Second furler

[Catamount]

Jon, thanks for the pic!

Gunner, you might want to take a look at this thread on another board: http://www.ssca.org/sscabb/index.php...m=6&topic=2321, which discusses some of these same issues and lays out several options.

Tim

[irwinsailor]

If I decide to get a inner furler who makes a good one? I have a 20 year old Hood now and parts are no longer avalible for it. I have been keeping it going with my Son's help. He is a machinest.

[Catamount]

Schaeffer, Harken, and ProFurl are generally the top contenders.

[irwinsailor]

Hood and Profurl look a lot alike. Are they a related company?

[delmarrey]

There is Furlex as well. A modern design with no rivits in the forstay extrusion, built in Sweden, dispensed locally. Seen them at the boatshow. Very well built!!!!!!

http://www.ilikeit.net/HoopersYachts...eSet&PageID=40

[Catamount]

irwinsailor once whispered in the wind:
Hood and Profurl look a lot alike. Are they a related company?

Don't think so. As I understand it, ProFurl is based in France and is now part of Wichard.

[leeway]

Here's an article that talks about the origins, etc.:

http://www.boats.com/boat-articles/S...ems/12810.html

To throw my 2 cents in, Reefurl. The system is a bit bulky, but it is very reliable, and has no moving parts. I have used it on my 40' ketch, and intend to install it on my trimaran as well. The link is
http://www.furlings.com
This is not the FaNet system

[CSY Man]

Hood and Profurl look a lot alike. Are they a related company?

Like Boeing and Airbus....

They make the same kind of product, but not quite.

ProFurl is a proven French furling system.
I have 2 of them on my boat and I can highly recommend the stuff.

Never had Hood or Harken onboard, can't speak for those.

Allah knows that I would never have picked anything French for my boat unless it was as good or better.

Allah also knows that I have never flown an Airbus, but have thousands of hours on Boeing and Douglas airplanes..Therfore I vote for the Northe Americane procuct, 'cause they are good sturdy planes and the Airbus may or may not be to the non-beliver.

[NoTies]

A plug for the Kiwis. Admittedly I have very little (zero) experience but there is a Kiwi company http://home.xtra.co.nz/hosts/ReefRite/

There furlers seem to have a much smaller profile than others which should be a big advantage on an inner forestay. They also lock in place rather than relying on the furling line.

[Euro Cruiser]

Do we have any ReefRite users who have used their furler offshore? Or used a RR system in any fashion over an extended period of time. If so, I'd sure like to hear what the reactions are to the longevity of the RR slides and what effect this has on the trim of the headsail via halyard tension, which is greatly reduced as an issue when a headsail's luff is fully enclosed in the luff groove of a conventional furler.

The RR system would seem to be a distinct choice and more or less attractive depending on what the buyer's preferences are, rather than an essentially duplicate product that lines up with the others. Some of the engineering appears quite impressive, some of the claims seem a bit exaggerated (e.g. the ultimate benefits of the downloader) and some of it leaves me with questions (e.g. using cloth-tabbed slides vs. encompassing a luff tape). Getting some first-hand reports would be enlightening.

Jack

[Catamount]

For the sake of completeness, here is the link for the US distributor of the Brazilian entry into the Furler Fray:
http://www.aladous.com/index.htm

Tim

[Alan Wheeler]

I am using Bamar. It has worked easily and flawlessly. Bamar make the furlers for quite a few different names. Bamar was also the manufacturer that custom made the giant furler for Miribella.