The Wykeham-Martin rollers have always interested me. My intentions were to buy two of these guys if I was ever to go back to headsail rollers. I know a man who runs two of the small Wykeham-Martin units in a cutter configuration on a 16 foot boat. It has always worked flawlessly for him. The thing that appeals to me is that you can reduce sail to a manageable size in a matter of seconds. Not just dowse a headsail and carry on under main alone....but drop the big genny and then roll out the staysl to a more balanced rig licketty split. The downside to such units (the way I see it) is the sails have to be seized to the wire....or rather, you need to have headsails that have (the correct) captive wire. Most sailmakers can modify existing sails or build new sails to this style. Also, you will need a seperate headstay just ahead of the jib roller. There is no foil on this style of roller. This to me is both good and bad. Not having a foil might be considered bad because you cannot just unslot a sail and slide in another (not that this is an easy process or even one you would want to be doing on the water anyway)....just in the sense that you can change options reasonably easily. Not having a foil is good because you can more easily stow the gear when your rig is down. Not having a foil is good because that foil is a huge chunk of stuff. It seems to me that it is overkill is many ways for a wee boat. If you are using wire-in luff sails, changing sails is actually pretty easy. With the sail (to be changed) rolled up and the sheets rolled right up into the sausage, just ease your halyard, unclip at the roller, clip to a padeye temporarily, clip in new sail at the roller, lower halyard, unclip old sail at the halyard swivel, clip in the new sail, tension the halyard, set up new sheets (Or re-use same sheet set up...whatever), stow the old sail, and sail on. Not as easy as a hank on sail. But it is roller furling that has some options and I like that. If I was doing an extended cruise this would be my system of choice. For day sailing and weekend cruising hanked on sails are my choice. Another angle to this is that you are not restricted to the Wykemham-Martin products...Harken makes a modern unit that works exactly the same way. I am quite sure the Harken rig would be less expensive as well. The smaller unit can be had for under $200.US complete. The Wykeham-Martin unit close to that would be closer to $400. plus shipping from the UK. But it is hard to beat that whole solid bronze vibe. ~:0) Anything you might need to know about the Wykemham-Martin gear can be found here: http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/articles/wmgear.htm You can buy these Wykemham-Martin units here: http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/product.asp?product=294&cat=79&ph=cat&keyword s=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID= The Harken roller furlers seem least expensive at Mauri Pro... and info and images can be seen here: http://mauriprosailing.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=H AR434&Category_Code=SMALLBOATFUR Tim The Frozen Kelowna BC M17 Puff #369 With all this talk about the CDI furler has anyone ever used the Wykeham-Martin Furling Gear? It is a 100 year old design but seems much simpler to install, use, and remove for trailering. Thanks Doug Kelch --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.11/1244 - Release Date: 1/25/2008 7:44 PM