When purchasing a furling system, there are several other considerations that need to be taken into account to ensure you have a fully operational furling system. Some are basic / essentials and others are optional extra’s.
Tack fitting
Most drums come with either a D-shackle or snap shackle, however not all, so please check what comes as standard with your drum. If you plan to store the drum with the sail, then a snap shackle will the simplest and most efficient solution. However, if you plan to position your drum and leave it on deck for use with multiple sails then a standard D-shackles would be adequate.
There are other options, specifically for use in conjunction with locks – see section below.
Head fitting
Most swivels will come with a D-shackle as standard. The primary consideration is whether you want to go for a 2:1 halyard setup.
The advantages of 2:1 halyard are:
Disadvantages:
Some swivel manufacturers provide dedicated/integral 2:1 block options, however, it is possible to just lash a suitably sized block to the D-shackle.
Drum lock / ratchet
Continuous furling line systems, with a torsional cable, are not designed to be used partially furled. However, there is nothing more frustrating than losing the grip on the furling line 70% of the way through a furl and the whole thing unspinning in a flash! It is for this reason that ratchets, or drum locks, are an increasingly popular accessory.
Some manufacturers provide a removable drum lock as standard whereas others require a modified drum, so it is something that needs to be considered at the outset.
Furling line
Essential, but easy to forget! Your continuous furler needs a continuous furling line – a loop of 6mm, 8mm or 10mm line.
Regardless of whether you are racing or cruising, a quality furling line with a tight cover is essential to ensure smooth running of the furling unit at all times. A loose cover building up at the entrance to the furling unit, causing a jam, can mean losing places at the bottom mark while racing but also creates a potentially dangerous situation if you cannot furl away a sail, just when you need to.
In addition to choosing a decent furling line there are several setup choices you need to make.
Locks
An increasingly popular option, as more product variety becomes available on the market, is a furling lock. Locks have several advantages:
Karver KFH5 - Furling lock (Image courtesy of Karver)
The main perceived concern about using locks is getting the sail stuck aloft, however, technology has moved on considerably in recent years and race boats and superyachts can have many years of trouble free use. In addition, with a furling lock, a problem with lowering the sail is not a particular issue, assuming the sail can be furled.
Without a lock, the halyard is used to provide varying halyard tension. With a lock in use, an additional 2:1 or 3:1 purchase system is required between the drum and the deck to achieve the required load in the system. All the furling unit manufacturers have fittings for the bottom of the drum to allow for 2:1 or 3:1 purchases.
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