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This gizmo looks great but does the length of the forestay have to be shortened to accomodate its installation?

You can either shorten forestay or raise the forestay hound (about 5inches IIRC) for the one I used in the Mods Forum

I raised the hound. The effect on sailing performance is an increase in speed (exactly matching theory) of the ratio

exp(PI)/pi^e

Your mileage may vary.

I have a raised furler hound fitted to get the furler drum off the deck...makes for easier disconnecting. And one of the advantages that I just learned, having trailered my 30 km back home from the Swan river, for the first time since doing the mod.....is that when the mast is lowered, the drum no longer sticks out over the bow [ needing support ] but meets up nicely with the pulpit when the mast is bolted there...Puggsy

KH-E,

Did you mention in a previous post that you were going to relocate your hound back to its original position and still use the quick-release shroud lever? If so, what is the reasoning for this move and what other changes do you have in mind related to the shroud. Did you have a prblem with the set-up that is making you think about another change?

I am getting ready to install the quick-release shroud lever and add another hound on the mast to compensate for the additional increase in the shroud lenght.

Fair winds,

Jim
S/V BOLD VENTURE

Puggsy, I like the idea of the furling drum not hanging over the bow. My forestay and side rigging all tie in at the same location. Did you add another hound for forestay and leave your side rigging in their original location?

Puggsy. My furler sticks out a good couple of feet from the bow when trailering. How far up the mast did you attach the hound to make the drum level with the pulpit? Nick

Hi Nick,

I raised my hound about 200mm and attached the strong hifield lever at the bow. Now the furler drum sits on top of the bow. As I am in Melbourne you're more than welcome to have a look at mine. The boat is in Rye at the moment for work to be done in, but should have it back in about 4-6 weeks.

Dirk

Capt Jim

I havent gotten to this yet (and probably wont this season). Im taking about 6 weeks on the Cape mostly cruising so this one has been back burnered

The forestay shortening is easy, shortening the extrusion (CDI FF2) takes more careful thought

I did mine two weeks ago.

I was determined to find a way to do this without changing hound points etc. Thought long and hard about it, and here's the result.

What I did was to get a new forestay made up that was 10cm shorter (and while I was at it I upgraded it one size to make it the same as the side stays)
I drilled a new hole in the boat tang (lower attachment point for the forestay on the boat) about 3cm lower. Making it as low as I could, but still have the lever open and close correctly.
I then ground the top two attachment holes off the highfield lever's upper attachment point. This made it as short as I could.
This made so that I did not have to shorten the plastic guide element of the furler, or modify the sails.

I'll post a picture as soon as I work out how to post a picture.

Whilst I was at it, I replaced the jib halyard with 4mm spectra. This made it so I can change headsails over whilst on the water. The standard 6mm halyard was never going to move easily.

Brian

for CSM and Nick....I fitted another forestay hound to the mast a bit higher up...about 28 centimetres [ 11 inches...]







At the moment, these are the only photos i have of the mod...until I take some more...

Puggsy

Thanks Puggsy. When I break down and buy a new foil for my furler and a new jib, I'm definitely going to do your mod. For now I've shortened everything up about 30 inches and it looks like it will work great. The PO left the furler hanging over the bow rail for a LONG time, and the foil was severely bent. When I tried to straighten it I ended up breaking it about 30 inches from the drum. It worked out OK though, as the PO also left the jib wound up and sun ate up the exposed sail. I had a local loft trim off the bad cloth and rebuild the leech (or is it the luff??) I'm still a bit shakey on my terms. Anyhow, the modified jib fits nicely on the shortened foil, and now when I lay the mast down, I can slide the foil up to the mast hound and the drum is perfectly lined up with the bow rail. I haven't sailed with the foresail yet, but I'm thinking I'll need to make a removable 30" spacer to take up the the gap at the top of the sail. I'll post some picture if this works.