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Nabors Furling System - DIY Roller Reef from PVC pipe

By Jason Nabors (retired) #289 "TENACIOUS TURTLE" (3ar)

Yesterday I made a roller furling for my jib that I added to the sea flea. Parts needed for a roller jib.
#1 rope or small cable ( length depending on size of jib)
#2 PVC pipe 1/2" lite schedule is acceptable ( length depending on jib size)
#3 two 1/2" PVC end caps
#4 2 flat washers ( just big enough to fit rope through)
#5 2 carrabiners ( snap clips)
#6 Duct Tape
#7small length of bungi cord (about 12" of small 1/4" cord)
#8 1 length of rope ( about 3' long for rolling up the jib)
1/4" to 3/8" rope is perfect for the following applications.






STEP #1 Take a drill bit the same thickness as the rope or cable you are planning on using and drill a hole through the top of both the PVC end caps.Drill as close to center as you can.
STEP #2 Take the length of rope or cable you plan on using as your forestay ( rope or cable that extends from the front of your PDR to the top of your mast) and attach a snap clip or carribiner with a knot.(if using cable use a cable clamp)
STEP #3 Now slide a washer then an end cap onto the cable or rope(Remember to face the open end of the end cap away from the snap clip or carribiner)
STEP #4 Take the joint of PVC pipe and cut it 4" longer than your jib.( The 4" allows your furling rope to wrap around the pipe without rolling around your jib)
STEP #5 Drill a hole at the 4" mark on your pipe( Make hole in pipe the same width as the bungi cord)
STEP #6 Place bungi cord through the hole in the pipe and slide it through the bottom of the pipe just far enough to tie a knot on the end of the bungi.Once knot is tied pull bungi back through the hole so that the knot keeps the bungi from pulling out of the pipe.
STEP #7 Now slide rope or cable with end cap,washer,and snap clip on it through the piece of pipe.Once rope is through the opposite end of the pipe pull through and tap end cap onto the pipe.( at this point you should have a piece of pipe with a bungi cord sticking out 4" from the bottom of it and a rope with an end cap,washer,and snap clip tied to the end going through the pipe)
STEP #8 Take the other end cap and slide the rope through it up to the pipe and tap it onto the open end of the pipe.
STEP #9 Now take the last washer and slide the rope through it placing it tightly against the end cap.
STEP #10 Now tie the snap clip to the rope pulling the rope tightly so that there is no slack between both cilps on the pipe.


After all is said and done you should have the parts in this order: CLIP / WASHER / ENDCAP / PVC PIPE / BUNGI CORD / END CAP / WASHER / CLIP. When you make your jib allow 2" on the luff for taping it to the pvc pipe.You also need to put a grommet at the clew of your jib for unfurling and controlling its tack. Some people prefer cam cletes but I like these dohickies my wife found at a garage sale the other day.They are about 4" long and they have teeth on them.You just weave the rope between the teeth and the rope is held tight.

The bugi cord acts as not only a roller but it also is for keeping slack out of the jib. I tried just using rope but it would not roll up as tight as the bungi dose. The system is pretty simple.

All you do to unfurl the jib is to pull on either rope attached to the clew of the jib. This will cause the jib to roll out like a window shade and it will also roll the bungi and rope around the PVC pipe. Then to furl the jib you simply pull the rope that you have attached to the bungi at the base of the PVC pipe. This will cause the jib to roll back up onto the pipe.

You can see from the photos that I also used a cheap cable clip on my bowsprit to hold the furling sheet connected to the bungi. The clamp I am refering to are the type you get at your local hardware store for holding your cable TV wires to the out side of the house. This works like a drag on a fishing reel. It allows the furling rope to slide free but it also keeps the slack in the rope from wraping around the pipe wrong and fouling out the system. I suggest using the following directions to figure the distance from the snap clip you should mount the cable clip. When furling the jib the furling rope rolls off the pipe and down around the forestay and snap clip this means your cable clip is too close to the snap clip on the forestay. If when furling the jib the furling rope wraps around the jib then that means your cable clip is too far away from the snap clip on your forestay. When it is right it will roll up on the pipe just like in the photos or even in my cheesey drawings.

Thanks
Jason Nabors





(note from Shorty)
Sure is a neat looking furler system, possibly it could be used on a regular sailboat with a forestay and a jib that hanks on. The pvc could have notches in it that match with the jib's hanks.