Buying a furler? Here's my take...

[Capn Jimbo]

There are really two basic types of furlers (Practical Sailor) – all the big guys (Harken, Pro, Hood, Schaeffer, Furlex, etc.), who tend to use top swivels – and – a fewer number that don’t (CDI, Alado, Spin-Tec and Reefurl. Sadly, the preference for the former expensive top swivel, and expensive big names is based on the belief that the CDI (which OWNS the smaller boat market) is cheap and somehow undependable and thus rejects the whole category of non-top swivel makes.

This is false. So after TONS of due diligence and investigation and after facing this decision myself, I decided to go with the Alado. Let’s begin why I rejected the big name, top swivelers.

1. Not that this was a deciding factor, but the big names are EXPENSIVE! Up to three times as much.

2. No DIY for most of us. “Mainstream headsail furlers today (Harken, Profurl, Furlex, etc.) tend to be assembled on the ground and installed with the mast horizontal. They can be hoisted aloft using a crane, or winched into place with a spinnaker halyard and a person at the masthead in a bosun chair ready with tools and a generous dose of expletives.”

3. If they fail – and they do – you are not going to perform your own repairs, especially at sea.

4. They require close maintenance and inspection and have many points of failure.

An example of failure:

Furler failure offshore - Ocean Navigator - May/June 2017


Wayne Channing of Ocean Navigator:

Roller furling maintenance - Ocean Navigator - May/June 2014

Thesee include: halyard wrap, need for and higher tension on both head and back stay. More than should happen, these relatively complex systems are not properly installed by riggers; something you won’t know until it fails in a blow with your genoa deployed. Ouch. Top swivels may ride up over the foil and jam. These systems should be toggled both top and bottom – I received two professional quotes that included NO toggles.

Furling line lead in angle must be right, and properly sized to minimize furling jams at the worst possible time. Torlon bearings must NOT be oiled, sealed bearings are hard to inspect and harder to service until, well, they fail.

Foils are another problem. Many are actually and disturb air flow. The sections tend to butt up against each other (stress point) and the aluminum foils joints are held together by yup, stainless screws. Even properly protected to prevent being corroded in, they still do freeze, or loosen up after thousands of repetitive foil forces. Do most sailors inspect them before they fail? Maybe, but often not.

And so it goes. I highly recommend you be SURE to review Wayne Channing’s article which not only discusses what maintenance and serious inspection you must regularly do, but outlines what you must do in an emergency if and when one fails at a bad moment.

The problem with the big names is not that they don’t work – to the contrary they work quite well until they don’t. As a result many, many owners are lulled into not doing much if any maintenance, or full inspection until bang! It’s too late. This should include sail issues and repairs as needed.

Read Channing’s brilliant article.



Now about the non-top swivel choice I made: the Alado A2 furler. Here’s exactly why I chose it:

1. It is economical. A bit less than $1100, delivered.

2. It earned a leading review from Practical Sailor:
https://www.practical-sailor.com/iss...er_5735-1.html
A MUST read.

3. It is strong, simple, and truly bulletproof. No halyard tension, thus no need for butt joints and unreliable stainless screws. Instead the foil halves are staggered, and slide into one another, downward.

4. It comes as a simple kit, using a few simple tools to install. Shockingly simple. Per PS all the components are strong, precise, and well fabricated – thus easy to assemble. Best yet, it can be assembled with your mast up, by any decent DIY’er.

5. No bearings, but high quality, multiple “high molecular-weight plastic bushings allow the foil to rotate freely”. Keep in mind the top swivel furlers are under high tension – they NEED those bearings top and bottom. The Alado does not. Its larger spool, low tension and slippery bushings mean that furling can be done without need for a winch.

6. The foils are especially well designed and in stair step fashion – no butt joints, no need for any stainless screws. Well made extrusions, easy to assemble. Unlike many of the big name furlers, they are aerodynamic. Like the expensive furlers they have two slots for two sails.

7. The boat’s jib halyard is not needed, ergo no dangerous halyard wrap – ever. No need for expensive wrap preventers, etc. Per PS "Alado uses an internal halyard for raising and lowering the sail. The internal halyard eliminates tension loads on the mast, since the drum, foil, and sheave plate form a "solid" system that rotates on the headstay. As a side benefit, the internal halyard frees a jib halyard on the mast. With this system, they claim that a winch is not necessary to tension the luff."

In sum a strong, simple, well designed and dependable furler that requires almost NO maintenance, and is much LESS likely to fail. Best yet, it’s DIY all the way from installing to repairing – with the mast up. And from one half to one third of the cost of expensive systems that don’t require a costly rigger.

That’s my spiel and why after consulting with expensive riggers and their faulty and hard to decipher and expensive quotes, I decided to save time and money for a system that I can rely on and that will better serve my cruising needs, as the Alado has done for a number of serious cruisers like John Lewis of Ocean Navigator, and others.

And do read Channing’s article on maintenance and emergencies….

[Jud]

Originally Posted by Capn Jimbo

There are really two basic types of furlers (Practical Sailor) – all the big guys (Harken, Pro, Hood, Schaeffer, Furlex, etc.), who tend to use top swivels – and – a fewer number that don’t (CDI, Alado, Spin-Tec and Reefurl. Sadly, the preference for the former expensive top swivel, and expensive big names is based on the belief that the CDI (which OWNS the smaller boat market) is cheap and somehow undependable and thus rejects the whole category of non-top swivel makes.

This is false. So after TONS of due diligence and investigation and after facing this decision myself, I decided to go with the Alado. Let’s begin why I rejected the big name, top swivelers.

Out of curiosity, any follow up thoughts/experiences to relate about the Alado? I’m also on the threshold of purchasing a furler (for the first time), and like what I’ve read about the Alado so far elsewhere.

[Michael Cobbe]

(Harken, Pro, Hood, Schaeffer, Furlex, etc.)


I needed new furlerr in the Caribbean and asked a numer of furler repairers which furler they had to repair least, the concenus was Furlex so I bought one.

[Benz]

What makes you believe this is not one that will work until it doesn't like the rest of them? It seems like it's brand new to you--I'd be interested to see what it's doing after 10,000 miles.
I'm not a fan of any furler, so I have no axe to grind here; it just seems like other than being easier to install and economical, you haven't found it quantifiably better in the place that matters most: the nitty gritty of long, hard use.

[dcstrng]

Originally Posted by Capn Jimbo

There are really two basic types of furlers (Practical Sailor) – all the big guys (Harken, Pro, Hood, Schaeffer, Furlex, etc.), who tend to use top swivels – and – a fewer number that don’t (CDI, Alado, Spin-Tec and Reefurl.

Thanks for taking the time to put this together -- my furler has managed to go through two top-swivels in relatively relaxed Bay sailing and is growing quite tired anyway, so I've been inching up on this choice, or going back t just straight hank on -- which was my former choice...

Other than failed swivels, I have no experience to share, but had been increasingly intrigued by the Aldo concept until I had to delay a a year due to medical misadventures, but now i need to get on with it, for next spring...

Any insight/opinions/whatever gratefully adsorbed

[Boatguy30]

The Schaefer is the best, but most expensive furler. An older harken off a fresh water boat is the way to go.

[andrzej0nl1ne]

I have had the spintec for many years, and had modified it with a halyard to function like the alado. I have been very happy with that concept, and it has been problem free, except for some operator errors. Spintec is no longer in business, but I would recommend this type of approach over any other, especially if one is looking for something that is largely idiot proof and those mistakes we make are easily reversed.

[billknny]

A few questions on the Alado furler. Whjile I like a lot of it, I have a couple concerns, and I wonder what the enthusiasts of this system think. Feel free to contradict, I am trying to learn about this one...

I am highly skeptical of the claim that no winch is needed for tensioning the jib halyard. I find it hard to imagine that a 1300 sq foot genoa (the largest system they make) could have anywhere NEAR sufficient luff tension without a LOT of mechanical advantage. I have a 700 sq foot sail and proper luff tension in 20 knots of wind has the spectra halyard guitar-string tight cranked hard on a #48 winch--in low gear. By hand? I don't THINK so...

Jib halyard tension is a VERY important sail shape control. I know a lot of cruisers just set-and-forget but it makes a huge difference in pointing ability and drive power as the wind strength changes. How easy is it to adjust?

Since this is a common shape adjustment on my boat, the need to go to the bow to make a tweak of the halyard tension is a very significant downside.

The big selling point--impossible to wrap a halyard--seems just silly to me. A correctly installed system--of any manufacturer--will never wrap a halyard. Now it IS true that a HUGE number of furlers are installed without the knowledge of how to prevent a halyard wrap. A walk around any boat yard will show that. But I am pretty an incompetent installer can find a way to screw up an Alado furler too...

[Michael Cobbe]

Three things I forgot to mention after recommending Furlex was I also asked about marine egines repaired the least the concenus was Yanmar. Marine 1,500 rpm generators concensus Northern Lights closely followed by Westerbeke.


Marine generators to avoid are 3,000 rpm generators Lombardini, fitted by the previous owner, and Panda they have a lfe of 1,000 hours, ours commited suicide after 500 hours and was beyond repair.

[FSmith]

I had an Alado on my valiant 32. The top sheave broke allowing the Genny to fall overboard. I could never remove the bottom paint completely off the sail. Alado told me it wasn't designed for off shore sailing. I've had great experience with Harken.

[Capn Jimbo]

I'd love to know more about this alleged sheave failure, Mr. Harken (just above). Pictures? Had it been a Harken swivel failure, you'd have lost your mast instead of getting a bit of paint on your genny. Just saying...

*************

It's really not my position to speak for Alado, but I really wish some of the posters had taken more time to consult the links provided in the original post. I did a TON of due diligence, not to mention I have been fortunate to know and befriend sailing author, marine engineer and surveyor Wayne Channing, article linked above.

Please take the time to read his article for Ocean Navigator in re the big name furlers and the catastrophic failures (goodbye mast) they experience far more frequently than they should. Good design and manufacture is simply not enough, especially when a failure at sea is indeed catastrophic. Poor installation is a big factor, but dwarfed by the frequent failure of owners to FULLY and properly maintain their big name furler.

Let's be honest - a design that can fail catastrophically, and that cannot be remedied at sea, nor be installed or repaired (mast up) by the owner - well, to me that seems a set of shortcomings that must be at least considered.

As far as not being designed or used for offshore that is simply hogwash. My DD revealed a goodly number of satisfied, long term offshore and extended use. Again - read the post please.

[FSmith]

I'm only giving you my experience and comments from Alado in Brazil. This was 16 years ago...no pictures.

[Capn Jimbo]

Good to hear from you. But the details do matter. When you say "the sheave broke", please describe the construction, what broke, and the course of events as you remember them. What was that long ago sheave made of? The axle? What broke? Did the line part, how and where? How old was the furler? How and how often did you maintain it, if you did? What kind of line did you use? Age? I realize that 16 years is a long time, but do try. Honestly, "it broke" doesn't help much.

Today the Alado has a lifetime warranty, and has done so for some years - what happened way back then? What model Alado did you purchase? Who installed it? How do you account for this failure and course of events?

Thanks. Speaking of offshore, John Lewis of Ocean Navigator wrote about his significant issues with big name, swivel top furlers - until he purchased an Alado. He stated that 80% of his failures at sea were due to the former.

Relentless wear and tear - Ocean Navigator - July/August 2015

[FSmith]

I don't remember the model but it was sized for my Valiant 32. If I remember correctly, I think the sheave axle broke or the sheave came off the axle at 3am offshore singlehanding. The unit was one year old and I must say I was very satisfied until that happened.

I think you gave me a larger sheave at no cost. I sold the boat a few years later.

[mikedefieslife]

Originally Posted by Michael Cobbe

(Harken, Pro, Hood, Schaeffer, Furlex, etc.)


I needed new furlerr in the Caribbean and asked a numer of furler repairers which furler they had to repair least, the concenus was Furlex so I bought one.

I'm in the caribbean and my furler did fail on the crossing. The drum was alble to slip and spin independently of the foils in strong winds. I had to add a line to hold it all in place when reefed. Then again my Seareef system is probably 40 years old.

Originally Posted by Capn Jimbo

I'd love to know more about this alleged sheave failure, Mr. Harken (just above). Pictures? Had it been a Harken swivel failure, you'd have lost your mast instead of getting a bit of paint on your genny. Just saying...

*************

It's really not my position to speak for Alado, but I really wish some of the posters had taken more time to consult the links provided in the original post. I did a TON of due diligence, not to mention I have been fortunate to know and befriend sailing author, marine engineer and surveyor Wayne Channing, article linked above.

Please take the time to read his article for Ocean Navigator in re the big name furlers and the catastrophic failures (goodbye mast) they experience far more frequently than they should. Good design and manufacture is simply not enough, especially when a failure at sea is indeed catastrophic. Poor installation is a big factor, but dwarfed by the frequent failure of owners to FULLY and properly maintain their big name furler.

Let's be honest - a design that can fail catastrophically, and that cannot be remedied at sea, nor be installed or repaired (mast up) by the owner - well, to me that seems a set of shortcomings that must be at least considered.

As far as not being designed or used for offshore that is simply hogwash. My DD revealed a goodly number of satisfied, long term offshore and extended use. Again - read the post please.

Sure if interested read more, but the casual person should surely just be able to see it and understand how it works. I've not seen photos and videos showing how exactly it works in the in link to PS