Roller Furler’s
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I have seen a few Olson’s with Roller Furler’s but haven’t seen much of a discussion about it here. So I wanted to get your thoughts. Is it legal for racing? Is there a PHRF hit? What mfg would suggest for a racing Furler?
Also I read some discussion about using A-kites the pros and con’s etc. Has anyone tried a A-kite of a Roller Furler?Ok for a legit question:)…
HowTo – remove the PVC in my org. single spreader mast…Thanks
TomHmmm…want to remove the conduit but add furling?
The furler is just for discussion, the removing of the conduit is a legit question. This is something I need to do to rerun my VHF wiring….
Lake Michigan PHRF give a handicap CREDIT for roller furling…IF it is the only headsail and no change during racing season. That pretty much says NO on an Olson. If the Olson was a frac with a huge main, yes..a 100% jib might be the only headsail you need. Olson..never get away with it unless you want to stay at the dock in light air (if you go 100%) or in heavy air if you go larger.
Regarding conduit…what is the point of removing the conduit if you are still running wires? I sail the ChiMac & it requires a masthead antenna..so rather than have issues with halyards, etc..my wires are in the conduit. If you are going for weight aloft reduction..strip out all wiring, conduit and put on different nav lights and a pushpit antenna.
You may need a mast head VHF for ChiMac and other ISAF class races. If your thinking roller for shorthanded sailing, read how Andrew Evans does it on a Olson 30 with out roller. Look on the single handed sailing societys site. A great read for any Olson owner. I am thinking roller is just going to slow you down to much.
There’s two avenues in my single spreader mast, one at the base where the conduit exits or an exit right below the deck level. I prefer to exit here because it make it easier for re-connection to my equipment. On my mast is VFH, & nav lights and in the future I am contemplating adding a wind instrument, maybe wireless or not..Still debating.
As far as the Roller Furler, I have never been a real fan of this device but I understand that with new engineering they have made great strides in the racing community to be more efficient, I am not sure how this would be good or bad for the Olson, if you just cruising I can see where this would be safer, but full time racing then there is no advantage. Thats my opinion of course, maybe other know different.
But still would like to know HOW to remove the conduit from the mast.
Thanks
TomConduit is pop riveted to the mast on my converted double spreader Ballenger stick.
On my single spreader Ballenger, I do not remember any rivets when I removed the conduit. It was tough to get started. IIRC, I drilled a couple of holes in the bottom end to loop a small line through so I could grab on. Once it broke loose of the corrosion / grime / whatever, it came out without much issue.
I do run a masthead VHF early in the season, before the big regattas. Coax just run up bare. Once the regattas start, I just rip it out. I have not had an issue with this. However, this might not be the case if you have light wiring as well as coax.
Bruce – reference the PHRF, I talked to the PHRF in my area last week before this last Saturdays Galveston Bay race and they told me I can change my headsail before the start (because of wind conditions) and they said that as long as it did not exceed my measured rating I would be fine. I noticed a 1D35 and a Soveral 27 change from a #3 to a # 1 and I understood it to be ok. The roller furler like a Facnor FD 190 also you to change your headsail on the fly and it’s a flat deck model. Anyway, just information I found interesting and wanted pass it on…Just by the way, the 1D35 had this model of furler, it seemed sweat..made for a clean foredeck..
Lake Michigan PHRF:
Roller Furling Jibs may receive a credit. A boat that carries a luff roller furled head sail with the
furling drum mounted above the deck may receive a 3 sec/nm credit. The headsail LP may not be
greater than that allowed for a base handicap without penalty and no credit is applied for a headsail
smaller than the maximum allowed. Except for a storm jib, the roller furled headsail must be the
only headsail carried while racing. The sail may not be made of exotic material such as a scrim type
membrane.Tom, I have run bare coax for six years with out any problem. We run a separate 24gauge wire also for the masthead fly light for distance racing. We taped the two wires together at 2 foot intervals with a quick double wrap of electrical tape. This hasn’t snagged anything yet. The hole in the front of the mast at the partners is a big problem. It is a source of mast failures. We spliced a three foot 1/4” aluminum “splint” if you will(about 1.5 feet above and below the partners, do to the stress cracking that began to occur at this location. It wraps aroud almost to the luff track. We riveted it in place. It limits lower mast bend but better than a failure. It also limits fore and aft movement or the need to chock the mast at the partners. I believe you have the Sparcraft mast, as do I. If my memory serves me right these were the only masts with that fore facing hole at the partners. Inspect it carefully for cracking before you crank on the backstay.
Chris – I am not sure that I follow you. The only hole I have above the spreaders is the connection for the babystay. And the other hole that is open is right below the deck level so I can run my wires and connect them to the bottom of the deck and run down the bulkhead (see pic)
Has anyone used slugs to slide in the inside track and lash them to the wires? My mast has two usable slots on the inside.
One mention, as long as we are talking about wires coming out of the mast. The first Olson I looked at had a cracked mast below the deck level. It appeared that the crack was because the wire exit was a hole in front of the mast. Mast pumping was working the hole and it cracked the mast from the hole to around 1/2 way on both sides. If your mast has a front hole…keep an eye on it. Mine are on each side.
Chris..do you have a tri color mast head light? I have one (with led bulb, aftermarket) that lights up the windex perfectly at night.
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