Why are Continuous Furlers so Darn Expensive?

[zboss]

Really, it seems to me that you could use two anchor swivels with a line between them, then weld a wheel and guide on the bottom one. Add some spectra between them and you are done.

Having never used one... is there some complexity in the design I am not getting?

Is there a company that makes an affordable continuous furler for a gennaker or spinnaker?

[44'cruisingcat]

I'd like one too. Or a soft luff drum furler. Beats me why you can buy proper rigid foil furlers for less.


If you find one that looks like good value, let me know!

[Schooner Chandlery]

Bearings. When your anchor swivels are loaded up you're not going to be able to furl your sail. If you're happy to drop it in high wind conditions just as you would a hanked on sail--only letting your furl in light or no winds, you can have a pretty inexpensive set-up. I don't have any expertise with furlers at all--but do know that things don't turn nicely when overloaded and no proper bearing surfaces.

[Paul L]

Check the cost of the stiff luff line they use.

[Andrew Grace]

Originally Posted by zboss

Really, it seems to me that you could use two anchor swivels with a line between them, then weld a wheel and guide on the bottom one. Add some spectra between them and you are done.

Having never used one... is there some complexity in the design I am not getting?

Is there a company that makes an affordable continuous furler for a gennaker or spinnaker?

Actually , I think it's due to retail markup and taxes, at markups of 25 to 30 % + Taxes you can easily be paying up to 50% in non value add.

Shop around and find someone who can give you the wholesale direct price.

[estarzinger]

Originally Posted by Schooner Chandlery

Bearings.

actually the bearings on many of them are stock industrial bearings about $30.

We had a friend in Australia with a mini cad/cam set-up and he was able to machine perfectly good soft luff furlers for around $300.

The reason the price is so high is twofold - #1 because they can, and $2 because the marine supply chain is so inefficient

[jongleur]

Can I have clarification on the OP's
question? Are you asking about
continuous line furlers as opposed
to non-continuous line or drum furlers?

[zboss]

Continuous furlers. We don't have a spinnaker or drifter but we are getting one before we head out on our next cruise. After talking with a good friend he advised me that the sail with a continuous furler takes up much less space when stored than a sail packed into a bag with a snuffer.

Then I started pricing out those furlers! Holy cow... I looked at the parts and I didn't see anything to legitimize spending that much on some delrin.

Originally Posted by estarzinger

We had a friend in Australia with a mini cad/cam set-up and he was able to machine perfectly good soft luff furlers for around $300.

zboss says... "Hook a brother up!"

[model 10]

What you need are tapered roller bearings. Pretty common. Get the front end off a racing go cart. Nice alloy etc. Take the hubs off and use them for the ends. Take 1 wheel and section it down to 1/4" wide or whatever for the rope drum.

[Schooner Chandlery]

Originally Posted by zboss

Continuous furlers. We don't have a spinnaker or drifter but we are getting one before we head out on our next cruise. After talking with a good friend he advised me that the sail with a continuous furler takes up much less space when stored than a sail packed into a bag with a snuffer.

Then I started pricing out those furlers! Holy cow... I looked at the parts and I didn't see anything to legitimize spending that much on some delrin.



zboss says... "Hook a brother up!"

I think you're not needing continuous line furlers (thought that's nice too) but just a soft luff furler (used to be called a wire luff furler) whether or not it is continuous line (w/o a drum).

[aluijten]

Having bought one myself (Selden) not so long ago, I can agree they are pretty expensive, although in the same ball park as the classic furlers.
Why so expensive? It's all about numbers. They don't sell them by the millions you know. The bearing are not standard but casted as part of the system. Materials are no the cheapest. And they enable you buy spare parts from all over the world. And there is warranty and distributor costs. These people also want to be able to afford their own boat.
In short. You want the luxury stuff sold in modest quantities, you need to pay. You don't expect a Tesla for the price of a Kia, do you.