Furling line on Colnebrook roller furler

[Sailing newbie selsey]

I am getting ready to put my first boat in the water and getting ready to attach the rigging, I have a colnebrook roller furler. Can anyone give me some advice on fitting a furling line, or a copy of an old manual. It currently has no furling line attached.
thank you

 

[Stemar]

The first thing I'd do is make sure it turns easily, both the whole thing and the top swivel. Any stiffness or lumpiness indicated a problem with the bearings, which may well just need a clean and, if the balls in the bearing are metal, a good dose of water-resistant grease. I understand that Colnbrook is long gone, but an automotive bearing supplier should be able to match them.

The next thing is to look at the genoa, and work out which way it needs to roll so the UV strip is on the outside. The line needs to be pulled off the reel to wind the sail, so it goes on the opposite way. As for the line, use a braided polyester. It needs to be long enough to roll the genny in tightly, plus three or four turns. Too long is better than too short, but you have to balance that against the need to wind it all on the reel when the sail's out. As for thickness, that's a balance as well. The thicker the better for ease of handling but, again, it's got to fit on the reel. On my 24 footer, I had 6mm, a friend's 39 footer had 12mm, but it's ease of handling that matters, pretty much any thing that seems reasonable will be more than strong enough.

In use, unless your boat's a monster, you should be able to pull it in by hand. If you need to use a winch, something's wrong. Force it and you could damage the forestay, and that's expensive! Wind it in until all the sail's rolled up then go another two or three turns to wind the sheets round the sail and cleat the line off firmly. That'll make sure the sail doesn't flog or, worse, unroll itself in a blow.

An expert will be along in a moment to tell you why all that's completely wrong and you'll die if you do it, but I seem to have survived nearly 20 years of doing it like that

 

[Refueler]

+1 on Stemars post ...

and particularly :

Wind it in until all the sail's rolled up then go another two or three turns to wind the sheets round the sail and cleat the line off firmly. That'll make sure the sail doesn't flog or, worse, unroll itself in a blow.

So many boats you see that last bit of sail still unfurled ..... waiting for that strong wind to make it flap and flog .... you can walk past and if wind is in right angle to it - hear the 'resonance vibration' in it ...
For the sake of two or more turns - that clew could be safely furled .....

 

[TC Tuckton]

When unfurling consider keeping a little tension on the reefing line to keep the turns tight on the drum. Reduces the chance of riding turns jamming.

 

[Refueler]

When unfurling consider keeping a little tension on the reefing line to keep the turns tight on the drum. Reduces the chance of riding turns jamming.

And drum filling up early with loose turns.

 

[C08]

The Colnebrook is unusual in not having a halyard from the top swivel up to the mast and down to the mast foot instead having a thin wire running up to a block on the top swivel and down again running outside the foil. This is not the best thing for luff tension as too little and sail shape suffer, too much tension and the foil will try to take up a curve and the furling becomes stiff. A bit of trial and error will get it just right.
Good luck with your new boat.

 

[Refueler]

The Colnebrook is unusual in not having a halyard from the top swivel up to the mast and down to the mast foot instead having a thin wire running up to a block on the top swivel and down again running outside the foil. This is not the best thing for luff tension as too little and sail shape suffer, too much tension and the foil will try to take up a curve and the furling becomes stiff. A bit of trial and error will get it just right.
Good luck with your new boat.

I had a Profurl one boat ... took it off and sold it on after an event ...

But that had the furling line secured at drum, then it was the hoist for the sail, then via small block in top back down to drum. It then made off before becoming the furling line itself. The halyard from the genny was redundant. I actually liked it because there was no possibility of halyard wrap. I have a 609 Plastimo now and it works but it does give me a bit of grrr occasionally !

 

[C08]

I had a Profurl one boat ... took it off and sold it on after an event ...

But that had the furling line secured at drum, then it was the hoist for the sail, then via small block in top back down to drum. It then made off before becoming the furling line itself. The halyard from the genny was redundant. I actually liked it because there was no possibility of halyard wrap. I have a 609 Plastimo now and it works but it does give me a bit of grrr occasionally !

Thanks I thought the Colnebrook was the only one like that. I had thought of replacing my Colnebrook but did not want yet another halyard at the mast(cutter rigged). I will look into Profurl.

 

[Refueler]

Sorry ... small error ... its been about 25yrs since I had the Profurl ...

The Furling alloy extrusion had two grooves in .... one for the furling line to be attached to head of genny NOT to drum ... and then it hoisted genny by passing over a small block in top of extrusion and back down via the second groove to the drum. At drum line was secured once genny was hardened up ... rest of line then became furling line.
The only part that I felt was iffy - the small block in the top plug, it was plain small sheeve on a pin, mounted in plastic.