Choice of line for roller furler on 32-3

[peaman]

I have a Harken Mk I furler which works well in itself. My headsail is, I believe, a 135% Genoa (~19' foot). The furling line which came with the boat may be 3/8" double braid, or maybe 7/16". To my eye, there is a fair lead to the furler from a deck-mounted stand-up spring block.

Often, when I wish to fully unfurl the headsail, the furling line will pile up and then jam within the furler drum, preventing the last few turns of the foil without manual assist. I intend to replace the furling line soon, but I have seen different opinions on the best arrangement, so I am seeking some input.

An esteemed cruising friend recommends using double braid line of 3/8" or even more, but to remove the core from most of the line, leaving a few feet of core at the furler end, and also in the portion which remains on deck when the sail is furled, but having the bulk of the line rolled on the furler without a core so that it will lie flat for a smaller coil diameter.

A respondent here has suggested NE Ropes "Regatta Braid" single braid line is a good choice. I bought a few feet and it does flatten more than double braid, which should offer some improvement.

I'd like to hear the opinions of others on best choice of line and any other details for the furling line, especially from 32-3 owners.

 

[Dave G.]

I recently changed out my MK 1 furler line as it was doing the same as yours. I believe it was a 3/8" double braid, a very old and "shaggy" one. I went to a Sta-Set 5/16(8mm) line and it greatly improved the drum operation & storage space.

New England Ropes Sta-Set Polyester Double Braid Rope

As the #1 double braid in America, Sta-Set is a strong, flexible, and long wearing line. It is high strength, low stretch, and extremely durable, yet it still remains soft over time. Sta-Set is both easy to handle and splice. A true multi-purpose line use

defender.com

 

[bsangs]

I have a Harken Mk I furler which works well in itself. My headsail is, I believe, a 135% Genoa (~19' foot). The furling line which came with the boat may be 3/8" double braid, or maybe 7/16". To my eye, there is a fair lead to the furler from a deck-mounted stand-up spring block.

Boy, 7/16" seems WAY too thick for a furling line. That's my jib sheet diameter. We have an MKI furler and pretty sure the line is 5/16". I think that diameter would solve your issue of having the line "pile up" on the drum.

 

[Nick J]

The Harken furling line is 7mm on the new units which is just a little over 1/4". I think that's the same size I used on my 25+ with a MKI Unit 1 and I never ran into an issue with the line getting bulked up inside the drum, so it seems like a good line size. Both my current boat with a Profurl and my old 25+ had the furling line replaced before I bought the boat, but I have heard the Harken furling lines don't last long and have a lot of stretch. A simple Samson trophy braid or XLS3 would work well.

 

[Loren Beach]

One little factoid if I may... when we had our Harken furler installed, the rigger chose the line as part of the install. That made sense to me since the length would be dependent on the actual boat and could vary by quite a few feet. Maybe Harken offers a certain length of line as an option, but I do not know.
Our line is about 1/4", IIRC.

 

[Frank Langer]

Ours on our Harken II is 5/16" and works perfectly.

 

[Christian Williams]

Sure, go as small as your hand can stand. Single braid (Regatta) feels marvelous, and that's my mainsheet, too.

The other issue with the furler control line is chafe. It is a good idea to furl and unfurl the drum 10 times, examining the angle to the drum from the foremost lead block. Its position on the deck is critical to guide the line for a fair buildup on the drum. Since the buildup is random, depending on tension and luck, it's good to be sure the pile never creates chafe against the edge of the drum no matter how unusual the spool.

 

[Pete the Cat]

One more reminder, make sure you lead it on the drum the right way. Cam Richards of Pineapple Sails went so far as putting a red sticker on the inside clew foot of all his roller furling jibs that says "WRONG WAY"--because he saw so many jibs come into his shop that had been wound backwards and destroyed by UV without a cover. It is easier to do than one might think. I have done it. FWIW.

 

[Christian Williams]

Yes, and UK puts a tape on the foot that says "This Side not UV Protected," which helps me know.