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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

HOOD Seaflex Furler?

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Kper
Captain

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USA
417 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/11/2016 : 18:40:08

Is anyone using the HOOD Seaflex Furler?

We do not have a furler and were planning the addition of a CDI FF4 this season. Just so happens that we won a raffle at a club drawing for $100 towards any marina store purchase. The problem is, the store deals directly with WM and they don't list CDI. I am a part-time employee of the marina so I can get some very attractive discounts and I figured my discount plus the gift certificate would make a killer deal on a furler.

I see WM has HOOD furlers but I know nothing about them. Would it be proper to ask advice on which way to go here? We're fairly new to sailing and still learning so most technical info you may give will leave me confused, I'm sure.

Thank you.

Kyle
'86 SR/SK/Dinette #5284 "Anodyne"
In the barn where we found her...

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2016 : 10:28:20

I have a Hood Seafurl on my boat.

They are nice furlers. There are two models that you'd consider for a Catalina 25, one is lower budget and one is more performance oriented. I think that both are a big improvement over the CDI FF4.

The more budget oriented model is this one:
http://hoodyachtsystems.com/pdf%20files/sl707data.pdf

It has a round (less aerodynamic) foil and doesn't have an indepedent tack swivel. It is pretty similar to a Profurl.

The nicer one uses an aerodynamically shaped foil and has an indepedent tack swivel which allows the center of the sail to furl before the ends, this makes a tighter wrap when reefing. It is similar to a Harken Mark IV:
http://hoodyachtsystems.com/pdf%20files/253data.pdf

I have the latter one on my boat and I'm happy with it. I did have one fault, but was able to fix it at sea and the company was fairly responsive in sending me replacement parts. I've sailed on a lot of boats with the Harken Mark IV and don't notice any operational difference between them.

The big advantage to both of these over a CDI FF4 is that you can much more easily change the headsail or adjust headsail halyard tension.

Alex W
Seattle, WA
Express 37 "re-Quest"
previously owned 1984 Catalina 25 "Lutra"

DavidBuoy
Admiral

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USA
707 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2016 : 12:01:31

I've wondered about the Hood Seaflex. Super affordable. Alex, do you know the main differences between the Hood 707 and the Seaflex?

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|118|2358486|2358487&id=136615

Captain Rob & Admiral Alyson
"David Buoy"-1985 C25 SK/SR #5053

Edited by - DavidBuoy on 01/12/2016 12:02:04

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2016 : 13:23:28

Doesn't the Catalina 25 have a 1/4" headstay? Seaflex is for a maximum of 3/16". It's been a while and I've forgotten the rig sizes.

Seaflex is a plastic foil and doesn't allow you to fly two sails (not a big deal). It's a little odd that it uses #5 luff tape, most furlers use #6.

I have no experience with it, but I'm guessing that it works pretty well. Hood has been in the furler game for as long as anyone.

Alex W
Seattle, WA
Express 37 "re-Quest"
previously owned 1984 Catalina 25 "Lutra"

DavidBuoy
Admiral

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USA
707 Posts

Response Posted - 01/13/2016 : 06:29:22

Headstay is 3/16" and turnbuckle/clevis is 5/16". I can usually accept that the product that costs 3x as much will typically function smoother, more reliably and provide a long service life. I just wonder if the slightly noticeable improved function makes up for the cost difference. This is a capitalist country and cash is king!

Captain Rob & Admiral Alyson
"David Buoy"-1985 C25 SK/SR #5053

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 01/15/2016 : 13:19:03

I think it's pretty easy to argue that hank-on sails are king for a 25' sailboat. They are easy to manage, cheaper, sail better, sail changes are easier. They take about an extra minute to manage every time you go sailing.

Alex W
Seattle, WA
Express 37 "re-Quest"
previously owned 1984 Catalina 25 "Lutra"

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4321 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2016 : 10:52:45

quote:
Originally posted by awetmore

I think it's pretty easy to argue that hank-on sails are king for a 25' sailboat. They are easy to manage, cheaper, sail better, sail changes are easier. They take about an extra minute to manage every time you go sailing.

My boat had hank-on sails when I first got it. Single handing to me with hank-on's was a PITA for me. Despite taking safety to the extreme I nearly got tossed into the bay a couple of times. That convinced me to spend the money on a Harken Mark IV furler.

With the Mark IV sail changes are pretty easy.

I can look you in the eye and honestly say that has absolutely been the best money I've ever spent on the boat. I NEVER leave the cockpit from the time I leave the dock until I return.

It almost makes it like owning a powerboat if I don't use the main (which I almost never do anymore). Motor out, pull the string and go sailing. Coming in, pull the other string, and motor back to the dock. Nothing to flake and cover. Boats about 1/2 to 1 knot slower without the main.

If you always have crew or sail on a small to medium size lake hank-ons are a viable option.

Association Member

GaryB
Andiamo
'89 SR/WK #5862
Kemah,TX

Edited by - GaryB on 01/16/2016 10:54:45

Kim Luckner
Navigator

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USA
101 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2016 : 15:53:57

Amen!

Seeadler
'79 C25 SR/FK #1432
Mentor Lagoons

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5500 Posts

Response Posted - 01/16/2016 : 20:40:54

I have an older Hood on Passage and I swear by it.
The foil is fully round (not aerodynamic) but I've never noticed that affecting wind flow over the luff of the jib.
Not only do I not want to be standing up on the pitching foredeck trying to handle a 135 genoa in gusts, but when the stuff hits the fan during a squall, I want to pull the string safely from the cockpit and put the jib away securely.
As Scott Islander will attest, a few years back when I had to replace my forestay, it took a bit of doing for us to unravel the furler body and foil segments from the stay. In the end, we drilled out about 8 pop-rivets and the whole thing came apart into manageable sections. Replacement over the new forestay was straightforward and it remains very solid.
Cannot say a bad word about the Hood product. If I had an opportunity to purchase another Hood product, I would.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 01/17/2016 : 11:20:02

quote:
Originally posted by Voyager

Cannot say a bad word about the Hood product. If I had an opportunity to purchase another Hood product, I would.

...although I wouldn't recommend their older "continuous-line" furler--mostly because it is only a furler, and not suitable for reefing the genoa.

Dave Bristle
PO of 1985 C-25 SR/FK #5032 Passage before going over to the Dark Side (2007-2025); now departed from Mystic, CT, and boatless for the first time since 1970.

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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.