DIY Roller Furler Parts

A roller furler is a rotating shaft assembly that wraps or furls a sail as it comes down from the mast. The shaft or spindle of the furler rotates about a smaller cylinder, allowing the wind to unfurl and set the sail. Roller furlers are positioned before the mainsail and used to furl jibs and head sails. Constructing a roller furler from heavy-gauge polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe allows the jib or other sail to be quickly furled by cranking a spindle reel.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape measure
  • Permanent marker
  • 3-inch schedule 80 PVC pipe
  • Reciprocating saw
  • Steel file
  • PVC adhesive
  • 3 1/2-inch circular steel mounting plate
  • 3 1/2-inch schedule 80 PVC pipe
  • 3 1/2-by-4-inch plastic reel
  • 3-inch PVC pipe
  • 3-inch PVC T-connector and end cap
  • 1-inch heavy O-rings
  • Power drill
  • 5-inch plastic line reel
  • 1/4-by-1-inch steel mounting plates
  • 2-inch PVC pipe
  • 1-inch band clamps
  • 3-inch carabiner hooks
  • 1/4-inch braided nylon cord
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make the furler shaft (stationary shaft) and the spindle shaft (rotating, outer cylinder) from 3-inch and 3 1/2-inch schedule-80 PVC pipe. This is PVC conduit and is heavier gauge than standard PVC pipe. The length of the furler shaft is 10 inches longer than the width of the sail being furled. The length of the spindle shaft is 6 inches shorter than the furler shaft.

    • 2

      Select a 3-inch steel circular mounting plate. It will be screwed to the deck to secure the furler before the mainsail.

    • 3

      Select a 3 1/2-by-4-inch plastic spool as the spindle reel. This reel is mounted around (slid onto) the base of the spindle shaft and collects the nylon cord as the wind takes the unfurling sail. This is a passive reel, without a crank or handle.

    • 4

      Cut a piece of 3-inch schedule-80 PVC for the mainmast connector. This pipe will be connected to the top of the furler shaft and the mainmast, just below the end cap of the furler shaft.

    • 5

      Select three 1-inch O-rings as snap-on locations for carabiner hooks on the jib or head sail block (the rigid sail edge) to be snap-locked to the furler spindle. These O-rings will be screwed equidistant onto the spindle shaft.

    • 6

      Select a 5-inch plastic line reel that will be deck-mounted between the base of the furler shaft and the mainsail. It will be the furler reel, a hand-cranked reel with its face mounted abaft (behind) the spindle reel with their spools facing. These two reels work in tandem, collecting and disbursing the nylon cord as the sail is furled and unfurled.

    • 7

      Cut a piece of 2-inch schedule-80 PVC for the jib block. It will be attached to the jib with band clamps and drilled for the attachment of carabiner hooks that will be snapped onto the O-rings on the spindle shaft.

    • 8

      Select 30 feet of high-grade nylon cord or rope 1/4-inch in diameter. Make this the best quality nylon-braided cord obtainable, as this line will be constantly twisted and reeled.