40' Boat In-Boom Furling Costs

[sailorboy1]

Anyone out there with about a 40-42' boat who has switched over to in-boom furling? If so what was ther real costs of the boom/sail/installation and whatever other hidden costs of the project? What manufacturer did you go with

(Not looking for a pros/cons of doing it)

Thanks

[Sabbatical II]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

Anyone out there with about a 40-42' boat who has switched over to in-boom furling? If so what was ther real costs of the boom/sail/installation and whatever other hidden costs of the project? What manufacturer did you go with Thanks

This is not exactly the scenario you asked for, but maybe this info will help. I'm currently building a 42' mono that comes standard with normal single line reefing set up and lazy jacks etc. I'm optioning the furling boom and am being quoted around $15,000(Aus) for the furling boom minus about a $5,000 credit for the standard boom that I don't need to buy. Of course I just get the mainsail cut for the furling boom instead of the standard boom so sail modification costs for me are non-existent. I want to go with the Scaeffer boom which is around the same cost as LeisureFurl.

I hope this is helpful

Greg

[Charlie]

A few years ago I talked to someone on a 36 ' boat and they said it was $20k with new sail but w/o the electric winch

[btrayfors]

December 2002. Annapolis. New Leisure Furl boom. New North NorDac main, full battens, purpose built for roller furling boom. New Lewmar electric windlass. Forespar rigid boom vang. Mast removal, mast work to accommodate new furling gear (special case, as my extrusion had internal mast wiring in slots right where the shaft had to pass thru).

Total...$20,730.

Been wonderful...I love it.

Here's a pic.



Bill

[keepondancin]

About 4 years ago we did a Leisure Furl, new main, Andersen electric winch (only one at the time with a compact motor), misc. deck hardware, low to mid $20's. Did it at a time when there was good paying work around. Well worth it, as I sail almost single handed. Wife has some mobility issues.

[rusky]

Sorry, I did the opposite.
I changed from a hood inboom furler to standard slab reefing. I sold the old boom and got enough for a new boom and to modify the sail. Out of pocket $10

Have you used an in boom furler?

[Drdean]

Furlboom for 40ft was 16000 installed including a simple sail made in China, not to specifications!

Furlboom and Leisure Furl are very close to the same designs. Both have problems with luff tape wear and high friction, difficult control of luff rollup position and tightness, and jamming of luff in the plastic mast slot. The latter easily occurs in high winds and seas, when stress on the sail cannot be minimized enough to avoid too high load and friction on the luff rope/tape. Also, in heavy weather both systems are difficult or impossible to operate because controlling the right tension on the halyard during reefing or furling while being tossed around in the cockpit is very difficult, causing jamming of the luffrope and/or luff rollup becoming to far aft (rolls too large to fit inside the boom) or forward (jams against the mast). Neither of these should be considered for coastal or offshore cruising!

If an inboom seems attractive, then choose Schaefer, even though it looks too big.

[islandplanet]

From the perspective of a sailmaker, the one thing I don't like about in-boom furling is how the sail design is totally taken over by the hardware. I'd be happy to send anyone who is interested the requirements document for in-boom furling so you can see just how much this takes over the design of the sail.

On a large yacht I understand the need for in-boom furling but on a 42' I would go with a "stack" type cover. You drop the sail, pull the zipper, and you're done. Cost is a small fraction of a furling boom conversion. Another problem with a project like that is on most boats it really doesn't add value to the boat.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by islandplanet

From the perspective of a sailmaker, the one thing I don't like about in-boom furling is how the sail design is totally taken over by the hardware. I'd be happy to send anyone who is interested the requirements document for in-boom furling so you can see just how much this takes over the design of the sail.

On a large yacht I understand the need for in-boom furling but on a 42' I would go with a "stack" type cover. You drop the sail, pull the zipper, and you're done. Cost is a small fraction of a furling boom conversion. Another problem with a project like that is on most boats it really doesn't add value to the boat.

Yes I can easily see this. But one must understand that the decision to go to mainsail furling probably means you have decided to give up performance to a degree.

My last boat had a Stakpak system, which was OK. My new boat as Dutchman system, which I don't like as much. Getting to the boom to put the cover on is an issue in itself currently. And I wonder how long it will be before I fall into the water, or tear the bimni or dodger, when putting the cover on.

[bstreep]

Originally Posted by islandplanet

From the perspective of a sailmaker, the one thing I don't like about in-boom furling is how the sail design is totally taken over by the hardware. I'd be happy to send anyone who is interested the requirements document for in-boom furling so you can see just how much this takes over the design of the sail.

On a large yacht I understand the need for in-boom furling but on a 42' I would go with a "stack" type cover. You drop the sail, pull the zipper, and you're done. Cost is a small fraction of a furling boom conversion. Another problem with a project like that is on most boats it really doesn't add value to the boat.

We have a Profurl in-boom on ours. I can imaging this is a VERY difficult sail to get correct. As much as I don't mind ordering sails from China, this is one time I would NEVER go overseas or mail order. It has to be sewn perfectly to avoid the problems noted above. In several emergency situations, we've never had a problem with ours. In any case, we could dump it on the deck. Ours runs up a track about 6" behind the mast.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by islandplanet

From the perspective of a sailmaker, the one thing I don't like about in-boom furling is how the sail design is totally taken over by the hardware. I'd be happy to send anyone who is interested the requirements document for in-boom furling so you can see just how much this takes over the design of the sail.

On a large yacht I understand the need for in-boom furling but on a 42' I would go with a "stack" type cover. You drop the sail, pull the zipper, and you're done. Cost is a small fraction of a furling boom conversion. Another problem with a project like that is on most boats it really doesn't add value to the boat.

Good to get a sailmaker's perspective.
One of the benefits of mainsail furling is the simplicity in partial furling, or reefing.
Your comment about drop the sail, pull the zipper doesn't apply to smaller adjustments does it, unless you've got something in mind that would work?

[islandplanet]

Originally Posted by bstreep

We have a Profurl in-boom on ours. I can imaging this is a VERY difficult sail to get correct. As much as I don't mind ordering sails from China, this is one time I would NEVER go overseas or mail order. It has to be sewn perfectly to avoid the problems noted above. In several emergency situations, we've never had a problem with ours. In any case, we could dump it on the deck. Ours runs up a track about 6" behind the mast.

Actually a lot of in-boom furling mains are built to perfection in China. However they are not ordered directly by consumers. Most major players in the sailmaking business have their sails made to exacting specifications by Asian production lofts. Where we've seen people get into trouble is by ordering from some of the lofts not good enough to work for the industry that sell direct to consumers. I was just on a boat with some of those sails. Someone got what they paid for is the most polite thing I can offer.

[islandplanet]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

Good to get a sailmaker's perspective.
One of the benefits of mainsail furling is the simplicity in partial furling, or reefing.
Your comment about drop the sail, pull the zipper doesn't apply to smaller adjustments does it, unless you've got something in mind that would work?

The "stack" type cover is solely for protecting the sail. There is no magic reefing associated with it.

When I reach the point I can't reef my mainsail, I'll be getting a power boat. There are very few mainsail reefing systems I would trust for the kind of sailing we do. The in-mast reefing systems on the higher end boats like Amel work well but we've seen a lot of issues with the ones on more common production boats.

We advocate simple solutions. Often times through consultation with us our customers are able to greatly simplify and make mainsail handling easy as opposed to a chore.

[imagine2frolic]

ip,

Where on the west coast are you?.......i2f

[islandplanet]

Originally Posted by imagine2frolic

ip,

Where on the west coast are you?.......i2f

Funny you should ask....We travel a fair amount and when our boat is in Mexico we spend a lot of time down there. Last week was Washington. In CA at moment. We are headquartered near Portland, OR.