An electric furler earns its cost once your genoa gets too loaded to roll in by hand comfortably -- typically past 40 ft LOA or with a short-handed crew -- rolling the sail in about 25-30 seconds at the push of a button. MAURIPRO carries Selden's Furlex Electric range and CXe electric code zero drives to fit almost any cruiser.
Rolling in a genoa by hand is easy on a 28-footer and a real job on a 45-footer, especially the moment the wind builds and the sheet load climbs with it. That's the exact point most sailors start asking whether an electric furler is worth the extra cost over a standard manual drum.
On a 30-45 ft cruiser, the honest answer depends on sail area, crew strength, and how often you sail short-handed -- not a flat yes or no. This guide walks through what an electric furler actually changes mechanically, what it costs over a manual Furlex at MAURIPRO's own live prices, which boats it earns its keep on, and whether you can convert an existing manual furler instead of buying a whole new unit.
Electric furlers at a glance
| Unit | Fits | Price | Notes | MAURIPRO SKU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selden Furlex 204E | Max. stay length 34.4 ft (10.5 m), 6.0 mm wire | $4,730 | 60 Nm max torque | SEL035025141 |
| Selden Furlex 304E | Max. stay length 58.8 ft (17.9 m), 8.0 mm wire | $5,210 | 90 Nm max torque; $1,510 more than the manual 304S at the same stay length and wire diameter | SEL042031122 |
| Selden Furlex 404E | Max. stay length 73.8 ft (22.5 m), 14.0 mm wire | $13,200 | 135 Nm max torque | SEL05203810 |
| Selden CXe45 (through-deck) | Boat size 45-50 ft, code zero/gennaker | $3,790 | With halyard swivel | SEL545-455-31 |
| Furlex conversion kit, 300 to 300e | Upgrades an existing manual Furlex 300 (10 mm wire) | $3,350 | No new drum -- reuses your extrusion and drum | SEL549601220 |
What does an electric furler actually do differently from a manual one?
A manual Furlex furls when you pull the furling line by hand; an electric Furlex furls when you press a button. Per Selden's own specifications, Furlex Electric runs on a 42V brushless motor -- a DC/DC converter steps the boat's 12V or 24V house supply up to 42V, which allows thinner cable runs to the motor and a more compact unit. That motor drives a self-locking steel/bronze worm gear (122:1 ratio) into the luff extrusion at a maximum torque of 60 Nm on the 204E, 90 Nm on the 304E, and 135 Nm on the 404E.
In practice, Selden states the motor draws 10-25 amps at normal load and takes about 25-30 seconds to furl a genoa -- and it's a two-speed system: press one button for low speed, both together to double it. The worm gear is self-locking, so a partly-reefed genoa stays put without you having to cleat anything off.
How much more does an electric furler cost than a manual one?
Less than the "3-4x more expensive" figure often quoted online for complete installed systems -- at least at the base-unit level in MAURIPRO's own live Selden catalog. A manual Furlex 304S (58.3 ft max stay length, 8.0 mm wire, standard terminal) prices at $3,700; the electric Furlex 304E (58.8 ft max stay length, same 8.0 mm wire diameter class) prices at $5,210 -- about $1,510, or roughly 41%, more for the drive unit itself.
That comparison is unit-to-unit only. A full installed electric system also needs 12V/24V wiring run to the DC/DC converter and the deck-mounted control buttons, which a manual furler doesn't require -- budget for that installation labor and cable on top of the unit price, and expect the total gap over a manual system to run wider than the base-unit difference alone.
Can you convert an existing manual furler, or do you need a whole new unit?
If you already own a manual Furlex, you very likely don't need to replace the whole furler. Selden sells dedicated conversion kits that upgrade an existing third-generation (200S-400S) or fourth-generation (204S-404S) Furlex to electric -- MAURIPRO's live catalog lists kits for 200 to 200e, 204 to 204e, 300 to 300e, 304 to 304e, 400 to 400e, and 404 to 404e, each matched to specific wire diameters. The 300-to-300e kit (10 mm wire) prices at $3,350 and reuses your existing extrusion and drum rather than swapping the whole assembly.
If you're not on a Furlex today, or you're buying new, a complete electric unit (204E-404E, or a CXe for a code zero/gennaker) is the simpler path since it arrives ready to install rather than requiring a compatible existing drum.
Which boats and crews actually benefit from going electric?
Selden's own torque figures track boat size directly: 60 Nm on the 204E for smaller boats, stepping up to 90 Nm on the 304E and 135 Nm on the 404E as stay length and sail area climb. The load an electric furler is actually saving you from pulling by hand grows with the boat -- which is why the case for going electric strengthens past roughly 40 ft LOA, where genoa and code zero sheet loads get heavy enough that furling by hand becomes a real physical task rather than a quick pull.
Crew makeup matters as much as boat length. A short-handed couple or solo sailor gets more day-to-day value from push-button furling than a boat that always sails with a full crew and a hand free to tail the furling line -- the electric drive removes a job that would otherwise need a second set of hands exactly when conditions are building and you have the least spare crew capacity to work the foredeck.
What happens if the motor loses power or fails?
Furlex Electric ships with an emergency line-driver system as standard, usable on both on-deck and through-deck installations, so you can still furl the sail manually if the motor or the boat's power fails. An emergency handle with a 1/2 in. socket is available as an option for the same purpose. There's also a built-in current limiter: if you try to furl before releasing the sheet, torque is automatically cut to a safe level and resets a few seconds after you release the control switch, rather than straining the motor or the sail against a loaded sheet.
From the rigging bench
We size the electric unit to the boat's actual stay length and wire diameter, not just LOA. A 42 ft boat with a long, high-aspect rig can need the next size up from what its length alone would suggest -- check max stay length and wire diameter against your own rig before ordering.
We ask owners how often they short-hand before recommending electric over manual. A boat that only ever sails with a full crew gets less day-to-day value from the upgrade than the numbers alone suggest.
We point conversion candidates at the kit, not a new complete unit, whenever their existing Furlex generation matches. Reusing the extrusion and drum is real money saved over a full replacement.
Common mistakes to avoid
Comparing only the drive-unit price and forgetting the electrical installation. The unit-to-unit gap over a manual furler can look modest; wiring, the DC/DC converter, and control-button installation add real cost on top.
Sizing by boat length alone. Match max stay length and wire diameter to your actual rig -- two boats of the same LOA can need different Furlex sizes depending on rig height and sail area.
Assuming a manual fallback isn't included. Furlex Electric ships with an emergency line-driver as standard specifically so a power or motor failure doesn't leave you unable to furl -- confirm that fallback is part of any electric furler you're considering, not an extra-cost option.
Frequently asked questions
Does an electric furler need its own dedicated battery?
No -- Selden's Furlex Electric runs off the boat's existing 12V or 24V house supply. A DC/DC converter on the unit steps that up to the 42V the motor runs on, so no separate battery bank is required.
How long does it take to furl a genoa with an electric Furlex?
About 25-30 seconds at normal load, per Selden's own specifications -- and the system is two-speed, so pressing both control buttons together roughly doubles that rate.
Can I upgrade my existing manual Furlex instead of buying a whole new unit?
Yes, if it's a third-generation (200S-400S) or fourth-generation (204S-404S) Furlex. Selden's conversion kits reuse your existing extrusion and drum and are priced well below a complete new electric unit -- MAURIPRO's 300-to-300e kit, for example, prices at $3,350.
What happens if the motor fails or the boat loses power?
Furlex Electric includes an emergency line-driver system as standard so you can still furl manually, and an emergency handle with a 1/2 in. socket is available as an optional backup.
Is an electric furler only for genoas, or does it work for a code zero too?
Both. Selden's Furlex Electric line handles the genoa/jib, while the CXe electric drive brings the same push-button furling to a code zero or gennaker -- MAURIPRO carries CXe25 and CXe45 units sized to 35-50 ft boats.