Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.
In looking through the sails we got with out Catalina 25, I wonder about the jib we've never flown. We only used our furling 155 Genoa which is quite large for manuvering in our lake. The not-to-be-used-yet jib has hanks and a wire that goes up the luff. Could we take the hanks off and run the wire up the furler's foil? I guess my question is really, what is the difference between a regular head sail and a furling head sail?
The sail needs to have a "luff tape" installed that matches the size of the foil. If your sail is in new condition, then I'd think it wold be worth the expense of having it modified by a loft to fit your furler. If it is in less than new condition, you'll have to balance the cost of the mod against the cost of buying a new sail ready for the furler. Another option might be to add a foam luff to the 155 to improve its shape while partially furled to a more manageable size depending on wind conditions.
You might also have to modify the length of the sail luff depending on how high the furler drum is above the deck. Then you will want to add a UV protection trim piece to keep the sail covered when rolled up.
Foam luff (be prepared, if history is a guide, for a discussion on the relative needs/merits of same -- all of which can be found in the archives), is usually two narrow pieces of foam sewn into the luff of the sail parallel to and just aft of the edge where the sail attaches to the foil of the furler. The purpose of the foam is to give the sail (according to proponents) better/more efficient shape when partially rolled/furled. If you often sail with the jib partially furled, proponents say, you should have a foam luff. If you're an "all-or-nothing" sailor, then it's probably less necessary.
Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ. The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.