Furling for Wire Luff Jib

[theway]

I have a 108 sq/ft wire luff Jib 8oz. that I want to put on a furler (Leech 27'8 - Foot 11'). It seems that I've come to three options.

1: Buy a continuous furler for around $800-$1,000
Facnor FX 1500 Code Zero and Gennaker Furler (Max. sail area 590 ft.) at Mauri Pro Sailing

2: Buy a small boat drum furler for $221 (Anyone use this one?)
Amazon.com: Ronstan Large Above Deck Jib Furler 114mm: Sports & Outdoors

3: Make one myself for ~$120 with a long 1/2" D shackle, a swivel snap shackle, and some strong plastic sheets/layers for the drum. In this the only stress on the plastic would be in the form of rotation. The D shackle would connect directly to the snap shackle.
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?...14176&id=90374
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?...14172&id=76845




I am open to any other suggestions or modifications to the above three options

thanks,
austin

[goboatingnow]

Buy a conventional furler and have the jib modified for a bolt rope.

Dave

[barnakiel]

a) For the home built unit think about the upper swivel too.

b) If the Ronstan unit is up to the job, it looks decent value against the homebuilt option.

b.

[atoll]

aussie home built boats do this a lot with the ronstan furler and top swivel,though most use a foil as well.

some people even make up their own drums as well but fit roller bearings as friction is an issue.

[Shanaly]

what load through the luff? do you have an inner forestay as well? you need bearings to take the load on the swivels. i think a machinist could turn one in aluminium on a lathe to fit a bearing to [replacing swivels]. its not hard to make your own. remember you need a similar fitting at the top...

[jjt]

Another option would be the following:

Facnor

Look specially to STG 3T & 4T model

[willardj]

I made one for our trailer sailer. Not sure it would work on a larger boat but it should. The big thing would be getting it on. Here is a lil vid of it in action.

Nell working our home made roller furling - YouTube