I have a guy selling a Hobie 18 jib furling rig and I want to know how hard it would be to make this work for my Prindle 18?
What are the differences and what do I need to look at changing?
Also the Hobie 18 jib comes with it how does it compare in size and shape to the Prindle 18 jib?
Would it be best to just have a new forstay made with a thimble that can hook to a chainplate on the furler drum rather than the prindle forstay?
Does the top swivel go below the upper forstay or above?
One say the Prindle furler kit from Murrays it looks like they shorten the upper forestay to make up the difference in the furler swivel and drum. is it a big deal to keep the same one and shorten the lower forestay if I am making a custom one anyway?
It looks like this one is left on the mast with the jib furled around it when the mast is taken down is normal or the best way to do this?
I'm sure I'll think of more questions but that;s good for now.
-- Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association 1982Prindle 18 1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook. --
You will need different bridal wires. The ends need a clevis
so you can pin them to the furler. On my p16 with h18 furler, the furler bridals are shorter. You might get away with using the h18 bridals though. The h18 jib has a zipper
and it is raised and lowered on the forestay with a halyard.
The p16 is the same.
edited by: pknapp66, Jul 29, 2010 - 08:18 PM
-- Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20 --
If you look at the Hobie furler, it requires specific bridal wires, if you can get your hands on these bridle wires makes things a whole lot easier and cheaper. I opted for the Harken furler, it connected to my chainplate. All I had to do was measure my old forestay, then I measured new jib + furler + swivel and ordered a pigtail from murrays to make up the difference. Presto, roller furling jib. Check it out at http://www.thebeachcats.c…447&g2_imageViewsIndex=1
In my setup, the bell shackle was too big to fit through the Harken furler, and I did not want to downsize on the shackle due to the tremendous stress placed on this area. So I just went that route. If you have the hardware, then try with the chainplate on top of furler, makes no difference.
Not crazy about furlers as added cost and people tend to leave them furled in the sun too long--burning the sail, unless an extra piece of material is sown to leech or last furled part which again adds to cost. Pete
It kind of defeats the whole idea of the chainplate though. You can no longer adjust rake.
I wouldn't worry about over stressing the bow shackle. My Nacra 5.7 comes stock with shackles that use 1/4" pins. The holes in the Harken furler are sized for 1/4" pins, that is what is used on Cats up to 6 meters (20 feet).
You will tear the 6 or 8 rivets out that hold the mast hound before a 1/4" pin will fail.
-- Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap --
My boat does not live on the beach so the furler would be for camping sailing weekends leaving the boat rigged on the beach. For storing on the trailer I would either drop the jib and stow it or make some sort of cover for it. I hate manually furling it especially if there is any wind involved while doing it. Besides I was only looking because this was a used setup from a hobie 18 so I was hoping it would be easy to make work but it sounds like it might involve more than I want to do to make it work.
Let me know if you ever come across any P18s that have the Murrays Prindle furling kit on it. I might be interested If it's cheap enough.
edited by: Quarath, Aug 03, 2010 - 01:53 PM
-- Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association 1982Prindle 18 1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook. --
how much is he asking for the setup? If the bridals will work it really won't take much to make it work. I use a jib
sock when I leave mine out. Takes like a minute to run it up
with the main halyard. I love the convenience of being able to furl as I approach the beach.
-- Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20 --
What do you use as a sock? That may be way cheaper than having a sailmaker sew something on. Do you have a photo of it & how it works.
Thanks
edited by: Edchris177, Aug 03, 2010 - 05:20 PM
-- Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap --
I bought mine from a guy on ebay. Got lucky and bought it
for $40. It just zips on as you raise it by the main halyard. See the link for one at Murrays. Decent picture so
you can get the basic idea.
He was asking $125 for entire assembly. Forstay, top swivel, lower drum, and H18 jib.(blue with window) maybe even the bridles. Not sure if I could use anything but the drum and swivel but if it's in decent shape I could probably sell the Jib for the $125. He wasn't interested in selling me just the furler attachments it was all or nothing.
-- Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association 1982Prindle 18 1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook. --
Can't go wrong at that price. the drum assembly usually goes
for $100 used. the swivel is not cheap either. Another thought. Does your jib have the short battens like the p16?
If so you will have to remove them to fully furl the jib.
-- Pete Knapp
Schodack landing,NY
Goodall Viper,AHPC Viper,Nacra I20 --
I just installed a brand new assembly including jib on my Nacra 5.8na. I bought a jib with a UV strip so I did not require a snorkle cover. I got the whole thing from a dealer through Murrays and it cost me a grand. Well worth it.
Challenges...
1) I had to send the forestay back because it was too long
2) It took a while to get the geometry right.
3) I had to change the line in the Harken drum.
4) The swivel needed lubrication to get it to work right, I'd reccomend a sealed bearing version.
I'd say getting the geometry right is your bigggest challenge.
He was asking $125 for entire assembly. Forstay, top swivel, lower drum, and H18 jib.(blue with window) maybe even the bridles. Not sure if I could use anything but the drum and swivel but if it's in decent shape I could probably sell the Jib for the $125. He wasn't interested in selling me just the furler attachments it was all or nothing.
Note that a custom kit at Murrays is north of $350 plus a snorkle for the sail is another $100. A jib with UV strip is north of $600. So if you can retrofit this is a deal.
Lawrencer2003: Yes I agree it's a deal if it's not too difficult to get it all working ok. No way I'd ever be able to sink a grand into it so something like this is my chance.
pknapp66: Yes it has the mini battens or one at least the other is missing anyway and I intended to remove the other. they are so small I can't see them making much difference at all in my sailing as I don't race in anything other than casual fun stuff. I was gonna remove it whether I put a furler on it or not as I quite often manually furl it on the beach anyway.
-- Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association 1982Prindle 18 1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook. --
When you get this all figured out please take pictures and write up a parts list for the conversion. Would be a good addition to the Beachcats Technical album.
Those little jib battens may not seem to do much, but I find they do quite a bit to keep the leech from flogging. I removed mine one day, & in heavier air the leech tended to flap a bit. Put them back in & the flogging stopped. Granted mine is an original sail for the 5.7, (though it seems in very good shape, no tears) maybe newer ones are stiffer, different geometry.
It probably doesn't make much difference speed wise, I don't have a GPS to try and experiment with any accuracy.
-- Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap --
Damon I will if I actually end up getting it. My vehicles keep breaking down and I can't spend the money on anything fun till I can get at least one working.
-- Dustin Finlinson • Magna, UT
Member: Utah Sailing Association 1982Prindle 18 1986 Hobie 17
1982 Prindle 16
1980 Prindle 16(mostly)
1976 Prindle 16(mostly)
Check out "Prindle Sailors" on Facebook. --