Hood 915 Roller Furling

[Ken Juul]

I stopped by the Pompanette booth at the Annapolis Boat show to see if they happened to have any conversion drums to make the continous line 915 into a single line unit.  Michael Haber is the Product Manager for Hood Products.  He said no they did not, it was just too costly to maintain the old systems.  They are offering an upgrade package for owners with older Hood furlers.  A completely new roller furling system for $1100.  Looking at the the web site I think they are refering to their  H707 furling system that lists for $1595.  If you are interested give Michael a call at 813 865 2182 or email mhaber at pompanette dot com.

[Kirk Garner]

Hi Ken,

The C34 we just purchased has the Hood 915 continuous line furler. I had it hauled out for the winter and will be upgrading but am curious why you want to go to a single line furler? I have no experience with the continuous loop and wonder if this is 'a necessity'? Finding lots of other things that are and need to triage before the money runs out!

Thanks, Kirk

[Ken Juul]

I like my continuous line furler but at 20 years old it is just wearing out.  All the replacements are single line, except for some high end racing models or ones specifically designed for code zeros/spinnakers.

[Stephen Butler]

We share your thoughts.  Our 20 year Hood is still going strong, by keeping the unit well flushed.  Replaced the continuous line this summer, and the unit seems as good as new, and we see no reason to update.  But yes, we keep thinking of a new unit, but as long as the 915 keeps going, there are other places for the boat dollars.  So, we carry on.  The real decision point will be when we lose some bearings, and have to decide between a bearing kit or a new unit.  Suggest that as long as your 915 is meeting your performance needs, stay with it.....but keep flushing it well!

[scotty]

How do you flush your furler?  Thanks.

[Stephen Butler]

WD40 and water.  Also use the same on the top swivel.  Works great.  Seem to recall reading a Hood publication about flushing, using WD40 and water, but cannot find it now.  Anyway, we empty almost a full can of WD40 into the unit each year, work the unit a bit, then follow-up with a fresh water flush.  Also flush after each time out. Have also been giving the furler a shot of McLub now and then. 

[Ken Juul]

WD 40 and water flush is the proper cleaning method.  I believe it is in the hood owners manual, I can't find it on line either.  My concern is bits and peices are gradually breaking, the locking tab for the collars that holds the foils into the top of the tube has broken a couple times, not sure how much longer it will last.  What about the parts I can't see?

[Stephen Butler]

Spoke with a Hood tech a few years ago and was told that the most likely failure point was the bearings (which I understand are still available and replacable).  To date, ours "appear" to be fine, but time is passing and after 20 years, worry that our time is coming.  We have a Hood Genny (zipper luft) which is in very good condition, and the thought of having to change the luft as well as the furler and foils is daunting.  Would like to make the update before failure, but suspect we will use the 915 to failure.

[Ken Juul]

If I understood Mr Haber correctly, it runs about $845 to rebuild the lower unit reusing the 20+ year old foils and upper swivel.  That is part of the reason he is offering the brand new furling system for $1100.  Which is a pretty good price when comparing to other OEMs.

[bclery]

First, let me say that I am very opposed to the single line units.  A few years back I was in heavy weather on a C34 with the single line furler.  we needed to let out a small amount of Jib, but just a small release of hard tension on that single line loop and WAMMO, the whole jib went rolling out.  It was not the measured predictable system I needed at the time.

Mine today is the 915 which was upgraded to the 900SL years ago.  It works fine but I see signs that the cable stay needs to be replaced and the upper bearing is gone.  I think I can get the parts (top extrution and top bearing).

But, how do you get the thing off?
Do I have to drill out all those rivets?
If I disconenct the stay and try to lower it I believe the 40 foot furler will bend under its own weight.  How do you lower this mess to the ground?
Is it possible to thread a new cable through it?  I don't think so, each bearing in the middle has a tiny cable only hole, right ?

$1100 is a good price, but for me right now, other things need that money too.

[Ted Pounds]

First, let me say that I am very opposed to the single line units.  A few years back I was in heavy weather on a C34 with the single line furler.  we needed to let out a small amount of Jib, but just a small release of hard tension on that single line loop and WAMMO, the whole jib went rolling out.  It was not the measured predictable system I needed at the time.

Mine today is the 915 which was upgraded to the 900SL years ago.  It works fine but I see signs that the cable stay needs to be replaced and the upper bearing is gone.  I think I can get the parts (top extrution and top bearing).

But, how do you get the thing off?

Rig up a temporary forestay.  Climb the mast.  Disconnect the forestay at the top and bottom and attach a line to the top of it to lower it.  You'll want at least two helpers.

Do I have to drill out all those rivets?

Yep you do have to drill out the rivets for the sections you remove.  So you will need a set o[f rivets from Hood to replace them.


If I disconenct the stay and try to lower it I believe the 40 foot furler will bend under its own weight.  How do you lower this mess to the ground?

As long as you have a couple folks pulling the bottom out to keep it straight it'll be fine.  It will flex as it's coming down but there wont be any permanent bends.  Make sure you rig a halyard as a temporary forestay to keep the mast up. 

Is it possible to thread a new cable through it?  I don't think so, each bearing in the middle has a tiny cable only hole, right ?

The bearings in each extrusion section are two-piece, split in the middle.  So you don't have to "thread" the stay through.  You simply lock the two halves onto the stay and slide them into the extrusion.

$1100 is a good price, but for me right now, other things need that money too.

I have done this myself to replace a bent extrusion.  It's not very difficult, just a bit time consuming.  When you go up the mast the boat must be in the water.  DO NOT try it with the boat on the hard -  if something should happen to knock the boat while you're up the mast you are toast.   Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.

[Kirk Garner]

WD40 and water.  Also use the same on the top swivel.  Works great.  Seem to recall reading a Hood publication about flushing, using WD40 and water, but cannot find it now.  Anyway, we empty almost a full can of WD40 into the unit each year, work the unit a bit, then follow-up with a fresh water flush.  Also flush after each time out. Have also been giving the furler a shot of McLub now and then.

Where exactly are you spraying the WD40? I don't see any access holes to the furler or the top swivel? Are you dropping the Sheave Cover first or???

[Ron Hill]

I guess that Ken did the same thing that I wrote about in the May 2009 Mainsheet article. 

Basically I had decided to replace the entire standing rigging and it only made sense to me that a new roller furling system would be included.

The reasons that I went for a new roller furler I posted many times.  The 915 Hood is a good system, but had it's shortcomings:  The real problem (for me and others) was that the continuous line tended to wear and would slip in the furler drum.  It was paramount that when rolling it out that tension be held on the one part of the line.  If you wanted to get a new line I found that over 98% of the riggers didn't know how to make a "end to end continuous diameter" splice with braid on braid line!!! 
I made one of those splices my self and had to call Sampson Ropes, who sent me SPECIAL instructions. My splice worked, but it wasn't pretty!

Read my article and you'll see I opted for a Hood 808 single line system.  It was a much better bargen than Schaeffer or Harken.

What I did find in the old 915 tubes is that all of the internal and top bearings were fine.  There is a centering "doughnut" at the bottom (for the drum) the did have part of the screw hole broken and missing.

Cleaning a 915 system : A friend and I with C34 boat numbers side by side looked at our Hood manuals and found two differant sets of "LUBE" instructions.  One said the WD40 and water and the other said WATER ONLY.  So take your pick !?!?!
 
A few thoughts

[Pheidingsfelder]

Reviving this old thread in hopes someone has upgraded and has some 915 parts laying around. I'm looking for a few lengths of extrusions for my Hunter 34.
Thanks!