Tired of lugging a heavy genoa up the companionway? Had enough of flaking big sails? The time to upgrade your sailboat to a roller furling system is now. Roller furling systems have made managing headsails easier for about 30 years. If your boat has never had a furling system, or if the furler installed needs replacement, there are more choices available than ever and the products are all efficient. Whatever sailboat you own, there’s a roller furling system that will simplify your sailing.
- What Type of Sailboat Do You Have?
- Structural, Flying Sail, or Top-Down Furler?
- Measurements You Need to Know
- Removable Drum for Racing?
- Accessories
- FAQs
What Type of Sailboat Do You Have?
Our friend’s Catalina 350 had a Schaefer furling system for the headsail and in-mast furling for the mainsail. The owner, who was in his eighties, regularly daysailed with non-sailor passengers. Just pull a couple of lines to douse both sails.
Dinghy, beach cat, or small sportboat: Small boat furlers mount on the headstay of a sportboat or the jib’s luff wire on a dinghy or beach catamaran. Most sportboats, such as an Ultimate 20, use a separate halyard and a jib that zips over the headstay.
Trailer sailer: For trailerable cruising boats, we generally recommend furlers with a flexible extrusion. If you frequently raise and lower the mast, a flexible furler is easier to store and less prone to damage than a rigid aluminum extrusion. That said, many trailer-sailer owners use rigid aluminum furlers successfully — it is not an absolute rule. Consult with your local rigger for a recommendation specific to your boat and how you use it.
Larger boat stored in a slip: Larger sailboats have a wider range of choices because they operate with a bigger variety of headsails. The rest of this guide covers the decisions facing owners of larger boats.
Structural, Flying Sail, or Top-Down Furler?
Headstay-mounted structural foil furlers
The oldest and most common type. Structural furlers control your jib or genoa and are installed over the boat’s headstay. A single furling line rolls the sail onto the headfoil extrusion mounted over the headstay wire. You can furl the sail completely or partially reef it to reduce area. These are the standard choice for any boat where the headsail is the primary working sail for upwind and reaching sailing.
Flying sail furlers
Flying sail furling systems offer simplicity, convenience, and improved performance for cruisers as well as racers. While offshore cruising sailors must prepare for storm conditions, most cruising consists of light winds where motoring is tempting. Flying sails and their associated furling systems help you sail more, motor less, and can pay for themselves in reduced fuel costs.
This Ultimate 20 has a Harken 436 Small Boat Furler. Nobody has to go on deck to handle either the jib or the retracting bowsprit for our blue asymmetric spinnaker.
Types of sails: Flying sail furlers are designed for light and heavy flying asymmetrical sails on headings between a close reach and a broad reach. Light sail examples: gennaker, code zero, screacher, light genoa. Heavy sail examples: solent, reacher, staysail, storm jib.
Can I sail with my flying sail partially furled?
No. Flying sail furlers are designed for use with the sail fully deployed. You cannot reef or partially furl a code zero or other flying sail — it is an all-or-nothing system using a continuous-loop furling line.
What is the anti-twist “Torque” rope and where do I get it?
Flying sail furlers require a torsion or anti-twist cable in the luff of the sail to transmit the furling torque from the head drum down to the tack. We sell furler cable in two diameters, allowing you to make it yourself or work with your sailmaker. You can also contact our experts at West Marine Rigging Service to have this fabricated.
Can I use my current sail with a flying sail furler?
Yes, but a sailmaker must integrate the anti-twist cable into the luff of the sail. The exception is top-down furlers (see below), which generally do not require sail modification.
Top-down furlers
The latest development in flying sail technology. Top-down furling systems fit downwind sails with a soft luff and full midsection. Furling begins at the head of the sail and works downward (hence the name “top-down furler”). Only the head of the sail attaches to the torsion rope; the rest of the sail is independent from the furler, and the tack connects to a floating ring on the lower drum that remains stationary while the drum turns. The sail deploys easily and rapidly without crew leaving the cockpit.
Top-down furlers generally do not require any modification to your existing sail, which is a significant advantage. A bowsprit is often useful to increase the gap between the furler and the headstay, but the furler can also be attached directly to the bow depending on the boat. Ronstan offers top-down versions of their Gen 2 Flying Sail Furlers. Karver makes this style in their KSF top-down furler line.
Measurements You Need to Know
To select the correct furler, know your headstay diameter (wire or rod), overall headstay length (pin-to-pin measurement), and clevis pin diameter. Most manufacturers publish sizing charts that cross-reference these measurements to their furler models — the headstay length determines which furler unit or section count you need, and the wire diameter determines compatible terminals.
Replace your headstay when installing a new furler. The headstay holds your mast up, and once a furling extrusion is installed over it the wire becomes virtually impossible to inspect for wear or internal failure. A few hundred dollars for new wire is inexpensive insurance compared to a catastrophic rig failure offshore. Plan headstay replacement into any furler installation.
DIY-Friendly Installation
If you’re competent at do-it-yourself rigging projects, installing a furler is a weekend task that most boat owners can handle. Harken and Schaefer furlers are designed for owner-installation with clear instructions. Work with your local rigger if you have any doubts about your rigging skills or the specifics of your boat’s setup.
Would You Like a Furler with a Removable Drum for Racing?
The jib on this Ultimate 20 has special vertical battens that work with the furling system.
Racers want to save weight in the bow, position the tack closer to the deck, and make quick headsail changes as conditions change. Harken’s MKIV furlers address these needs with split, removable furling drums and an aerodynamic twin-groove foil extrusion for quick sail changes. Independent head and tack swivels improve sail shape. Harken’s ESP furlers offer fixed drums, single-groove foils, and fixed halyard and tack swivels for cruising applications. Facnor’s LX Series and Profurl’s Racing and Cruising lines offer similar choices at varying price points.
What Accessories Do You Need?
Order the necessary terminals, furling line, and toggles or leg kits to complete your installation. You may need to cut the headstay to length and add a Sta-Lok or Norseman terminal.
Sail modifications: If your existing jib is hanked onto the headstay, you’ll need to replace the hanks with #5 or #6 luff tape to fit the furler’s extrusion groove. A foam luff pad is useful for deep-draft sails — it allows the center of the sail to maintain an aerodynamic shape when partially reefed without the draft migrating aft. Add a Sunbrella sun shade to the leech and foot if the sail will remain deployed for extended periods in sun. Better yet, replace a tired, blown-out genoa with a new sail designed from scratch for furling use.
Leading the furling line aft: You’ll want lead blocks to control the system from your cockpit. A ratchet block helps manage the load on larger furler systems.
Halyard restrainer: You may also need a halyard restrainer to prevent the halyard from wrapping around the forestay during furling or deployment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a structural furler and a flying sail furler?
A structural furler mounts over the boat’s headstay and is the primary means of controlling the working jib or genoa. It can be partially furled to reef the sail. A flying sail furler is used with asymmetrical sails flown off a tack point at the bow or bowsprit — sails that are not attached to the headstay. Flying sail furlers are an all-or-nothing system; you cannot partially furl the sail. They are designed for reaching and downwind angles, not as a substitute for the main headsail furler.
Should I replace my headstay when I install a new furler?
Yes, strongly recommended. Once a furling extrusion is installed over the headstay, the wire is effectively hidden and cannot be visually inspected for internal corrosion, broken strands, or fatigue. The headstay is the primary support for your mast. A new headstay at the time of furler installation costs a fraction of the expense of a dismasting. Plan on replacing it.
Can I install a roller furler myself?
Most Harken and Schaefer furlers are designed for owner-installation and come with detailed instructions. If you are comfortable with basic rigging work and have the tools for terminal installation, a furler installation is achievable over a weekend. If you are not confident about your rigging skills, or if your boat has unusual headstay geometry, consult your local rigger. West Marine Rigging Service is also available for consultation and fabrication of custom headstay lengths and terminals.
What is the difference between a top-down furler and a conventional flying sail furler?
A conventional flying sail furler requires an anti-twist torsion cable integrated into the sail’s luff by a sailmaker — the torsion cable transmits the furling rotation from head to tack. A top-down furler attaches only at the sail’s head; the rest of the sail is free of the furling mechanism. Furling begins at the head and rolls the sail downward. Top-down furlers generally do not require any sail modification, making them compatible with existing asymmetrical sails. They are a relatively recent development and are becoming the preferred choice for code zeros and light cruising asymmetrics.
Do I need a bowsprit for a flying sail or top-down furler?
Not always, but often advisable. A bowsprit increases the distance between the furler and the headstay, which improves the sail’s flying shape and reduces the risk of the furled sail contacting the headstay or furler extrusion when deployed. Many boats attach the furler tack directly to the bow fitting without a bowsprit, particularly on boats with a pronounced bow overhang. Selden and other manufacturers offer bowsprit options designed for furling asymmetrical sail systems.