Does anyone own the Mac Roller Furler

[Divecoz]

I am buying a roller this summer and price wise and hype wise the Mac's sounds good ...... but is it really??
Pro's .........Con's?????????

[madguy]

Hi.

I use the CDI FF2, which is very popular an the Mac. i had problems with the bottle bolt undoing but found out i had the rope and Genoa rolled on the wrong way and it kept undoing.

Make sure you roll the rope in from the left so that when you pull the sail in the sail rolls up anticlockwise and rolls out clockwise..

I also used the original front stay as a safety stay so that should my furler fail again the stay will hold it...

Hope this helps...

[Kelly Hanson East]

Call CDI in Homer NY (East Coast time) and you can buy direct from the factory.

(607) 749-4599

The mac furler is cheaper, I like the CDI more in terms of quality and operational ease.

[jaguar496]

I am buying a roller this summer and price wise and hype wise the Mac's sounds good ...... but is it really??
Pro's .........Con's?????????

We have one of the first Mac furlers. I have no yardstick to measure from, but I have had to use sailkote after 6 months of exposure in order to have it furl; it would not budge until the application, which, btw, was suggested on this board. I guess the only thing that is of importance is, the furler line is exposed, and that invites salt water spray, which is another maintenance point, as you must remove the line and wash it annually or more, so that it is not stiff. stew

[Divecoz]

Thank You Fellows........... I need now to just bite the bullet and pay the money for the CDI FF

[dclark]

The key thing is that the CDI furler is flexible and being a trailerable boat you really need that. There are not many choices when it comes to flexible furlers (at least not the last time I checked). The thing about the furler is it is relatively heavy. Maybe weight awkward is a better way to put it. It makes raising and lowering the mask a lot more work. I have one and I love it but I also keep my boat in the water most of the time so I'm not rigging with every use. If I trailered on a regular basis I'm not so sure it would be worth having - too much trouble.

[AWKIII]

Shameless plug.

For the best price anywhere on a new CDI FF2..... www.kellyhansonsails.com

Hate seeing folks pay more for something then they have to. I wouldn't have posted otherwise.

Art

[Terry]

The key thing is that the CDI furler is flexible and being a trailerable boat you really need that. There are not many choices when it comes to flexible furlers (at least not the last time I checked). The thing about the furler is it is relatively heavy. Maybe weight awkward is a better way to put it. It makes raising and lowering the mask a lot more work. I have one and I love it but I also keep my boat in the water most of the time so I'm not rigging with every use. If I trailered on a regular basis I'm not so sure it would be worth having - too much trouble.

I have to second dclarks' last remark, - I too would think twice about a rollerfurler on a boat that is regularly trailered.
I have the Schaefer Snapfurl CF700 flexible foil furler and quite like it but I also have a slip and only have to contend with it a couple times a year. The drum is heavy and awkward and must be removed for trailering. It makes setup and takedown a longer process and is really not worth it for trailering. OTOH if you are in a slip a rollerfurler is a very nice item to have.
Dive, if you trailer a lot, deep six the idea of a furler of any brand, they are a PITA, only consider it if you have a slip and single hand a lot.

[Divecoz]

I am a mix of use . I slip the boat May to Oct and then last year did 3 months in Florida around Port Charlotte.

[c130king]

I trailer with a CDI FF2...I don't think it is that big of a deal. It adds a few minutes maybe to the time it would take. But man it is nice to have on the water...a must if you singlehand.

Good Luck,
Jim

[daydreamerbob]

DO NOT BUY THE MAC FURLER - IT SUX!
I cannot get it to work twice in a row - roll in roll out AND

THERE IS NO TURNBUCKLE TO ADJUST THE FORESTAY

[Highlander]

Hi Guy's

I have the New Mac Furler I had it jamm a couple of times on me due to the furling line having some twist in it , removed the the twist no problem now, any furling system will jam if you have any twist in the furling line or if you unfurl the head sail and dont keep the furling line taught it will either twist or bunch up on the drum and that will cause it to jam !!!, I like the open drum you can see if the line is furling right or not if & correct the problem ! with the closed drum a jammed furling line is harder to deal with , your furling line gets no protection from the sun so to speak of with the closed drum as the furling line is always exposed when your head sail is furled ! The Mac furler does not have a turn buckle to allow you to ajd the mast rake that is kinda of a bummer as it does make it a lot more difficult to adj the rigging & with me having a cutter rigg this does not help I will check out today to see if the forestay could be shortened & a turn buckle can be added , Roger most likely made them that way to save the cost of the turn buckle & no need to adj mast rake if it is preset to his advised settings so the boat will round up !!! "safer" for new boat sailors !!!
As I have two CDI 2 furlers on my & 1 MAC furler Jib , 1 HARKEN 00 Genny on my I have tried them all but if I was going to buy a new furler I'd go with a new Harken 00 or check out the other Schafer 700 I know Terry & a couple of other guy's here have installed them also , if your planning on keeping the boat awhile , mostly sail with it & do lots of rough weather sailing go with one of the more expensive units you'll be happier in the long run , if you only sail in good weather & only sail half the time the CDI or the new MAC furlers will be fine . The Mac furler now has a new furling drum I've been told I'll be getting one free update still waiting though ?
On a Note make sure the furling line is held at an angle of 45deg. by the furler line block to the furler drum so that it holds the line at the center location to the drum if it is not then the furling line will bunch up on either the top or bottom of the furler drum and cause it to jamm !!

J

[waternwaves]

THERE IS NO TURNBUCKLE TO ADJUST THE FORESTAY

add one. and make sure it is upinside the drum, just barely visible.

[Divecoz]

if your planning on keeping the boat awhile , mostly sail with it & do lots of rough weather sailing go with one of the more expensive units you'll be happier in the long run , if you only sail in good weather & only sail half the time the CDI or the new MAC furlers will be fine . J

Interesting......... is the cdi more troublesome to operate when under greater strain or less apt to hold up to it ...IYHO

[Highlander]

Divecoz

No the CDI furler is fine , but uses a internal halyard which can not be adj from the cockpit the more expensive units use your jib halyard thus allowing you to adj. sail shape from the cockpit if your lines are led aft. also my unit has a twin grooved foil allowing you to switch head sails install your jib while your genny is still flying , also fly two head sails wing on wing while sailing down wind off the same furler

J