Equivalent other brands to MKIV Ocean Unit 3 Jib Furling System?

[nwh10]

Originally Posted by Chotu

So the thing is he feels safety is compromised by old, corroded hardware. If you have to drill it, it’s bordering on unsafe.

That’s kind of reasonable.

Maybe I’ll just work like a dog up here a little extra to offset the $5000 expense. In the long run it’s probably the right thing to do.

It’s funny when you get to an urban area it kind of getting you a little bit. The stress of the area.

Life looks a whole lot better and a lot easier when you are on the boat. Ha ha

^^ This. All this. Safety first. Quality components. Well-known Harken quality. Confidence in the rig.

Keep working to get your business back on track. That has two benefits: business on track (duh) and replenish the kitty.

[Benz]

You asked earlier how long it should take to up-rig a gunboat. Well, a day, once all the parts are in place. Getting them all together is the hard part. All the bits and pieces that need to go on after the rig is up is a matter of time/money. Spending more of one will save more of the other, up to a point.

I think you did right in getting a new furler. I had this same question last year for a boat going to the arctic, and the guys I know here--guys who deal with furlers of every sort every day--said that Facnors are great until they suddenly, catastrophically aren't, and it's only a matter of time. They gave a hearty recommendation for Harken, even though they are Facnor dealers as well. Harken has serviceable parts, Facnor does not.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Benz

You asked earlier how long it should take to up-rig a gunboat. Well, a day, once all the parts are in place. Getting them all together is the hard part. All the bits and pieces that need to go on after the rig is up is a matter of time/money. Spending more of one will save more of the other, up to a point.

I think you did right in getting a new furler. I had this same question last year for a boat going to the arctic, and the guys I know here--guys who deal with furlers of every sort every day--said that Facnors are great until they suddenly, catastrophically aren't, and it's only a matter of time. They gave a hearty recommendation for Harken, even though they are Facnor dealers as well. Harken has serviceable parts, Facnor does not.

OK. That’s good to hear. Thanks for the info on the time it will take. We definitely have been gathering parts. That’s what has me freaked out. I have been spending and spending and spending and absolutely nothing has happened yet.

Of course there are a ton of things to bolt on. Like the track for the self tacker. I know those won’t take one day.

Every single piece has to be mounted to the deck. And then the plinth will take a while as will the gunboat 48 style main sheet system.

And then the new dinghy holders. And cutting off my davits. That’s all going to take a while. There’s a stack pack involved.

And it’s a one-man show. One which I’m hoping to join as soon as I can to help speed things along.


I didn’t realize Facnor was a disposable type of system. I had no idea. I guess the Harkin upgrade was a good plan. Hopefully it will last a lifetime. Or at least most of one.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Chotu

This is a very good question.

This is exactly how I thought it would work. I didn’t think there was any need to take anything apart.

Did you have things like this black plastic spacer?

The forestay is supposed to go in that hole and that spacer slides into the foil.

If you had these, how did you get it through them without taking everything apart?

Yes my furler has bushings like those. That's the reason for heatshrinking a tracer line to the end of the forestay before you pull it back through. The "puller" helps guide the new forestay into those bushings.. really easy procedure. I've also seen people weld the new forestay to the old in oder to pull it through too.

[Chotu]

Well, here’s something I didn’t even think of.

I guess that’s why I’m working with such a smart guy.

Here’s what he just said:

Someday in phase 2 when I need to get a second Furler on a sprit for a reacher or something, I already have the Facnor!

Duh! How did I not see that?

I would have had to buy a second Furler anyway. So all of this stressing was for nothing.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Yes my furler has bushings like those. That's the reason for heatshrinking a tracer line to the end of the forestay before you pull it back through. The "puller" helps guide the new forestay into those bushings.. really easy procedure. I've also seen people weld the new forestay to the old in oder to pull it through too.

I will use your technique when I put the facnor into the service as the secondary Furler.

And/or The idea of weaving the forestay together to pull.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Well, here’s something I didn’t even think of.

I guess that’s why I’m working with such a smart guy.

Here’s what he just said:

Someday in phase 2 when I need to get a second Furler on a sprit for a reacher or something, I already have the Facnor!

Duh! How did I not see that?

I would have had to buy a second Furler anyway. So all of this stressing was for nothing.

That's a perfect idea! Buy the new furler now, and then you've got plenty of time to get this one sorted out and working nicely for when you're ready for a second one.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

That's a perfect idea! Buy the new furler now, and then you've got plenty of time to get this one sorted out and working nicely for when you're ready for a second one.

Guess that’s why he gets paid the big bucks! Ha ha

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Well, here’s something I didn’t even think of.

I guess that’s why I’m working with such a smart guy.

Here’s what he just said:

Someday in phase 2 when I need to get a second Furler on a sprit for a reacher or something, I already have the Facnor!

Duh! How did I not see that?

I would have had to buy a second Furler anyway. So all of this stressing was for nothing.

Not to rain on the parade, but isn’t this Facnor a furler with a foil that envelops a fixed forestay? If so, are you planning to have a permanent forestay on your sprit? If yes to both, then that works but is pretty damn heavy. Usually the end of the sprit uses a halyard and the torque rope built into the luff of the reacher/code 0 rather than a fixed forestay.

All that said, I have seen some cats with permanent forestays and foil furlers on the end of their sprits. Whether your cat can handle the weight and windage is the question. In our case, we’re darn happy to remove the gennaker from the end of the sprit, especially when going upwind (and it’s in our reefing plan to remove the gennaker as the wind goes up).