Experience with "torque rope" furling?

[WombatWhiskers]

On ADAGIO we are about to replace our workhorse 1,100 sq.ft. reacher/screecher. We've been reasonably happy for 13 years and 120,000+ sea miles using the "old fashioned" twin-Vectran luff rope scheme with spreader plates top/bottom.

This works so long as you furl early. We typically see about 20 turns at the bottom before the top swivel starts to turn.

Two NZ sailmakers are proposing changing to a torque rope (not too dear) or better to a custom Torque Stay (NZD $3,500, yikes).

Any experience good or bad with this option?

Steve
Adagio Journal

[Stumble]

Look at the top down furlers. They are great, but as you mentioned pretty expensive. The one upside is that you can move the gear from sail to sail if you carry multiple headsails.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Steve.

[Factor]

Steve - I have yet to use one which works consistently and reliably. I am guessing this is your boat? Its one I have always admired. (photo taken from katie Kat in San Fran)

[WombatWhiskers]

Yes, that's ADAGIO in SF Bay when we were on our way from Alaska back to South Pacific.

The Marlow ProDrive anti-torsion line looking interesting, but it's not clear it is intended for sails as large as this one.

Top-down looks brilliant, but we already have a big investment in the single line furler and swivel. If unlimited funds...

[Stumble]

Wombat,

The Selden top down furler for your sail would run about $1,100.

Can you give specifics of what parts you have, and what they are suggesting you switch too? If they just want to switch out the torsion line for a different style it shouldn't be anywhere near that price. The torsion line itself is pretty expensive, but nowhere near those prices.

[islandplanet]

Steve,

We ship stuff to NZ fairly often because prices are dramatically more there. More and more Kiwi sailors are ordering from suppliers here in the US. It doesn't cost that much to build the anti-torsion rope into the sail when you're doing a new sail. We do those all the time. Depending on the luff shape of the sail, you might need a separate anti-torque rope.

[WombatWhiskers]

I will get back to you after we sort our plans. We're in the process of a big change in plans which will likely delay the reacher replacement for 6 months or so.

Cheers, Steve

[Kestrahl]

Originally Posted by islandplanet

Steve,

We ship stuff to NZ fairly often because prices are dramatically more there. More and more Kiwi sailors are ordering from suppliers here in the US. It doesn't cost that much to build the anti-torsion rope into the sail when you're doing a new sail. We do those all the time. Depending on the luff shape of the sail, you might need a separate anti-torque rope.

I'm not sure what you ship because I have never seen a one of your sails in NZ. The local NZ market is actually fairly well covered regarding sails. Auckland city alone has 10 sailmaking company's ranging from top end who's designers who have Americas cup and VOR wins on their CVs. To imported sails from Asia serviced by small lofts to locally made budget sails with cheap cloth and hardware. The big lofts are exporting 80% of the sails they make.

Kiwis are buying a lot of chandlerly items from the US, electronics etc. Anything that is imported in NZ seems to have to go thru at least a couple of wholesalers, maybe one in Australia on the way.... and low volume high freight etc etc.