Do you need a dedicated kite to furl, or can an conventional one be adapted? Any suggested vendors?

I have two conventional kites for the Tornado and hear good things about furlers.

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John

Nacra 5.0
CT
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I think what you are describing would be a “hooter” or “code zero.” They have a much straighter and tighter luff than a spinnaker, more like an oversized jib. The luff needs to be straight and tight to allow furling.

sm

Dogboy

I think what you are describing would be a “hooter” or “code zero.” They have a much straighter and tighter luff than a spinnaker, more like an oversized jib. The luff needs to be straight and tight to allow furling.

sm

No, there are furling spinnakers too:

https://www.thebeachcats.…ms/viewtopic/topic/17060

(I don't know the answer to the question)



Edited by Andinista on Apr 27, 2019 - 04:32 PM.

I'm pretty sure the spin would have to be designed specifically for furling, I doubt a standard beachcat spin would work without modification, if that's even possible.

I have a Harken small boat furler for sale, but you'd have to determine if it was large enough for your application.

~~ I have a Hobie 17 with a ''super jib''... about 25% past the mast. You have to put a bar between both hulls at the bow because of pressure. It still does a hell of a job when ya wanna go somewhere fast. (Sorry I don't have a pict) ~~~

--
~ Vietnam Vet 69-71~ 17 Hobie w/big jib, ~18 Hobie mag,~DN Ice sailor,
and other toys.......
~~ I live in NY state on the north shore of Oneida lake in
Bernhards Bay. ~~~~~~
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What you’re looking for is called a top down Furler. I had the chance to use one on Mac’s SuperCat 20. It worked great on a normal catamaran kite. It really lessened the horse power required to pull the same kite out in and out of the snuffer. Once hoisted it could really deploy with the kite quickly around the A mark as well. Furlingthe kite it was pretty easy and quick as well. As for the downsides of it though you still had the hoist the kite up and down, otherwise you have quite a bit a drag hanging out front. The workload wasn’t too bad but it still took time. Lowering the whole system going up though was kind of awkward. You had to lower everything into the deck of the boat. At the end of the day there’s a good reason that it’s used on big boats with crew, but in my opinion is not something that belongs on a racing small catamaran like a tornado or F18. The furled kite take up a lot of space on the deck. And it’s not something that is too easily secured. While hoisting and lowering could be done in stages, the entire process was not faster than using the snuffer.

--
Greenville SC

Offering sails and other go fast parts for A-class catamarans
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Thanks Bach, that's very informative.

It was my boat that Bach was referring to. The top down furler was nice for cruising and may be the ticket for the larger spins on some of the bigger boats. I started out with a custom SNU snuffer that i had made with extra girth in the bag and was like 12ft long! It was still really hard to get in and out of the bag. Here's a video of me testing it after I set it up the first time. Keep in mind there was hardly any wind. I went with the Selden furler.

https://youtu.be/6SY-hGtA9dI

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Mac
Midlands South Carolina
AHPC Viper USA 366
A Cat USA 366
Super Cat 17
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1. "I had the chance to use one on Mac’s SuperCat 20"

Did his system have a dyneema tortion line the spinnaker furled around?

2. "(Sorry I don't have a pic)"

I think my image is my H17 w/super jib.

For a H17/Bimare F18HT and other single sail boats I've always thought a roller furled Code 0 would be optimal for cruising as the Code 0 lets you go upwind in a whisper of air and is easy to manage in a blow for the fun factor (this coming from my F25C experience)

Thanks James - H17/F25C

Hey Mac,
What kind of blocks are you using on your forward cross bars to furl that spinnaker? My continuous line is routed around the mast and yours need not be....much easier to remove without lowering the mast ....

Will you provide some photos of that sometime....thanks!

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Bill 404 21SE
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i've sailed on cats with a code zero
the furler was raised and lowered when needed
it was fun but not fast compared to snuffing and dousing
as mentioned above it required crew to manage and deckspace for storage - this boat had a custom front tramp that was perfect for stroreing it

it was not intended for racing

jlooby- I'm not sure what the torsion line was made of, pretty large diameter. Got it from Seldon with the furler.

Bill- I believe this is the block that was used. The whole system was easily put on/off.
I took it all off (sail and all) at the end of the day and stored in a baghttp://www.seldenmast.com…0/__item_405-001-40.html

I'll check and see what i have picture wise.

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Mac
Midlands South Carolina
AHPC Viper USA 366
A Cat USA 366
Super Cat 17
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I use a furling Code 0 on my Stiletto 27. It has completely changed the way the boat works especially in light air.

I use the Selden CX-10 line furler and the PBB 50 twin can fiddle block all sold as a set with the Code 0 by Brian Hancock at Great Circle Sails in Marblehead, MA (shameless plug). I hope he buys some advertising from Damon!

Brad
Jacksonville, FL
Stiletto 27 on a 2 year plan



Edited by bradinjax on May 02, 2019 - 04:53 PM.

Hey Mac,

Does the continuous line used for your furling system need to me spliced after it is ran through these blocks?

Or do they disassemble to allow the use of a continuous line?

Thanks, Bill

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Bill 404 21SE
--

bill40421SE

Hey Mac,

Does the continuous line used for your furling system need to me spliced after it is ran through these blocks?

Or do they disassemble to allow the use of a continuous line?

Thanks, Bill

I dis-assembled the block to thread the continuous line. Took about 10 mins.

Another question Mac,

Do you have an block mounted on your rear cross bar for this setup?

And what block did you chose?

Thanks, Bill

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Bill 404 21SE
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Yes. I used a 40 or 55mm turning block and simply lashed to the tramp i believe. There's really no load on the line so it didn't need any strength.

I haven't been able to turn up any pictures if the system. Will post if I do

--
Mac
Midlands South Carolina
AHPC Viper USA 366
A Cat USA 366
Super Cat 17
--

Thanks Mac,

I have that system now on my 21SE and it works flawlessly. Now I can easily remove my continuous furling line with the mast still up.

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Bill 404 21SE
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I have a top down roller furling spin on my Supercat 15 and I had to set it up so that I could remove the spin system without dropping the mast. My boat also has a self-tacking jib, and Supercats set them up with a compression or spinnaker pole that is about even with the decks. I cut a hole in the port side of the tramp for the endless furling line and added an extra grommet to the rear lacing strip so that I could hook the turning block into it with a karabiner.

I mounted a Selden fairlead under the beam on the port side, so the furling line doesn't twist.

https://us.binnacle.com/p10989/Selden-Quick-Release-Double-Fairlead-Stanchion-Mount-480-501-01/product_info.

I was one of the first people to get the TDF system and I'm not super sold on it. When I got the lower furling drum, it was like $1100. They have come down quite a bit, but they are still expensive.

The torsion strap was expensive, too but makes the whole system work. You have to have it really tight in order to furl and that changes the tension of my rig. I found that I sailed better with it furled and the pressure off of the halyard. When I go to deploy it, I have to tug on the halyard a little, but that is pretty easy.

Also, It is a lot of windage. Your upwind angle will change if you keep the sail up and furled. In a buoys race, it was more convenient to keep it up, but in a distance race, I drop it to the deck and use velcro straps to secure it to the foot straps.

If you capsize? Forgettaboutit. You have to furl the sail if it is out AND drop it. You'll never get the boat over with it furled and raised.

I believe the sail itself isn't any different, so you could use a snuffing spinnaker. However, I think the head, clew and tack patches need to be reinforced.

I am able to sail windward with my new spinnaker so I am OK with whatever windage I encounter when it is furled. The range this works in is huge.

This sail works more like a rocket jib.

There is no comparison to my old Prosail spinnaker from '89 with that ugly Salem cigarette logo.

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Bill 404 21SE
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