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Rakuflames · 13-07-2012, 18:35

I have an old Hood 810 furler. Anyone who is familiar with it knows that they can't be reefed. You can secure all three lines, but the wind will still deploy the sail fully.

Why couldn't I put in a reefing system on it like the one I have on the boom -- except vertically? Have a cringle installed, roll the sail in partially, have someone at the bow to hook the cringle, and then pull a line to reef it near the top as well?

My headsail actually has a foam luff in it and was designed to be reefable without deforming, but it was a poor choice for this roller furler (I didn't buy it).

I know Hood makes a replacement lower unit but I'm reluctant to do that because the equipment dates from 1983. They retail now for $520 which seems to me a lot of money to spend on a very old piece of equipment that the mfg acknowledges wasn't well made.

sabray · 13-07-2012, 18:52

Suppose it could work. Kinda wonder how that lower end is going to wrap though. Is it going to get all fouled up while the sail is flogging. Will you have someting that resembles a foil still hanked on? Doubt it. Sounds likes missery in a blow. That's why your reefing cause it's blowing yes. Now you got a shit set sail that you can't do anything with cause it's blowing so bad. It's not performing and your stuck. Nit something I want to chance.

Rakuflames · 13-07-2012, 19:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by sabray

Suppose it could work. Kinda wonder how that lower end is going to wrap though. Is it going to get all fouled up while the sail is flogging. Will you have someting that resembles a foil still hanked on? Doubt it. Sounds likes missery in a blow. That's why your reefing cause it's blowing yes. Now you got a shit set sail that you can't do anything with cause it's blowing so bad. It's not performing and your stuck. Nit something I want to chance.

Well, as I said, someone would be on the bow to set the reefing system as soon as the sail is pulled in. The general idea in reefing is to reef *before* the wind kicks up. Why would the sail be flogging? You pull it in -- just as you drop a sail to a reefing point -- hook it, pull the reefing line, and lock it off.

sabray · 13-07-2012, 20:56

Right and I said it could work. Sometimes it's not so clear when you reef. Good text book stuff says reef early. Sometimes we are just going strong and living it and it gets a bit much. In my case we ease up and roll the jib in. In your case you need slack on the foot and your releasing the head. Your going to have a sail beating about. Which set up is safer and adds value to your enjoyment.

**Blue Stocking** · 14-07-2012, 03:48

Rakuflames,
This is a little off your present discussion, but as we know, we have talked about this privately.
I eventually converted my LD to SL series, and it works great. I prefer the round foils to the aerofoil shape of Harken, etc, so wanted to keep them.
The change I did make was to support the torque tube assembly up off the black, centering do-nut with 2, 1" x 1/8" stainless flat bars, ala ProFurl, with a longer pin thru the stem toggle. These bolt thru the 3"+ diameter tube below the drum.
With this arrangement the donut carries no weight, and snugs the whole assembly neatly.
I experimented with a made up plywood drum, bolted to the LD drum before making the conversion to SL.
It works quite well, you might try that as your first step to SL.