Installing and de-installing th Jib Furler

jaeger

New Member
I trailer my boat and of all the tasks that need to be done to setup and take down the rigging, the furler is taking me too long (in my opinion). I am hoping someone has worked out a better way.
After forestay is secured and with the Jib sheets still wrapped neatly from the last time I was out I:
1) unwind the furling line until there are only a few wraps remaining on the spool.
2) While balancing on the trailer I untie the jib sheets and pass them from hand to hand to unwrapped them without turning the furler
3)Run them throught the cleats etc....

Step 2 is the most annoying and time consuming, as is winding the sheets hand to hand to around the Jib when I am preparing for trailering.

Does everyone wrap the sheets around the jib? Shock cords? Velcro straps?
 
furler

Jeager, when I first got my furler, I did not like the way the cable inside the jib twisted before the swivel at the top would finally start turning. I thought about this and looked at other boats and they all had a profile(something round to roll the jib up on). I finally found out what I needed. I took a piece of small diameter plastic pipe the length of the jib cut a slot in it and slid the luff of the jib right into it(like sliding the mains'l into the mast track. This gives enough strength to the luff that the swivel turns immediately when furling and is super smooth rolling in and out because of the round pipe. I leave my jib rolled up on this pipe and took a piece of 2" pipe with an end cap on one end and a screwed plug on the other and slide the jib(with the pipe in it) up inside this pipe and put the plug in. This keeps the jib rolled up and protected and I just carry this pipe beside the mast when transporting it. I take my furling drum off and leave it set where it is and store it in my rigging bag. If I get a chance I will send you a photo of this. I had trouble with the last few rounds of the jib not wanting to unwind and having to yank on it or move up to the jib and unroll it by hand.
 
Kim,

I really like this idea. If you can't post the picture here, please send it along. Two questions:

1. What is the diameter of the plastic pipe you used?
2. Did the pipe solve your problem of the jib not unrolling and your having to yank on it or having to move up front to fully unwind it?

I'm not sure how I feel about the cable twising inside the jib. I had not even though about it until you pointed it out. Now, however, the idea is bothering me a bit.

I wonder if you could put a very small diameter pipe inside the jib, somehow secured, with the cable running inside of it. This is how many jibs work. Perhaps it would work with our jibs (unless of course there is insufficient room to fit it in there).

Paul
 

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