Various articles covering frequently asked questions, informative bits of information, and even a spot of humor.
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The ultimate furling system for your Catalina. Own the Mercedes for a few hundred more than the Chevy and it's built in the US!.
This is the base kit only. See the associated kits below in "May we also suggest" to get the additional parts needed for installing on your specific Catalina.
Harken has introduced a new furler model they call the MkIV OCEAN that is a simpler design with rounded foil that includes only one groove in the foil, the drum is aluminum and not removable. This item is the MkIV that hasn’t changed in design as it still includes the anodized aluminum removable split drum and a foil with two grooves for ease of switching heads'ls. Both models include a line guard top made of composites instead of metal for better durability as a metal top would dent.
• Foils and drum are securely connected with strong robust clamp to handle the high torque loads created when sails are reefed and furled in heavy air.
• Harken's "AirSwivel" Halyard swivel connects to the halyard and is hoisted to the masthead. It is lighter to remove weight aloft, smaller for less windage and turns more freely with well engineered bearings. It also provides for use of the boat's halyard so luff tension can be adjusted from the cockpit.
• Tough triple-interlock foil joints withstand years of torque loading. Connector and geometric shape interlocks to foil and secures by coating engineered channel system with a syringe-injected adhesive. Screws provide a final lock.
• Independent halyard swivels furl sail center before head and tack for improved sail shape and upwind pointing.
• Large inner spool diameter increases mechanical advantage for powerful reefing and furling. Unit rotates around forestay so furling bearings do not carry the forestay load for easy furling.
• Stacked bearing races in the halyard swivel evenly distribute radial and thrust loads to ball bearings; foils turn freely under halyard loads.
This item does not conform to the shipping table in the Shopping Cart. Additional shipping must be calculated. When you place your order we always call with a shipping quote before billing your card. For a quote in advance, just call 800/959-7245.
Furlers require a rigging toggle at the masthead. If your boat doesn’t have a rigging toggle, the forestay must be shorter to accommodate the length of the rigging toggle.
While sailing, the furler pulls the forestay to one side. Tack and it’s pulled to the other side. A rigging toggle installed at the top of the forestay provides a “U” joint that allows the forestay to hinge side to side. Without it the forestay is bending from side to side. The forestay will work-harden and fail where it is bending. Some Catalinas come with a rigging toggle. If so, we don’t include another in our kit.
Perhaps not. If the forestay is new enough (max 7 years old in salt water, 10 in fresh), and the furler design simply assembles over the existing forestay, you might not need a new forestay.
Furlers are made by hardware companies, not boat builders. A furler is suitable for use on many different models made by dozens of boat builders. Any one Catalina model was built with several different rigs. The C-28 had six different rigs and was offered in both standard and tall versions for example. With so many variables, only the owner, after measuring, knows for certain what length to trim the foil to.
A furler requires a tiny bolt rope (also referred to as a luff tape), that slides up the groove built into the furler foil. The sail must be built or retrofitted with the correct size of luff tape to match the furler’s requirements.
Yes, there are three differences between a furling and hank on sail. Furling sails have a bolt-rope, a sewn-on cover, perhaps a foam luff to shape it when reefed, and they are cut somewhat different than hank-on sails.
If a hank on sail is near the end of its life, it may be a candidate for converting just the luff. Know that, uncovered, the sail will rot in the sun… but it’s near the end anyway, right? Get a couple more seasons out of it and then buy a new sail.
If the sail is fairly new, the inclination is to convert it. But add the cost of conversion, the cost of the cover, plus the used value of a good sail… Is it better to sell it and put that money toward a new sail that is purpose built to be a furling sail? You decide.
The most common reasons for forestay failure are:
a) Lack of a halyard restrainer, or halyard restrainer mounted too low or too high for current sail (see your furler’s instructions) Note: CDI Flexible Furlers don't use a halyard restrainer.
b) Inadequate forestay tension allowing forestay to sag (tune the rig)
c) Lack of a rigging toggle between the top of the forestay and the masthead
d) Age… Don’t cheap out! Replace your forestay in a timely manner. If it fails and you lose your mast, Catalina’s original cost-effective rigs are no longer available. Current replacements are so expensive your insurance company is likely to total your beloved boat if you lose it.
Contact the your furler’s manufacturer or visit their web site for the installation manual for your model and vintage.
The ultimate furling system for your Catalina. Own the Mercedes for a few hundred more than the Chevy and it's built in the US!.
This is the base kit only. See the associated kits below in "May we also suggest" to get the additional parts needed for installing on your specific Catalina.
Harken has introduced a new furler model they call the MkIV OCEAN that is a simpler design with rounded foil that includes only one groove in the foil, the drum is aluminum and not removable. This item is the MkIV that hasn’t changed in design as it still includes the anodized aluminum removable split drum and a foil with two grooves for ease of switching heads'ls. Both models include a line guard top made of composites instead of metal for better durability as a metal top would dent.
• Foils and drum are securely connected with strong robust clamp to handle the high torque loads created when sails are reefed and furled in heavy air.
• Harken's "AirSwivel" Halyard swivel connects to the halyard and is hoisted to the masthead. It is lighter to remove weight aloft, smaller for less windage and turns more freely with well engineered bearings. It also provides for use of the boat's halyard so luff tension can be adjusted from the cockpit.
• Tough triple-interlock foil joints withstand years of torque loading. Connector and geometric shape interlocks to foil and secures by coating engineered channel system with a syringe-injected adhesive. Screws provide a final lock.
• Independent halyard swivels furl sail center before head and tack for improved sail shape and upwind pointing.
• Large inner spool diameter increases mechanical advantage for powerful reefing and furling. Unit rotates around forestay so furling bearings do not carry the forestay load for easy furling.
• Stacked bearing races in the halyard swivel evenly distribute radial and thrust loads to ball bearings; foils turn freely under halyard loads.
This item does not conform to the shipping table in the Shopping Cart. Additional shipping must be calculated. When you place your order we always call with a shipping quote before billing your card. For a quote in advance, just call 800/959-7245.
Furlers require a rigging toggle at the masthead. If your boat doesn’t have a rigging toggle, the forestay must be shorter to accommodate the length of the rigging toggle.
While sailing, the furler pulls the forestay to one side. Tack and it’s pulled to the other side. A rigging toggle installed at the top of the forestay provides a “U” joint that allows the forestay to hinge side to side. Without it the forestay is bending from side to side. The forestay will work-harden and fail where it is bending. Some Catalinas come with a rigging toggle. If so, we don’t include another in our kit.
Perhaps not. If the forestay is new enough (max 7 years old in salt water, 10 in fresh), and the furler design simply assembles over the existing forestay, you might not need a new forestay.
Furlers are made by hardware companies, not boat builders. A furler is suitable for use on many different models made by dozens of boat builders. Any one Catalina model was built with several different rigs. The C-28 had six different rigs and was offered in both standard and tall versions for example. With so many variables, only the owner, after measuring, knows for certain what length to trim the foil to.
A furler requires a tiny bolt rope (also referred to as a luff tape), that slides up the groove built into the furler foil. The sail must be built or retrofitted with the correct size of luff tape to match the furler’s requirements.
Yes, there are three differences between a furling and hank on sail. Furling sails have a bolt-rope, a sewn-on cover, perhaps a foam luff to shape it when reefed, and they are cut somewhat different than hank-on sails.
If a hank on sail is near the end of its life, it may be a candidate for converting just the luff. Know that, uncovered, the sail will rot in the sun… but it’s near the end anyway, right? Get a couple more seasons out of it and then buy a new sail.
If the sail is fairly new, the inclination is to convert it. But add the cost of conversion, the cost of the cover, plus the used value of a good sail… Is it better to sell it and put that money toward a new sail that is purpose built to be a furling sail? You decide.
The most common reasons for forestay failure are:
a) Lack of a halyard restrainer, or halyard restrainer mounted too low or too high for current sail (see your furler’s instructions) Note: CDI Flexible Furlers don't use a halyard restrainer.
b) Inadequate forestay tension allowing forestay to sag (tune the rig)
c) Lack of a rigging toggle between the top of the forestay and the masthead
d) Age… Don’t cheap out! Replace your forestay in a timely manner. If it fails and you lose your mast, Catalina’s original cost-effective rigs are no longer available. Current replacements are so expensive your insurance company is likely to total your beloved boat if you lose it.
Contact the your furler’s manufacturer or visit their web site for the installation manual for your model and vintage.
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