work. I love the furler and the sail. You can take a look at the sail at the link below.

Jon
s/v Sovereign
CD25 #625

[John Tsampas]

My Cape Dory 27 is currently rigged for hanked on sails. I am thinking of installing a roler reefing system this winter and I was wondering if anyone has any sugestions.
I realy love the way "AEOLUS" handels with the limited sail inventory she has,(a working jib and a 110 % small genny) its just so much work to get going and to put the sails away at the end of the day.
With the smaller working jib she handles well to windward, and tacking is a breeze. Storage of the sails is also a problem'
I am worried that i will not get the same performance from a roller furling system.

The questions I am asking are as follows:
1. can any one recomend a particular brand of roller furling system that works well with a CD27.
2. How well do these systems work as opposed to hanked on sails.
3. When reefed does the roller furling head sail do well
to windward.
4. Should the roller furling sail be a 165, 150 or smaller.
(so as not to over power the boat)

5. Whats the best way to run the lines aft for the roller furling.

Thank you in advance for your help.

I want to thank everybody for the wealth of information
you have offered. This is a great web site. Thanks again.