Reef Rite Furlers, Any Recommendations, Users?
 

Anyone used the Reef Rite brand of furlers or Kiwi-Slides?

Thanks,
Jim

Reef Rite Furlers, Any Recommendations, Users?
 

Anyone used the Reef Rite brand of furlers or Kiwi-Slides?

I installed a Reef Rite system on my boat last season. I've put one
long (and hard) passage on it from New Zealand to Honolulu direct and
have been using it here in Honolulu for day sailing since then. I
chose the system because I have a sloop that can not easily be rigged
with an inner forestay but on which I do a lot offshore work. My
feeling so far is that the system works as advertised, but it is a
little less refined than the big names. It will keep the sail on the
foredeck when you drop it, but the slides have more friction than hanks
and stack higher than a hanked sail. I have avoided using the ratchet
system because it places torque loads on the forestay toggle which they
are not designed for. I have spoken with several riggers that have
seen deformed lower toggles on reef rite systems. Bottom line, it
works well and I can recommend it, particularly if you remove or change
head sails often.

-- Tom.