Flexible Furler Installation FAQ
Assembling and installing a CDI Flexible Furler is fairly simple to do, and requires only a few small hand tools.
You will need:
1) A phillips head screwdriver
2) A hacksaw
3) A pair of vice grips
Once you have straightened the luff extrusion, you only need one person to complete the install. However we have found an extra set of hands to be helpful!
1) First you need to measure your boat’s forestay. Consult your manual to find how much to reduce that measurement by, and cut the luff to that length.
2) Next you need to pass the internal halyard through the halyard top fitting. Slip that top fitting over the extrusion’s upper end.
3) Slip the halyard top fitting and extrusion over your headstay.
4) Pass the spool over the lower end of the extrusion
5) Using the 2 provided screws assemble the bearing, cup and antirotation strap over the lower end of the turnbuckle
6) Reassemble the turnbuckle and attach it to the chainplate. Slide the drum into the cup and over the bearing.
7) Push the furling line into the cup, and up through the hole in the drum’s upper flange. Secure this with an overhand knot.
8) Lead the furling line aft, set up your sail, and you’re finished!
Please make sure to read through the install manual for complete instructions with photos to help make the process easy. The entire install should take less than 2 hours to complete once the luff has been straightened.
Most clients receive their Flexible Furler via UPS or Fedex. In this case the first step is to straighten the luff. There will be a brightly colored instruction page on the outside of the luff box.
You should straighten the luff within a day or two of your furler arriving. For FF1 and FF2 you will need 3 people, for the FF4 and FF6 you will need 4 people. It is not physically taxing to do this, the number of people is only needed to control the long luff extrusion.
1) You will see a section of tape holding the luff in a coil. Carefully remove the tape, consulting your instruction sheet as needed.
2) Next we need to pull the luff out to straighten it. We need one person at each side of the luff, with the other people along the middle. The luff must be held at a consistent height above the ground with the grooves up and down.
3) Now we need to correct the bend, slowly bend the luff until it is one big loop in the opposite direction it was bent when received.
4) Tape the upper end of the luff to the lower end where it starts to curve naturally. This is normally 5-10 centimeters above the sail feed slot.
5) Place the luff down on the ground in a circle. It needs to sit for a minimum of 3 hours until the luff remains straight when the tape is released. The warmer the temperature the faster it will straighten.
Congratulations, you have completed the most challenging part of installing a CDI Flexible Furler!
We recommend cleaning your flexible furler about once per season. This is quick and easy! All you need to do is rinse the drum with fresh water. Either a bucket or hose is the easiest way.
If you have a ball bearing assembly installed on your furler, lifting the drum and thoroughly rinsing with fresh water is recommended once per season.
If small debris gets into your bearing assembly, a disassembly for a deep clean may be necessary.
Please see this video and consult your manual for more detailed instructions.
*Video here*