[Rhodes22-list] tracks and furlers

[Peter Thorn]

Rory and David,

I installed a 4' x 1" Schaeffer track on the front of the mast, bottom of
the track 30" above the bottom of the mast, following a post found in the
archives or FAQs.  I used 1/2 long fine thread x 1/4 machine screws and a
tap.  It works very nicely, but its probably overkill.  A simple ring would
work 98% as well for less cost and effort.  I've had similar concerns to
Mary Lou's about attaching the end of my Forespar 6-12 adjustable pole to
the rigging.  The end of my pole is metal, unlike Rummy's, and I could
envision a big puff coming along and tearing up a turnbuckle stud or
chainplate.

Sail changes with a CDI are not exactly a walk in the park.  The CDI makes
it very easy to trailer the boat.  Its flexible plastic foil material is
bulletproof, so it's great for that.  But whenever I want to change
headsails, it's usually blowing hard enough to blow the 175 all over the
place.  You have to rig a messenger line and be quite mindful not to lift
the drum, or the bearings will fall all over the deck and possible
overboard.  It really takes two people when the wind is up and I would not
attempt it except at the dock and with the bow into the wind.

A Harken 00 furler is one step up in complexity, capability and cost from a
CDI.  It uses an aluminum foil and it's not as great for trailering, but it
has two sail luff tracks and a real halyard, so sail changes can be done
much more easily and on the water.  The headsail cloth luff tension is
adjustable, and it would be possible to deploy two sails at the same time (I
now have a 155 and a 175).  Where I sail (Neuse/Pamlico NC) it's possible to
sail 30 miles or more cruising on a single light air summertime downwind
leg.  The idea of poling out two large headsails is appealing, but Raven
already has the UPS and 175 combination for that.   My primary interest in a
Harken furler is to easily switch between the 135 and the 155 on the water
between races to adapt to changing winds.

To convert IMF R22 to a Harken 00 furler a jib halyard in required.  The
topping lift could be replaced with a single line from the mast crane and
tacked on the end of the boom, either adjustable there or not.  Then the old
topping lift could be re-reaved to serve as the jib halyard.  Both the
Harken and the CDI use the same luff tape size (#5, I think), so the only
changes to convert are on the forestay itself.

I haven't actually decided to go ahead with a Harken furler yet, but am just
toying with the idea as a possible future upgrade.  I just wanted to share
this thinking with others who may be considering acquring multiple headsail
capacity on their R22.

PT