Furling system: Safely furl space wind sails

Many sailors consider setting large space sails to be too dangerous or time-consuming. A sheet is quickly run over or the sail is dipped halfway into the water during recovery. This is why space windsails are also among the items of equipment with the fewest operating hours, although sailing with them is great fun and also helps heavy cruising boats make good progress in light winds. Manufacturers of furling systems have been endeavouring to simplify the handling of these sails for some time, and Harken has now introduced an innovation in this field with the Reflex Furling system. This is designed to furl the sail particularly directly and quickly.

The newly developed torsion cable should make a decisive contribution to this improvement. The name of the cable between the drive roller and the head swivel is somewhat misleading, as it is not intended to twist, but to transmit the rotation directly to the head swivel without the so-called corkscrew effect. And without a fixed profile stay, so that recovery and setting is possible. This is achieved with the Reflex cable by using a special mix of materials: It consists of a braided polyester core encased in a stainless steel wire braid. A smooth polymer sheath on the outside prevents heavy abrasion on the sail. The sail is operated via an endless line laid to the rear of the cockpit.

The Reflex system is available in two sizes especially for gennakers or Code Zeros: Unit 1 for boats from 7.50 to 11 metres in length is available from 2470 euros, Unit 2 for boats from 10 to 14 metres from 2970 euros. Reflex Unit 1 for Code Zeros costs from 1615 euros, Unit 2 from 1745 euros. All individual parts can also be ordered separately if, for example, two different sails are to have their own torsion cable in order to speed up sail changes, as only one rolled-up sail furler needs to be recovered and the other set. A tack swivel costs 540 euros, the head swivel 385 euros, the two sets of cable clamps 185 euros and the torsion cable 10 euros per foot of length.