Furler Drum Height

[Nick J]

Reaching out for some advice on furler installation. We have a Pro Furl LC-32 unit. It functions but its stiff and we're going to be replacing the rigging including the headstay, so I'm thinking now is a good time to replace it with a new unit. I'm pretty much set on a Harken MKIV racing unit. The question is do I use a standard toggle or the plates that lift if off the deck. the Pro Furl has plates that raises it about 11" off the deck and this seems to be ideal. It provides good clearance from the anchor. My wife usually operates that end while I'm at the helm and she thinks it's a good idea to keep the distance. I agree with her, but walking the dock today, I noticed most boats use standard toggles and keep the drum low.

Here's the setup today:


and a few examples around the docks:

 

[Frank Langer]

Reaching out for some advice on furler installation. We have a Pro Furl LC-32 unit. It functions but its stiff and we're going to be replacing the rigging including the headstay, so I'm thinking now is a good time to replace it with a new unit. I'm pretty much set on a Harken MKIV racing unit. The question is do I use a standard toggle or the plates that lift if off the deck. the Pro Furl has plates that raises it about 11" off the deck and this seems to be ideal. It provides good clearance from the anchor. My wife usually operates that end while I'm at the helm and she thinks it's a good idea to keep the distance. I agree with her, but walking the dock today, I noticed most boats use standard toggles and keep the drum low.

Here's the setup today:
View attachment 51900

and a few examples around the docks:
View attachment 51901View attachment 51902View attachment 51903

Hi,
My older harken furler is installed lower like the others on your dock, and has worked well for us at that level with our Bruce anchor.
Installing it higher will have the foot of the headsail higher off the deck-- better for visibility but may increase boat heel with forces higher up. I would also want to be sure that the higher support is solid without any play or movement when under pressure.
Just my initial thoughts...
Frank

 

[ConchyDug]

I like the height for visibility but you can raise a sail tack with a strop or whatever it's called on the tack. Here is a photo of my furler, like you pointed out it keeps things clear around the anchor. I also run the tackline for the kite off the bail and it keeps the pre-feed clean-ish.

 

[jtsai]

I suggest you borrow a properly sized Rocna anchor to determine the necessary furler drum clearance. Rocna behaves differently at deployment and retrieval than the Bruce you have, it takes more room. Mine bumps to the Harken furler drum base and I wish it can be raised a few inches.

 

[Nick J]

I suggest you borrow a properly sized Rocna anchor to determine the necessary furler drum clearance. Rocna behaves differently at deployment and retrieval than the Bruce you have, it takes more room. Mine bumps to the Harken furler drum base and I wish it can be raised a few inches.

Thanks for adding that. Rerigging is this year's project, but upgrading the ground tackle is on the horizon. A Rocna is definitely one of the anchors I was thinking about. My wife says the current undersized Lewmar anchor tips up and just misses the drum. I'm surprised to see so many drums close to the anchor. I'm wondering if it's just the easier and cheaper install and everyone works around it when they drop anchor.

For reference, this is what I was thinking of ordering to get the drum off the deck like my current configuration:

Harken Unit 1 Toggle Assembly w/Long Link Plates and 1/2 clevis pin

Buy Harken Unit 1 Toggle Assembly w/Long Link Plates and 1/2" clevis pin, sailing gear, sailboat parts, sails and running rigging at Vela Sailing Supply. Technical support, customer service and product information. Vela and sailing supplies.

www.velasailingsupply.com

 

[Loren Beach]

From talking to friends that were configuring their boat for cruising, one little change you can make -- gain maybe another half inch of fluke clearance -- is to replace the roller with a larger-center-groove one. That, and maybe see it the whole roller assembly can be engineered to extend out a bit further.

 

[bigd14]

I went though this recently. The old profurl unit sat quite high and I was keeping the headsail so I located the furler at approximately the same level using the extension arms. I have been a little worried about the furler drum contacting the stanchion in higher winds since it’s a much larger diameter than the old profurl, but it may also be may that I need slightly higher headstay tension. You might watch out for that.

 

[Nick J]

I went though this recently. The old profurl unit sat quite high and I was keeping the headsail so I located the furler at approximately the same level using the extension arms. I have been a little worried about the furler drum contacting the stanchion in higher winds since it’s a much larger diameter than the old profurl, but it may also be may that I need slightly higher headstay tension. You might watch out for that.
View attachment 51905
View attachment 51906

Looks good. That's the first application of the link plates I've seen, or paid attention to. What size unit did you go for on the 30+?

 

[bigd14]

It was the MkIV Ocean Unit 1.