Installing furling genoa

[DrV]

And one more question for today, sorry...

There are no other sailors in my place, let alone Mac owners... Besides, I do all the work by myself, with occasional (unqualified) help only... So I need your advice.

I managed to install the boom and even the mainsail!!! ( My greatest success so far. ) Took a few days to do all of that initial work: shrouds, boom, etc... Maybe I just wasn't in a hurry, and I admit that I spent some time fishing, LOL.

However, one advice to Macgregor guys, if they read here. It would be greatly appreciated, if somewhere in the manual - they would give a hint what length of rope is suitable for mainsail, for genoa, etc. I got few ropes coiled, 45 feet, 50 feet, 54 feet, and 60 feet (I quote by memory, maybe I mixed up the numbers a bit). It would save few hours of my work, if I knew it beforehand. I tried to use shortest possible rope, and many times it wasn't enough, I had to replace ropes on different halyards, etc, etc. Actually, as I didn't really do any sailing on my , and I haven't installed the genoa, I am still unaware if I installed the right lines. OK, advice part skipped for now. But for those yet to buy a brand new Mac, I would like to clarify that issue and to put that into some kind of FAQ, so they wouldn't waste time like me and could spend more hours fishing instead.


But I feel stupid, not sure how to install a genoa furler, which I got with the boat. (I have the famous CDI furler, afair.) That genoa furler is coming with nice and long manual, but the manual is universal, for all kinds of boats, not specific to Mac. And it is that long and has that much warnings, so when reading the middle, I forget what was in the beginning, and it isn't a joke. Anyway, I haven't got a clear understanding how to install that furler.

Looks that I need to cut the forestay, and to make it shorter by 12". Am I right? But how to do that, how to fasten the new end, so it won't get loose? Exactly 12 inch? Any help appreciated!

P.S. I don't want to cut the forestay, just to discover that I need to order a new one, from a location of 10000 miles from California!

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

What dealer did you buy your boat from?
They should be able to answer any of your questions.

[Tomfoolery]

Check out Blue Water Yachts, and look at the parts pages. Fill in year, model, and category (line) and it'll show you the line they recommend (or sell, at least), and the lengths. You have to click on the little "i" in the box to expand the listing for the particulars.

As to the furler, mine came with it on already, but if you need to shorten the headstay, you can either buy an oval fitting swager, or take it to West Marine and let them swage it for you for free (you buy the copper oval sleeves - NOT aluminum). Reuse the thimble. I would imagine that when they tell you to shorten it by 12", they mean from the inside of the thimble now to the inside of the thimble after it's shortened.

Not much help, I know.

http://bwyachts.com/BWYParts/PartsList.htm

[coolchange]

good advice about Blue Water ...they also sell a lot of neat specialty items for mac...I like the anchor roller and it was cheaper than a stock one that needed mods....also the gen. sheets are 66' and the jib sheets are maybe 44 and if I remember right the main halyard led back to the cockpit is also 66'

[DrV]

What dealer did you buy your boat from?
They should be able to answer any of your questions.

I am not in the US. Currently,I am living in Turkey (Mediterranean coast) now, and I tried to buy from US dealers (better and CHEAPER), they didn't sell me. So I had to buy from local Turkish dealer which is of no help whatsoever...

[DrV]

Check out Blue Water Yachts, and look at the parts pages. Fill in year, model, and category (line) and it'll show you the line they recommend (or sell, at least), and the lengths. You have to click on the little "i" in the box to expand the listing for the particulars.

As to the furler, mine came with it on already, but if you need to shorten the headstay, you can either buy an oval fitting swager, or take it to West Marine and let them swage it for you for free (you buy the copper oval sleeves - NOT aluminum). Reuse the thimble. I would imagine that when they tell you to shorten it by 12", they mean from the inside of the thimble now to the inside of the thimble after it's shortened.

Not much help, I know.

http://bwyachts.com/BWYParts/PartsList.htm

Thanks, anyway! (If I only was in US, all that could be so much easier! But I'm not.)
So, I try to find the SWAGE-IT TOOL? Maybe it's a good idea to buy it next time I am in USA...

[DrV]

good advice about Blue Water ...they also sell a lot of neat specialty items for mac...I like the anchor roller and it was cheaper than a stock one that needed mods....also the gen. sheets are 66' and the jib sheets are maybe 44 and if I remember right the main halyard led back to the cockpit is also 66'

thanks! If there is some kind of FAQ, I suggest to put it right there!

[rtrinkle]

My first bit of advise... don't cut any stays or shrouds. You should be able to install the furler without cutting your standing rigging. You can also Google CDI FF2 furler and find the installation manual online. Usually you would cut the long gray part of the furler (luff) to fit your head stay when installing. I've got a and I didn't need to cut anything but the luff to get the CDI installed.

[Highlander]

What yr is the boat from 2008 I beleive they came with the mac furler with forestay already installed mine came also with an extra forestay for hanked on sails , if the CDI furler came from the factory with the boat I would think the plastic foil would have been already cut to size the CDI furler will use your excisting forestay NO Cutting is Required but if I were you I'd order a spare forestay next size up from 1/8" & get swivels onthe top swage
PS if the CDI plastic foil requires cutting mearsure it & recheck your measurements at least three times before cutting its a once done deal thing ,
the CDI furler manual is not all that great in explaning the measurement & cutting proceedure
J