Electric Furling

[Danny_Labrador]

Do you think that this would be reliable ?

I have seen hydraulic furling and I can see how that would be robust - but electric ? a motor furling a Genoa that far forward and so exposed ?

Any experiences ?

 

[Don107]

In reality a electric anchor windlass is in a similar location

Regards Don

 

[lustyd]

It's probably more reliable than a rope around a drum. There are lots of reports of the ropes getting trapped while this probably has a chain or belt in a sealed environment. The only issue I've heard of was the 65 foot (I think) new build on here where the people who fitted it didn't add the bit at the top of the mast to pull the halyard away and the motor merrily wound the rope around the sail and caused some damage. That wasn't the fault of the motor but it would possibly have been noticed earlier by someone pulling the rope - if they could have even pulled it on a sail that size of course.

 

[Iliade]

I have visions of having to sail in circles to reef and unfurl the sail when the power fails ;0)


(Yes i did see the winding handle hole, but I still have visions...)

 

[chal]

I'm a bit prejudiced I suppose: on my rather ancient and traditional craft the most sophisticated sail-handling device is a Wykeham-Martin on the jib. I have to go forward of the mast to actually pull the furling line, but there's not much point taking it back to the cockpit as I have to go forward anyway to deal with the staysail, which has no furling gear at all (and while I'm up there I can deal with the mainsail halyards, as they belay at the bottom of the mast).

Each to his own, we all only sail for fun, but isn't there some point at which it all becomes so automated that it's barely sailing any more? And is electric furling a step along this path? At the very least, it looks to me like one more thing to go wrong.

 

[lustyd]

I have visions of having to sail in circles to reef and unfurl the sail when the power fails ;0)


(Yes i did see the winding handle hole, but I still have visions...)

Power goes off a lot on your boat then does it? I've never once had power failure on any of the boats I've been on, and I suspect this furler would have its own battery just like a windlass does. As I said, this forum is full of people who had to sail in circles due to the furling line being pulled too hard or not wound properly but I have yet to see a power loss thread leading to sail issues.

 

[maby]

I didn't know they existed - sounds like a great idea - till I saw the prices! At over 2 grand for an electric motor in a drum, they really should be reliable!

 

[dom]

Do you think that this would be reliable ?

I have seen hydraulic furling and I can see how that would be robust - but electric ?
[/IMG]

No reason way such a unit can't be fully sealed, but it will be harder to do than on an electric winch where the motor is typically below deck as opposed to in the winch body. Hence the price tag.

There's a bit of a push-button-dream going on at the moment (push-button-tacking, gybing, reefing, TV popping up from somewhere) ...much of it poorly thought out.

Surely one gets more bang for your buck and less maintenance hassle by electrifying one or both coach-roof winches. This way one can furl the sail, raise the main, reef ...in fact pull any other line which returns to the cockpit.

 

[Sharkx]

Is it really so hard to pull on a rope? I'd rather have the £2000.

 

[sailorman]

I believe that electric furling furling is std on Amel Yachts + all the same Bosch motor is used throughout to make spares simple

 

[Tranona]

Is it really so hard to pull on a rope? I'd rather have the £2000.

If you are young and fit sailing a smallish boat then no problem. However if you and your wife are of advancing years and you want to keep sailing a substantial boat then £2k can be a bargain.

 

[oldvarnish]

Is it really so hard to pull on a rope? I'd rather have the £2000.

Of course it is if your boat is over a certain size.

 

[Salty John]

I believe that electric furling furling is std on Amel Yachts + all the same Bosch motor is used throughout to make spares simple

I sail a friends Amel with electric furling - the boat's 18 years old and never had a problem.

 

[James_Calvert]

Is it really so hard to pull on a rope? I'd rather have the £2000.

We thought similar when car power steering came into vogue...now try to find a car without it!

 

[maby]

If you are young and fit sailing a smallish boat then no problem. However if you and your wife are of advancing years and you want to keep sailing a substantial boat then £2k can be a bargain.

Also potentially useful for single handing - it can be a lot of effort for one person to furl the genoa while keeping enough tension on the sheets to stop it jamming. I would certainly consider one of these electric Furlex gadgets, but at over 2k, it is not at the top of my list of upgrades.

 

[jerrytug]

I crewed for a month on a 40 footer with electric furling. Boat was (is) maintained regardless of cost by a millionaire, and the electric furler never actually broke, but it did trip the breaker if it was windy, the sheet jammed etc etc, always at the wrongest moment of course.
They only have one speed which is not enough for every situation. If you think about it, you pull on a hand furling line at different speeds and strengths each and every time you use it, so you lose all that feel.
They need watching like a hawk, and are powerful enough to rip sails (or hands ) if the breaker doesn't trip first.
They cane your batteries of course, presumably that would be provided for.
But I suppose over a certain size they become essential, these days of retired couples handling gigantic bermudan rigs etc.

Just a few thoughts from using one, two actually on a cutter, cheers Jerry

Edited to add, I now recall you have to use the furler BOTH WAYS, in or out, a nuisance at best, lots to go wrong

 

[lustyd]

I crewed for a month on a 40 footer with electric furling. Boat was (is) maintained regardless of cost by a millionaire, and the electric furler never actually broke, but it did trip the breaker if it was windy, the sheet jammed etc etc, always at the wrongest moment of course.
They only have one speed which is not enough for every situation. If you think about it, you pull on a hand furling line at different speeds and strengths each and every time you use it, so you lose all that feel.
They need watching like a hawk, and are powerful enough to rip sails (or hands ) if the breaker doesn't trip first.
They cane your batteries of course, presumably that would be provided for.
But I suppose over a certain size they become essential, these days of retired couples handling gigantic bermudan rigs etc.

Just a few thoughts from using one, two actually on a cutter, cheers Jerry

Edited to add, I now recall you have to use the furler BOTH WAYS, in or out, a nuisance at best, lots to go wrong

I don't think they are designed to remove the need to luff up when furling. Your problems sound like misuse rather than misdesign to me.

 

[lustyd]

We thought similar when car power steering came into vogue...now try to find a car without it!

haha or even electric windows - I know plenty of people who've had trouble with those following battery disconnection

 

[prv]

We thought similar when car power steering came into vogue...now try to find a car without it!

Car steering is power-assistance, though - you can still turn the wheels directly without the pump running, though it may be hard work. Same reason you don't, as far as I know, get fully-electronic brakes, only assistance to reduce the effort.

My accelerator, on the other hand, is fully fly-by-wire, with just a couple of variable resistors at the top of the pedal. This is allowed because you would still have control of the car if it stopped working.

Pete

 

[Sharkx]

We thought similar when car power steering came into vogue...now try to find a car without it!

I suppose. But it doesn't cost any extra for power steering.
I wonder if it would be cheaper pulling it in from a powered winch. On boats larger than 30ft or thereabouts it would be useful, especially in a blow.