Plastimo Furler

[retsina]

I had a new furler fitted recently, is the Plastimo 810T. I know its not the Rolls Royce of Furlers but I have never heard of anyone having any problems with these furlers. However, there are two slots/ grooves on the aluminium foil, which i pressume is to slide a second genoa, but would this work?. How do you arrange the two genoas at the same time?

 

[Refueler]

Suggest ask http://www.seateach.com/ as the Plastimo agents for precise details ...

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

The system that I use on a Facnor furler (also twin groove) is the following.

When I anticipate a long run in open water, I lower the main. The spare genoa is hoisted up the second grove, using a spare halliard, e.g. the one for the assymmetric. At this stage, both genoas will be on the same side, one on top of the other. The one furthest away from the boat is then held out with the pole and made secure. I then pull on the sheet of the other one, peeling it away from the poled one, and draw the clew to the other side. Judicious play with the steering helps it to inflate and set in its new position. Autopilot is then engaged. If you have a second pole you might want to rig it up at this stage.

You can then look forward to hassle-free running with no rolling.

<u>Please Note. This system requires planning ahead because you cannot use the furler before you lower the second sail.</u>

While it is not the ideal, the system works for me and is regularly used on long passages with a following wind.

 

[VicS]

Yes the T series foils are for using twin headsails.

from the Plastimo website:

[ QUOTE ]

For race enthusiasts, and also for sailors who find twin head sails more fun !
Using the same materials as the S Series, the T Series ("T", for Twin groove) is equipped in series with a double groove, which allows using the jib reefing as a hollow twin-groove forestay when racing. The twin groove also makes it possible to set twin head sails rather than hoisting the spinnaker.

[/ QUOTE ]

Even Nigel has not figured out how to unfurl only one of them!
<span style="color:white"> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . </span> /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Remember that the bent shackle between the halyard and the swivel is a vital bit of the gear. Do not lose it or replace with a straight one.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Please Note. This system requires planning ahead because you cannot use the furler before you lower the second sail.

[/ QUOTE ] Can you not hoist them both together on the same halyard and furl them together. Use them lying flat against each other when only a single headsail would normally be used, but spread apart when wanting to use both.
Or is that daft?

 

[PuffTheMagicDragon]

No, it is not daft. It would entail, however, lowering the 'normal' genoa and attaching the head of the second one to the same swivel so that the two sails could be hoisted together with the same halliard. I would say that this would not be a very easy task; feeding two lufftapes and hoisting at the same time.

There is one other solution to furling that I have thought about - but never got round to trying. Consider attaching a small block to the swivel and having a thin halliard permanently rove through, with the ends fastened near the drum. The second genoa may be hoisted at any time that the main one is unfurled. Once hoisted, the halliard is made fast near the drum, somehow keeping the free length of halliard neat and compact. Should this be possible then, yes, you would be able to use the sails as one, as opened twins, or even furled.

Or is this idea daft? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Poignard]

Isn't that how the twistle rig works? But surely the windage of two furled sails must be a factor against it?

 

[Refueler]

Who's this 'Nigel' ???? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[dt4134]

Twin luff groves are for headsail changes when racing.

You hoist the new sail (often using a spinnaker halyard if you've only one genny halyard) then drop the old one. Means you don't lose out by sailing without a headsail for a while.

The easiest way is to do an inside hoist, tack, then inside drop. Hoisting or dropping a sail outside the other is more fraught.

Naturally you switch back to using the genny halyard for the headsail as soon as you can, usually the next leeward leg.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Who's this 'Nigel'

[/ QUOTE ] He's a guy who used to post on here a few years ago.
Regular contributor, knew a bit about one or two odd things, changed his user ID a couple of times or so to try to confuse us. Married a Russian girl I think and ran off to Siberia or somewhere, anyway we never heard of him again. Although I suppose he could still be here using yet another name .

However his name popped up in my mind, funny how you remember these things, because he had some trouble with a Plastimo furler. The previous owner of his boat had done something silly to the halyard diverter and also substituted a straight shackle for the bent one. To cut along story short the straight shackle fouled the swivel and unscrewed the top of it.
Quite a useful story really as it highlighted several things that people who had these furlers did not really know about.
All quite some time ago now, long before you registered last September but I always remember him when Plastimo furlers are mentioned. At least it was for some good info.

Actually, although I have not found the original discussion, I have found a reference to it and some of his photos that show the problem. All HERE

I expect he'd be quite pleased if he knew we were still digging that up from the archives. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[retsina]

Thanks all for the advice