Harken jib furler modification

[osprey877]

I have a harken jib furler. the drum is removable so i can set my racing sails on the twin foil using the standard tack fitting on the deck. however, removal of the drum is very tricky involving the removal of tiny screws with the constant risk of the whole nine yards going over the side. Re mounting is even riskier and i only try it with the bow overhanging a wharf. The whole system is very mickey mouse with all of the furling load on the drum being taken on two small set screws that are loaded in shear, which i'm sure is not what they are designed for. anyways, my question is has anybody come up with a good mod that allows the drum to be easily removed and remounted (it splits into two parts that clamp around the bottom of the foil) or is it possible to cut a vertical notch in the aft side of the drum that would allow the luff of the sail to bypass the furler drum? The notch would only need to be about an inch deep to allow a straight luff from the tack fitting to the foil, and the notch would stay aligned with the sail as it would rotate with the foil. the notch in the drum shouldn't effect the ability of the furling lline to wrap around the drum to furl and unfurl the sail. Has anybody tried/seen this? Any other ideas on how to use my racing sails without removing the furler? The boat is a 35' cruiser/racer.

[cal40john]

So you think you have it bad? I have the older version Harken that the manual says to unpin the bottom of the forestay and slip the one piece drum off. Since I don't race much I have never gone to the trouble. What I have done when I use the race sails that came with the boat is just let the sail bend around the drum, but perhaps the seriously un-serious short races I do are allowing me to get away with that.

[Boatguy30]

Yes the older systole has a much better drum and housing. Bought a used old one to replace my newer torn up one.

I reckons if you want to race you need a carbo head foil anyway. Have you thought about what that foil weighs?

[wrapper]

Following this. I am shopping for a furler.

[Lancerbye]

Originally Posted by wrapper

Following this. I am shopping for a furler.

I have two older CDIs in pieces, lots of foil sections and connectors with one fairly good drum. These are internal halyard types. Can be had for the cost of shipping and handling. They came off two furlers 49 and 56 ft in lenght. I replaced them with Alado.