Finally went over to the dark side and bought a roller furler through Precision

[Tom G P 21]

I've owned the boat for over ten years have always wanted to get a furler but something else always came up, engine, hatch standing rigging etc. Finally pulled the trigger, talked to Bill and ended up with Schaefer CF 500 with a 130 genoa. Waiting until the weather gets a little warmer before installing. Watched some the videos and read the instructions but wondered if any one else has ever installed one?

[Dave Scobie]

If you haven't yet taken the plastic extrusion out of the box and uncoiled do it now!  Let it lay out in a warm location to relax and become more straight.

I built a heater box out of black PVC so I could uncoil extrusions by laying the pipe in the sun (note be careful you are located in a hot location as you can damage the extrusion in extreme sun!)  When a furler assembly would arrive at the shop I'd immediately put the extrusion in the PVC hotbox and let it set for weeks until the boat was ready for final fit out.

[tjspiel]

Not a Schaefer but a CDI. And I may not be the best one to talk to because I just got it last fall and am putting the final touches on it this Spring. In fact my job for this weekend is to finish up the jib modifications.

The hank-on worked fine for me. I kept it on the forestay in a bag so it didn't add much to rigging time. But it was always kind of in the way while anchoring/docking/mooring.

Plus now reefing the jib will be an option.

Looking forward to using it as I'm sure you are.

The biggest challenge I had setting it up was finding a good spot for the first fairlead. You want the line coming off the drum at a 90° angle. I didn't have much room to work with on the P-18 with the anchor locker right there. I'd think with the P-21 you'll have a few more options.

People here were helpful and so were the folks on the Facebook group.

Good luck !

[Brian N.]

I would not call it "The Dark Side"; it is just a simple solution for control of your jib, that fits your type of sailing. I can't offer any advice on install, but it seems that you're getting some good information already. Good luck and let us know how it progresses.

[Tom G P 21]

Dave,
Thanks for the tip, I now store the boat at a boat yard instead of at home. Don't like the idea of unravelling it then try to stick it in my car. Will take the foil down and unroll at the boat before hand to give it a chance to relax.

[Riggerdood]

So the Snapfurl has a flexible luff extrusion like a CDI furler? It's not entirely clear in the product description on their website.

Anyhoo, congrats Tom!

[Dave Scobie]

Will take the foil down and unroll at the boat before hand to give it a chance to relax.

DON'T wait.  The extrusion will take a set to being coiled and will NEVER become straight!!

[Dave Scobie]

So the Snapfurl has a flexible luff extrusion like a CDI furler?

Both units have a plastic extrusion.  The Snapfurl is two pieces that will be snapped together around the forestay.  The Snapfurl extrusion is circular shaped (when put together) v the CDI's rectangle.

[DBthal]

DON'T wait.  The extrusion will take a set to being coiled and will NEVER become straight!!

Tom FYI - I had to replace my CDI Furler extrusion because the previous boat owner had left it roughly coiled in the cabin. That resulted in kinks that I could not get out. The replacement cost over $300.  CDI was emphatic that the extrusion be uncoiled immediately upon receipt.

Dan

[Tom G P 21]

Dave,
Heeded your advice and have it staked down in the backyard. Not exactly straight and unfortunately we are having a cool New England spring. Hopefully some sun and time will let it relaxed. The box date on it is 3/15 and I ordered it and received it on 3/21. So its been in the box for two weeks. One thing, I did price this out in January but held off ordering until I was getting close to installing it. Glad I did. Hate to think what it would look like if it sat in the box for three months! 

[Riggerdood]

So the Snapfurl has a flexible luff extrusion like a CDI furler?

Both units have a plastic extrusion.  The Snapfurl is two pieces that will be snapped together around the forestay.  The Snapfurl extrusion is circular shaped (when put together) v the CDI's rectangle.

Thanks Dave, I knew it was 2-piece, just not whether or not it was flexible enough to be coiled up like the CDI one. I could have worded my question better!

[Dave Scobie]

Thanks Dave, I knew it was 2-piece, just not whether or not it was flexible enough to be coiled up like the CDI one.

About the same stiffness between the two extrusions.  The Snapfurl is much stiffer than the CDI once assembled.  Neither should ever be coiled and both need to be unboxed immediately upon receipt.

[Riggerdood]

Yeah, I replaced the extrusion on my CDI two years ago, and it took a couple of days in the sun to get straight.

[talbot]

People have already gone over most of the details of the SnapFurl. Here are a couple of little things.

On my boat, which came with the furler, the PO installed the fairlead on the port side of the anchor hatch. Maybe it had to be there because the sunshield was on the port side. Anyway, the fairlead was in the way of the anchor line, which normally goes over the port side of the prow. I moved the hinges on my anchor locker to the other side, so the hatch opens to starboard. I did not want to mess with the furler. (Yes, the 90-deg. angle is important. Anything else and the line may foul in the drum. I learned the hard way.)

Make sure the stainless collar at the top of the furler lower swivel is alinged with the sail track in the foil. It has a couple of ridges that nestle into the track and align it to feed the sail. I didn't realize that and broke the edgess of my foil when I tightened the collar.

[Tsharpe]

Unless you trailer a lot, you will never go back.  I have the Schaffer and it has worked flawlessly for 15 years.  The only maintenance I have done is a little spray lube now and then, especially on the top swivel.  
Rigging is more complex than with hank on sails and it is difficult to adjust the turnbuckle inside the furler.
It comes with a fitting to put on the mast to keep the halyard away from the unit, avoiding wraps.  I never installed it, thinking the angle of the halyard was sufficient.  Have not had a wrap (yet).  
Last year I replaced all my 20 year old standing rigging.  One issue was getting the foil off the old forestay and onto the new one without damaging.  The instructions say don't do it, but I figured I had nothing to lose, since the alternative was buying a new foil anyway.  I was able to slide the two pieces apart, a slow and tedious process involving gentle taps with a wood block. Once apart, installing the foil onto the new forestay was just like the original installation.