# Top down furling



## Pnomad (Nov 12, 2016)

I suspect that the ability to transmit torque in a top down 
furling system is critical. That should be easy to measure for any particular cable - feels like degrees per metre per newton metre
though might have units wrong.

Any comments or thoughts on top down furling systems.


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## xort (Aug 4, 2006)




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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

Harken Reflex furler is hands down the best. I have sailed most of the brands and the torque rope is the make or break part of the furler. the torque rope on the reflex furler is a stainless steel braid covered by a plastic cover, not like rope more like the ss braid used on hydraulic hose. it works ten times better than the best torque rope even better then the best high dollar stuff. the torque rope does not need to be as tight as other systems to work properly. Harken did their homework and has come up with a Top down furler that works right out of the box. The set up is DIY and very simple, comes with everything you need, even comes with the Allen wrench you need. We tested one on my boat and have not been able to make the sail get a twist no mater how hard we tried. no wind up in the system at all, one turn at the bottom and you get one turn at the top. I now have it set up on two asymmetricals and a code zero. the same drum is used for all the sails and there is a dedicated top swivel and torque rope for each sail.


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## Pnomad (Nov 12, 2016)

Thanks for this. I guess I need to try to experience various systems, not buy on spec. A lesson I have learnt before!


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## replusted (Dec 17, 2001)

The Harken Reflex top down furler seems like a nice system. I saw a video posted on YouTube which discussed a couple of minor problems with this unit. I'm sure Harken will come up with a fix for these issues. Here's the link to that video.


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## overbored (Oct 8, 2010)

I have not had any of those issues. I have been using mine since May on three different sails. two with tack swivels and the code Zero with the fixed tack terminal. the Ring he shows looks bigger in diameter than ring that came on either of the units I have used. Then he removed the ring from the locking pin and gets the small line caught in the unit as would happen if you remove the ring. I never had a problem with the ring getting caught and I tried to see how it would and can not make it catch on the tack swivel. they may have changed the ring size on latter units because the ring I have is hard to get a hold on so we added a short lanyard to the ring.


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