Installing Roller Furling

[rcassano]

Brian,

Thanks for the reply. I went back to the Schaefer Instruction manual for the System 2100 and found the instructions on page 30, titled "New Headstay Cutting Instructions" to be a reprint of the instructions on page 5 titled, "Existing Headstay Installation". The page 30 instructions do not mention anything about a new headstay. I called Schaefer and spoke to a tech person who admitted there are no printed instructions telling an installer how to do this job using a new headstay with a stud connected at the bottom and a bare top longer than the measured pin to pin length. I suggested Schaefer correct this so a boat owner has some guidance when starting with a new headstay.

I guess for a professional rigger the instructions are promptly thrown away and the installation done from experience and common sense. Unfortunately, for someone like me, who is a ridged rule follower, trust in instructions is taken way too seriously. In the end, I went back and made the new headstay exactly as long as the old with the turnbuckle set to halfway. I recut the top foil to spec's and installed the system. All worked out perfectly.

Rich Cassano