homemade jib furler

[dale]

Seems to me I read where someone had made their own furler.  I think I'm going to give it a try as well.  My jib will be 15-18 sq.ft., and this is a build on the cheap, so I don't see the need to spring for $2-300.  I'm thinking I can take a hole saw, cut out a "hole", epoxy a couple of pieced of 1/4" ply cut into circles onto the "hole", get a couple of swivel shackles, couple of pad eyes, a length of ss wire, a furling line, plus a few other odds and ends and have at it. 

Anyone here done anything like this?

Am I correct in my understanding that some furlers just furl the sail around the wire? Or are they like my CDI furler on my Macgregor that has a foil (I think that is the correct term) that runs along the forestay that the jib wraps around?

[lewisboats]

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=3154.0

http://pdracer.com/articles/roller/index.htm

http://faculty.augie.edu/~swart/CP-16/Roller%20Furler.html

http://cpyoa.geekworkshosting.com/forum/index.php?topic=3154.30

http://www.widgetsailor.com/myboat/downhaul/

Video with email address for info/plans:

http://video.najoomi.com/videos/D9vPW6MAt4k/Homemade-Jib-Furler-for-a-Small-Sailboat.html

[dale]

Good links.  Should pics up a tip or two from them. Thanks

[capt jake]

Barry's friend now has my old WE.  I made a furler that worked AWESOME!  The sail was sewn to the wire.  I made the spool out of round stock nylon (about 1 1/4" dia) with flanges of UHMW.  Set screws to the wire (inserted through the drum).  Swivels on both ends.  You must also use a forestay, the swivels will not take the added load and hold the mast up.

Total cost was about $50 if I recall.    I am pretty sure there are still pictures of it on here somewhere.  There were several past threads dedicated to this topic as well.

[Barry Pyeatt]

These are photos of Capt. Jakes furling spool(s).  He had one on his Lapper and one on his foresail.  A modified standard jib rigged to fly inside the Lapper on a clubfoot.  Together they were more trouble to use than it was worth to try to sail with both of them.  Seperately, the Lapper is perfect for the majority of the wind conditions we see on Puget Sound and when it gets to the point that you need to reef down the main, the modified jib on the clubfoot offers a nice balance.  The furling system(s) both work beautifully.