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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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CDI Furler

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mmac
Navigator

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USA
168 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/22/2005 : 00:58:44

I'm about to install an FF4 on Mara. Any tips and helpful hints would be appreciated. The instructions from CDI are not exactly clear or precise.

The other Fleet 7 guys were smart enough to buy boats with furlers already on, so we don't have any expertise to tap.

Mike in Sunny San Diego
Mara #1372 '79 fk sr SD/MB Fleet 7.
"All I ask is for a tall ship and a star to steer her by."

Edited by - on

SailormanCGA72
1st Mate

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77 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2005 : 09:11:24

I don't remember where I got this, but I used it to install my furler.

DON'T CUT YOUR FURLER TO A PRESET NUMBER OF INCHES! Lay out your headstay assembly and the furler assembly on the ground next to each other. Mark the foil at a point you know will be 3 or 4 inches too long and cut it. Run the wire through the furler assembly from the top and see if the stud pokes out the foil at the bottom. If not, cut another inch off and try again. When you have cut the correct amount, the full length of the threads on the stud will be exposed. Now assemble the whole thing, screwing the turnbuckle to the proper adjustment for your boat. Up at the top of the furler assembly, the top eye fitting should poke out 1 to 1-1/2" from the black plastic cap, and the bottom of the foil should be 1/2" to 1" above the turnbuckle body. If you can't achieve this spacing, disassemble and cut another 1/2" off the foil. Reassemble and check the fit. Keep cutting 1/4" to 1/2" until the pieces all fit together and the turnbuckle is at the proper position for your boat. With the end of the foil 1/2" above the turnbuckle body, and the furler drum seated fully on the bearing, you will drill a 1/4" hole through the foil to line up on the 1/4" hole in the drum that the retaining pin goes through. This pin locks the foil and the drum together and prevents the foil from contacting the turnbuckle body. Okay, for the final check: 1. The turnbuckle is adjusted to the proper position for your boat. 2, The end of the foil is 1/2" to 3/4" above the top of the turnbuckle body. 3. The top eye swage fitting is poking out 3/4" to 1" from the top of the cap, but not with any of the wire exposed (you don't want the black plastic cap to scrape on the wires!). 4. If all pieces are "good to go", the last step is to safety wire the turnbuckle so it can't rotate, and pin the foil and drum together with the long 1/4" rigging pin supplied in the kit. Now pin the headstay top eye to the masthead casting, being careful to not bend the top eye swage. The furler assembly is pretty heavy and you don't want any sideways bending force when pinning the top eye, so get the furler lined up on the mast. DON'T FORGET THE COTTER PIN! You can now raise the mast and go sailing!

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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2984 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2005 : 05:28:35

I'm not sure what the current rigging suggestions for affixing the sail are but noting that many use a fixed section for the tack line, here is what I think is a much better way.

The CDI halyard is not very functional as a luff tensioner, therefore it is better to use it to simply hoist the sail to the top and do luff tensioning with the tack rather than have a fixed tack line or shackle.

To accomplish this, use a small quality multi braided nylon line 3/32 - 1/8 long enough to make three roves around the tack and slot in the furler, perhaps 5-6 feet long. Permanently affix the line to the sail tack and after hoisting the sail fully aloft and cleating the halyard, rove the line through the furler slot and sail tack three times. The line will now function as a 6:1 tackle to easily adjust the luff tension. After tensioning, wrap the line around the rovings and knot. Even though the line is small, the six parts will carry the load without problem.

Btw, I like to leave the short permanent halyard section slightly longer than enough to cleat the sail fully aloft. This allows lowering the sail very close to the furler for heavier air and raising fully aloft for light air. A temporary messenger line will be used to affix to the halyard when lowering the sail, simply make it on with a square knot.

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2005 : 07:49:25

You should have received 4 small washers with your FF4. They go on the bottom of your drum near the anti rotation strap. They act as spacers. The instructions are not clear on how many to use. If I remember right they tell you to use 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 depending. Clear as mud. I tried 1, then 2 then 3, Best bet is to install all 4 and be happy. Oh... by the way, I installed mine FF4 with the mast up.

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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.