Flex foil or aluminum foil for roller furling?

fiatracer163 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-04-2011

Is there a major difference between a flexible foil and a solid aluminum foil, as far as performance goes? I will be hoisting a 135% and that is my only sail so it will go on in spring and come down in fall.

I think I'm going to go with the snapfurl from Schaefer with a PVC foil unless there is a real advantage to spend the extra money for the Harken with a aluminum solid foil.

This would be installed on a Catalina 27 that will not be raced, only day and weekend sailing in Lake Michigan.

fiatracer163 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-04-2011

Also, with the sail only show coming to chicago, should I hold off and wait to see if I can find any super deals at the show? I have never been to it before and I don't know what to expect.

jjablonowski · #3 (**permalink**) 12-05-2011

Be aware that with the Schaeffer SnapFurl system, once you snap the two long halves together around the headstay, they cannot be unsnapped.

Also, the headstay hole through the foil is very small; a 1x19 wire will fit through, but the swaged end fitting will not.

That means that, should you later want to replace the headstay and retain the foil, you'll have to thread a bare wire through the foil and use a mechanical fitting like a Norseman at the top.

My advise: Install a new headstay before you snap on a PVC foil.

Tbrad · #4 (**permalink**) 12-05-2011

I just recently installed a CDI Furler on my Catalina 27 which is slipped in Oak Harbor, Wa. Here is a lesson that I learned. I received the Furler in a timely manner but wasn't ready to install it right away. The instructions recommended taking the furler out ot the box upon receipt. But I decided to wait until I was ready for installation as I didn't have a secure place to stretch it out as per directions. Nine days later I pulled it out and uncoiled it. It would not stay uncoiled., It would not even come close to "straight". We weighted it down and two days later it still wasn't straight. Temps in Oak harbor never got above 70 degrees. Finally resorted to buying PVC pipe and sticking the furler inside and after a couple of days in the sun we were able to install the furler. Moral of that story: read and FOLLOW the instructions.