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6.3 Checklist
Go through the checklist below and make sure that all the important steps have been carried out. This will
ensure that the Furlex system functions safely and reliably for many years and in all conditions.
• Check that the angle between the halyard and forestay is 10–15° when the sail is hoisted.
• Check that the clearance between the halyard swivel and the top guard is at least 50 mm
• Check that all the sails used, have the sufficient luff length or an extension pendant fitted so that the
10-15° requirement is satisfied.
• Check that no halyards can get caught in the halyard swivel or wrapped around the luff extrusion.
• Check that the routing of the furling line is optimized below deck to reduce friction and wear.
• Check that the luff extrusion rotates one turn before the tack ring starts to rotate.
• Check that the drum cover does not come in contact with the brims of the line drum when furling.
• Check that the forestay articulates freely at the upper and lower attachments.
• Check that all split pins are secured properly by a 20º separation
6.4 Hoisting the sail
1. Lay the sail out on deck. It should be carefully flaked down with the tack turned forward.
2. Turn the tack ring counter-clockwise if the furling line exits on the port side of the drum, or clockwise if
it exits on the starboard side. Doing this right is important as it ensures that the free-turn function works
properly and the sail shape is kept flat when reefed.
3. Attach the tack of the sail to the tack shackle.
4. Attach the sheet to the clew.
5. If included, tie the pre-feeder to the tack shackle and insert the luff rope in the pre-feeder.
6. Attach the halyard to the upper eye of the halyard swivel.
7. Hoist the sail in the correct groove through the sail feeder. If the furling line exits on the port side of the
line drum, the sail should be hoisted in the starboard groove and vice versa. Hoisting the sail in the ”right”
groove reduces initial resistance when furling the sail.
8. Apply maximum tension to the backstay.
9. Hoist the sail. The pre-feeder helps guide the sail in towards the sail feeder at a small angle. If the pre-fee-
der is not included, then feed the sail manually through the sail feeder.
10. Tension the halyard until a vertical crease appears in the luff of the sail, then slacken off until the crease
disappears..
11. After hoisting the sail, remove the pre-feeder completely.
12. Furl the sail by pulling on the furling line. Let the windward sheet run freely but keep some tension in
the leeward sheet, for example by placing a turn around a winch. It is important to furl the sail tightly and
evenly, as a sail that is furled too loosely may partly blow out in strong winds.
13. Check the number of turns of the furling line remaining on the line drum when the sail is fully furled. There
should be at least 3–5 turns left. To adjust the number of turns, furl the sail and detach the sheets. Then
turn the luff extrusion by hand until 3–5 turns are left on the drum and re-attach the sheets. When furling in
strong winds, the sail will roll more tightly, requiring more turns left on the line drum. Therefor make sure
to always have sufficient turns left on the drum.
