Headsail Roller Furling
Manufactured by Almasts Australia Pty Ltd
Reefit Components
RIGGING SCREW BUILT IN ....
The heart of the REEFIT headsail furling system is an integral turnbuckle made
from strong marine grade stainless steel. The turnbuckle retains your full forestay
length adjustment whilst allowing the drum assembly to be positioned at deck
level if desired. (below deck installation is possible should your yacht allow
for it). The drum can also be elevated if desired. The chromed silicone bronze
coupling nut of the rigging screw attaches by a patented process which gives
great strength, easy adjustment and gall free operation ensuring reliable and
hassle free use. SWIVELS ....
REEFIT has 3 swivels. The halyard swivel is used so that the genoa halyard doesn't twist around the furler as you furl or unfurl the sail. (Commonly called halyard wrap). TorlonTM ball bearings in each swivel carry the load so that your sail furls freely. An over centre halyard attachment distributes the load uniformly to each ball bearing, giving you smooth rotation.
The head and tack swivels allow the head and tack of the sail to lag when you start to furl. This means the fullest part of the sail furls first, giving you high performance sail shape over a greater sail size range. The draft of the sail can still be adjusted by tension on the headsail halyard. An added advantage of the round headfoil is that the swivel unit will rotate on the foil in the unlikely event of a bearing problem, giving you the benefit of knowing that you will never be caught in a situation where the sail cannot be furled. This failsafe action is exclusive to our design and will add to your peace of mind.
BALL BEARINGS ....
The bearings for a reefing system are the most critical component. The REEFIT spins freely on 8 individual races of Torlon ball bearings which give easy furling and excellent load carrying capabilities. (Torlon is the material used by all the world's big boat equipment manufacturers, for high load block and fitting bearings.) System B has 224 balls, System C has 256, so the loads are distributed over a large number of balls in large diameter bearing races. Each ball is therefore only carrying a small portion of the load which results in low friction and easy rolling. The contact surface for the Torlon ball bearings is either stainless steel (turnbuckle) or anodised aluminium (drum and swivels). Corrosion due to dissimilar metals is eliminated, guaranteeing you a longer lasting product.
FOIL BEARINGS ....
The foil sections are supplied in 2 metre lengths with an aluminium connector and bearing at each joint. Each self lubricating bearing isolates the staywire from the aluminium connector. The connector takes the twisting loads between each foil, and ensures that the sail tracks stay perfectly aligned to prevent wear on the sail. Additional bearings and carriers in the top and bottom of the foil assembly ensure easy and friction free operation.
ROPE & DRUM GUIDES ....
REEFIT has removable drum plates. If you want to race, remove the drum plates and rope guide. You can use the foil as a twin track headfoil unit. In cruising mode, with drum and rope guide fitted, the 4 stainless steel arms retain the furling line on the drum. The 2 arms where the rope enters the drum are linked by stainless steel bars top and bottom to form a complete rectangular rope entry. This allows minor twists in the furling line to pass, but eliminates any chance of the rope jumping the drum and causing a problem. The guide position can be adjusted to suit your deck layout. The large internal diameter of the drum gives an excellent mechanical advantage over the foil, and with the other bearing systems makes the unit very easy to use.PREFEEDER & FEEDER ....
When hoisting the sail use the integrated prefeeders. The sail is drawn forward to the furler and leads into the sail feeder smoothly and evenly. The feeders are simple to remove if desired once the sail is up.
FOIL EXTRUSIONS ...
REEFIT foil extrusions are available in 2m lengths. The foils are light in weight
but extremely strong. The round profile gives good all-round aerodynamic performance
and protects the sail grooves from accidental damage. It also enables the failsafe
action of our swivel unit and prevents the "flop" experienced by furlers with
eccentric foil shapes. So-called aerofoil extrussions actually face slightly
across the breeze when in use and present a similar frontal area for windage,
yet don't have the advantages of round foils when furling.FULL ARTICULATION ...
Articulation (the ability of the end fittings to cope with the changing angles of operation due to stay movement) is the most critical part of any forestay installation, and especially so where a headsail furler is fitted. REEFIT addresses this problem with a strong stainless steel toggle at the bottom which attaches to your existing bow fitting, giving simple installation with full articulation. REEFIT does not restrict or limit your forestay tension adjustment.
DEFLECTOR BLOCK....
The most common problem with any furling system is the threat of halyard wrap. This is caused when the halyard is twisted around the forestay as you furl the sail. Many different methods have been tried to solve it. We have chosen the only one which always works, and that is to physically prevent it. Your REEFIT comes with a specially manufactured block suitable for either rope or wire halyards, which is fitted to the front of the mast, captivating the halyard. The purpose of this is to open the angle between the halyard and forestay, which guarantees that the halyard cannot twist around the stay.
FORESTAY ...
REEFIT can be installed on your existing forestay providing that your stay is fitted with a UNF threaded swage stud (most are). If your existing forestay wire is six years old or more, we recommend the wire be replaced. We can supply you the correct new forestay to suit your REEFIT system. If you are unsure, please contact us for advice.
LINK PLATES ....
Link plates are used in some installations where the owner requires the drum to be higher up the forestay. These are available in standard lengths of 100, 200, 300, and 400mm to suit both model B & C. Custom link plates can also be made to suit any application. Installation of the furler with the use of link plates requires shortening of the forestay by the corresponding amount. This is economically achieved by replacing the swaged stud at the bottom end of the stay. This is the only instance in which the stay will need to be cut, normally the system fits on the stay with the swage fittings in place.
SHROUD SPINNER....
Fitted on the stay above the top end of the furler, this prevents overhoisting of the swivel unit and protects the top bearing from any risk of damage from the swage fitting.
almasts Australia Pty Ltd
Phone: (03) 6331 3171 or 1800 806 721
Fax: (03) 6334 6070 Mobile 0418 593 616
E-mail: info@almasts.com.au
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