Tips for a Furlex Furler?

[svMira]

I've got a Furlex furler on my Wanderer. Not enjoying the furling part of it yet. I find that the spool loads up in a very crisscross pattern and gets too fat too quick. There have been times when I can't wind in my whole sail because the spool is too fat and jams. Then I end up in a stupid wind and end up winding it under load and end up with a super tight furl. I'm trying to keep load on the jib sheet when I furl up, but it doesn't seem to be helping. I'm to the point of hunting for line one size smaller, just to give it more space in the spool. It has been a little dangerous a couple times when I haven't been able to get the sail in. Many times when I let out my sail, I have to go up to the bow and give the jib the last two-three rotations by hand.
Any tips?

[atomvoyager]

What diameter is your current furling line and how far away is the furling line lead block from the drum? I haven't used Furlex but have used harken and Profurl a lot and don't have your problems. Similar size furler in Harken uses 5/16 line so you don't need larger than that. Going to 1/4 is going to make it hard to grip. You want to minimize the line on the spool so don't use more line than needed but have enough so you don't run out when furling tight in high winds. Maybe experiment with lead block angle - it usually needs to be 90 degrees to the headstay and probably best to keep it close to the drum as reasonable. How far back is yours?.

[svMira]

That's my concern too, If I decrease that line size, it'll be terrible to pull on. The line that I've got seems to be the factory line.
My first block is about 34 to 36" back from the drum and I did improve that angle last season. That seemed to improve things, but it still piles in like a rat's nest. And to make it worse, the Furlex has those inner spring flaps that are supposed to help control exactly the stacking, and they can't ever have been any help. I can't imagine them being closed enough at the start to help pile the line and not have crazy resistance one the spool fills up.

[markwesti]

I fixed this problem on my friends boat , although he has a Shaffer . Same problem as yours too much bulk spooling up , easy fix pull out about 3/4 of the furl line's core . Also when furling keep tension on the furling line so that it winds up tight .

[svMira]

Interesting, never would have though of pulling core. Was that hard to do? How'd you even do that?

Is there any device a person could use to keep that tension on the line when one is pulling the sail out solo in lousy weather. I wish this tension keeping could be a little more automatic.

[markwesti]

Hi Marvin , where the furling line attaches to the drum , measure about 5' aft of the drum . This is where you want to pull the core , assuming your furling line is double braid (jacket and core) and hopefully the jacket is some other color other than white (the core is white) you make a hole in the jacket and pull out the core . For this you will need a fid . Forces will be working against you , think Chinese finger cuffs . Once you get the core out at the 5' mark , make a mark on the core now hold the core at the mark you made , pull the jacket back toward the drum . At about 6" or so of exposed core past the mark toward the drum , cut the core and milk the jacket back over the core . you will be left with 4'6" of core in the jacket .
A device to hold tension on the furling line ? Good one I never thought of that . The job is easy with two people , but if you want to rig it up so you can do it yourself , I would have a block far enough back in the cockpit that you can control (keep tension)on the furling line as you pull out the head sail .
Here is a video of a guy pulling out core it happens at the 1min 5 sec mark .

https://youtu.be/Ym1-rI0SdaA?t=77