Roller Furling for a CD30

[Steve Alarcon]

I have read the postings and responses on this web site many
times over the last year or so, and appreciate how experienced and
pragmatic all of the contributors are.
Our CD30 does not have roller furling, and I have been considering making the change. Would those of you who have recently done so
consider sharing some of your thoughts? Specifically, I am interested
in the following:

1)Why did you choose the manufacturer you chose over other manufacturers?
2)What size sail do you use with the roller furler?
3)Do you ever use the staysail when flying the genoa?
4)Does the staysail stay interfere with the gennie when tracking?
5)Does the furled head sail windage have a significant impact during stronger wind conditions when you have reduced sail?
6)Did you modify your boat to have twin head-stays?
7)What is the performance improvement, and is it sufficient to justfy the conversion?
8)Did changing to "new" technology vs. old (hanked on) styles on a classic boat like the Cape Dory weigh on your mind (like it does on mine)?

Thanks in advance for the information. Best regards and fair winds to all!

Steve Alarcon
CD30 Temerity
Seattle



alarcon@internetmci.com

[Craig Soucy]

I have a CD30C and am also considering adding a Roller Furler, but I am going to retain the Cutter Rig. I am looking at the ProFurl because their smaller units will accomodate the CD's 1/4 headstay, where as with other brands like Harken require moving up to a larger size to accomodate the 1/4 headstay. These smaller ProFurl units should be more that adequate to accomodate a yankee and are over $600 less expense. I would be very interested in feedback from other CD owners.

I have read the postings and responses on this web site many
times over the last year or so, and appreciate how experienced and
pragmatic all of the contributors are.
Our CD30 does not have roller furling, and I have been considering making the change. Would those of you who have recently done so
consider sharing some of your thoughts? Specifically, I am interested
in the following:

1)Why did you choose the manufacturer you chose over other manufacturers?
2)What size sail do you use with the roller furler?
3)Do you ever use the staysail when flying the genoa?
4)Does the staysail stay interfere with the gennie when tracking?
5)Does the furled head sail windage have a significant impact during stronger wind conditions when you have reduced sail?
6)Did you modify your boat to have twin head-stays?
7)What is the performance improvement, and is it sufficient to justfy the conversion?
8)Did changing to "new" technology vs. old (hanked on) styles on a classic boat like the Cape Dory weigh on your mind (like it does on mine)?

Thanks in advance for the information. Best regards and fair winds to all!

Steve Alarcon
CD30 Temerity
Seattle

11314.2024@compuserve.com

[Jon Larson]

Craig, the profurl is a fine unit, but one thing I'd suggest you watch is the size of the drum on the bottom. A friend has a profurl with a smaller drum than my Harken, and it's really one hell of a pull to roll her 110% genoa up on a windy day, indeed, she's installed another small winch to furl the sail. My larger Harken unit has a larger drum and therefore a little better mechanical advantage and the two of us agree that it's noticably easier to furl.

The profurl works, don't get me wrong, but it can be one hard pull. An easier pull is a good choice when sailing with a smaller crew or singlehanded.

Jon Larson
Cape Dory 30 PERI
San Francisco Bay

I have a CD30C and am also considering adding a Roller Furler, but I am going to retain the Cutter Rig. I am looking at the ProFurl because their smaller units will accomodate the CD's 1/4 headstay, where as with other brands like Harken require moving up to a larger size to accomodate the 1/4 headstay. These smaller ProFurl units should be more that adequate to accomodate a yankee and are over $600 less expense. I would be very interested in feedback from other CD owners.

I have read the postings and responses on this web site many
times over the last year or so, and appreciate how experienced and
pragmatic all of the contributors are.
Our CD30 does not have roller furling, and I have been considering making the change. Would those of you who have recently done so
consider sharing some of your thoughts? Specifically, I am interested
in the following:

1)Why did you choose the manufacturer you chose over other manufacturers?
2)What size sail do you use with the roller furler?
3)Do you ever use the staysail when flying the genoa?
4)Does the staysail stay interfere with the gennie when tracking?
5)Does the furled head sail windage have a significant impact during stronger wind conditions when you have reduced sail?
6)Did you modify your boat to have twin head-stays?
7)What is the performance improvement, and is it sufficient to justfy the conversion?
8)Did changing to "new" technology vs. old (hanked on) styles on a classic boat like the Cape Dory weigh on your mind (like it does on mine)?

Thanks in advance for the information. Best regards and fair winds to all!

Steve Alarcon
CD30 Temerity
Seattle

jon9@ix.netcom.com

[John]

I have read the postings and responses on this web site many
times over the last year or so, and appreciate how experienced and
pragmatic all of the contributors are.
Our CD30 does not have roller furling, and I have been considering making the change. Would those of you who have recently done so
consider sharing some of your thoughts? Specifically, I am interested
in the following:

1)Why did you choose the manufacturer you chose over other manufacturers?
2)What size sail do you use with the roller furler?
3)Do you ever use the staysail when flying the genoa?
4)Does the staysail stay interfere with the gennie when tracking?
5)Does the furled head sail windage have a significant impact during stronger wind conditions when you have reduced sail?
6)Did you modify your boat to have twin head-stays?
7)What is the performance improvement, and is it sufficient to justfy the conversion?
8)Did changing to "new" technology vs. old (hanked on) styles on a classic boat like the Cape Dory weigh on your mind (like it does on mine)?

Thanks in advance for the information. Best regards and fair winds to all!

Steve Alarcon
CD30 Temerity
Seattle

Steve, here's my opinion for what its worth to you. We have a CD 30 cutter with Hood's "LD" ( line drive ) system on both the staysail and a genoa. These systems are great, no trouble ever in the past 8 years since installed. No winches necessary, they furl with one hand its so easy. If they are heavily loaded then obviously more effort is required. I highly recommend the system except for one problem and that was the painted finish on the furling drum started peelig after about two years use in salt conditions. I think they now have a much more durable finish on the newer units. It does require that the furling line be spliced end for end so that it is a continuous loop of line. I think this approach to the furling line is what makes this system so easy to use. Your effort on the drum remains consistent unlike a spooling type.

[Jon Larson]

John,

I suspect the larger diameter of your hood units contribute a lot to the ease of furling. PERI's original Hood furler was on the boat from new (1981) and was only replaced last year, speaks well for that product, I think.

I am curious as to how your roller furling is set up on your staysail. Do you still have the self tending boom? Do you need to really tension up the staysail stay to ease the roller furling? Etc. Any comments on that would be well appreciated.

Jon Larson
Cape Dory 30 PERI
San Francisco Bay

Steve, here's my opinion for what its worth to you. We have a CD 30 cutter with Hood's "LD" ( line drive ) system on both the staysail and a genoa. These systems are great, no trouble ever in the past 8 years since installed. No winches necessary, they furl with one hand its so easy. If they are heavily loaded then obviously more effort is required. I highly recommend the system except for one problem and that was the painted finish on the furling drum started peelig after about two years use in salt conditions. I think they now have a much more durable finish on the newer units. It does require that the furling line be spliced end for end so that it is a continuous loop of line. I think this approach to the furling line is what makes this system so easy to use. Your effort on the drum remains consistent unlike a spooling type.

jon9@ix.netcom.com

[John]

John,

I suspect the larger diameter of your hood units contribute a lot to the ease of furling. PERI's original Hood furler was on the boat from new (1981) and was only replaced last year, speaks well for that product, I think.

I am curious as to how your roller furling is set up on your staysail. Do you still have the self tending boom? Do you need to really tension up the staysail stay to ease the roller furling? Etc. Any comments on that would be well appreciated.

Jon Larson
Cape Dory 30 PERI
San Francisco Bay

Steve, here's my opinion for what its worth to you. We have a CD 30 cutter with Hood's "LD" ( line drive ) system on both the staysail and a genoa. These systems are great, no trouble ever in the past 8 years since installed. No winches necessary, they furl with one hand its so easy. If they are heavily loaded then obviously more effort is required. I highly recommend the system except for one problem and that was the painted finish on the furling drum started peelig after about two years use in salt conditions. I think they now have a much more durable finish on the newer units. It does require that the furling line be spliced end for end so that it is a continuous loop of line. I think this approach to the furling line is what makes this system so easy to use. Your effort on the drum remains consistent unlike a spooling type.

Jon,
I no longer use the clubfoot, have switched to a sheet as depicted in the Harken rigging guide. The furling works great as I said. No complaints whatsoever. It was somewhat complicated with the clubfoot. I recall it being a challenge getting things right when the rigger and I first installed the furling. The outhaul/tensioner was the difficulty. I'm reluctant to give you a description of the old setup as I may misrepresent some details that I don't recall clearly. It did however work without any difficulty. I would have to go to storage and drag out the old clubfoot to refresh my memory. Sorry.
Also I don't believe the Hood LD furling drums are any larger in diameter than any other drums. The point I'm making is that the furling line is only running on the largest diameter of the drum throughout the furling process. Other furlers have you utilizing a small diameter drum in the beginning and progressing to a larger diameter as the line wraps build on the drum thus the usual resistance when first furling and the easier it becomes as the line fills the spool. Hood LD has all the advantage here, its a large diameter in the beginning of the furling process and remains that way throughout the procedure. Another point that I think is important is that the upper swivel on any furling system should have the halyard lead in at about a 45 degree angle off the mast via a turning block located slightly higher than the swivel. This is far better than a halyard descending straight down from the masthead parallel to the stay,it will prevent halyard wraps when furling.