DaySailer.org Forum

Greetings, I am new to using a roller furler. My DS1, that I recently bought, has one on it. A couple of quick questions....

Question 1: Do I attach the headstay shroud to the furler? Or do I attach the headstay to the second forward position hole in front of the roller furler?

Question 2: Any tips on how to use it? I've watched you tube videos, but any advice on using a furler on a DS1 would be greatly appreciated!

Many Thanks,

Dave A

When you use a furler, you do not rig a separate headstay. Either your furler has a profile that takes the place of the headstay (usually something more typically seen on larger boats) or your sail has an internal luff wire, around which it gets furled (more typical of smaller boats). Details will vary with the furling system you use.

Set it up so that the furling line is rolled up on the furling drum when the sail is unrolled. When you pull on the furling line, the sail should roll up. Best if you can roll up far enough to wrap the sheet around the furled sail one or two turns, that secures the sail. Then cleat the furling line. For the revers, just uncleat the line and pull out the sail with the jib sheet. All there is to it, really.

Many thanks for your response. I have attached a photo of my ds1 with sails up, sent to me by the previous owner. From the photo, it appears that there is a separate headstay that is connected to the boat, just forward of the furler/jib sail line.

With sails now down, on my boat, all I see is a furler base attached to the front of the boat. On my mast I have a line connected to my mast that looks to lead to the fruler. Would I connect my jib sail to this line that leads up the mast? then the bottom to the furler?? I have attached an additional photo of the line thats connected to my mast. Please forgive my ignorance. I just can't figure out how the line and sail would connect to the furler mechanism on the boat?

Thank you for your help!

Regards,
Dave

OK, it looks clearly like your setup has the furled headsail in addition to a forestay. So, the forestay would go in the most forward hole and the furler in the aftmost hole on the stemhead fitting (to give you the maximal clearance between the stay and the furled sail).

The advantage of having the stay in addition to the furler is that you can take the sail down all the way without dropping the mast. Good if you keep the boat on a mooring. And makes it possible to set basic rig tension without using the jib halyard (to get enough tension otherwise requires a 2:1 purchase as part of the jib halyard setup). Downside is that the stay can interfere with furling, but, if your P.O used the boat that way, presumably that wasn't a concern.

Your detail photo shows a swivel with a direction "up". The "up" part would be connected to your jib halyard, which is lead through the block on the mast right below the forestay and then down along the mast to be cleated at the bottom.

The other end of your sail would get connected to the furler drum.

@GreenLake ....Thanks for all your help!