The final preparations for our annual 6-month
cruise to places farther south required a shakedown sail on Moble Bay a week ago to make sure all systems were A-OK. After motoring into the Bay from the
ICW we unfurled the main and then tried to unfurl the
genoa. The
genoa would not unfurl. The drum was completely seized. The 7-year old
furler has a 5-year warranty. The sealed unit has no
maintenance or lube requirement. A rigger has visited the
boat and confirmed the cause of the problem (i.e. no
halyard wrap, etc.). Here is the gottcha. A new ProFurl drum costs $1300. I can get a whole new
Harken roller furler system for $1600. Guess what I am gonna do? Seems like the folks at Profurl (a French company) who were bought by Wichard (another French company) are pricing themselves out of the
roller furler business. Any thoughts out there on this? The rigger says the old drum should have lasted many years longer.