Ronstan Series 160 Top-Down Furler — User Manual & Spec Sheet

Furler System

• Designed for top-down furling of sails with a "soft" luff and full mid-section (coded asymmetrics, reachers, gennakers), generally sailed at true wind angles greater than 90°.
• The tack attaches to the "floating" swivel collar at the base of the furler fork, the head to the top swivel. As the drum turns the tack stays still and the torsion rope turns the top swivel, furling from the head down to the tack.
• The furler can also be set up for straight luff sails (tack on the furler, sail furls along its whole luff).
• The sail must be either completely unfurled or completely furled – no partial furling.
• You need a synthetic luff cable (torsion line) with a thimble at each end, between the furler fork and the top swivel. Discuss type, diameter and length with your sailmaker. Effective top-down furling relies on the size and quality of the torsion rope: use the largest size that fits the thimble.

Setup

• Torsion rope with a thimble at each end
• Top swivel (head)
• Furler with continuous furling line
• Attachment to the bow fitting: shackle, snap shackle or 2:1 fairlead

Tack Attachment (Floating Collar)

• Lash the tack to the floating collar through all three holes: this spreads the load evenly so the collar swivels freely.
• The offset lugs and holes help keep the tack clear of the rotating torsion rope.
• Tip: a very stiff tack can catch on the torsion line while furling. Attach an extra loose line to the tack and pull on it while furling to keep the tack clear.

L5-500-2 – Soft Loop Shackle 4mm (part number as printed): pass the loop through all three lashing holes, through the tack and back to itself. Allows easy attachment and release of the tack, handy if the furler stays on deck.

Specifications & Accessories

Furler and top swivel weights do not include the shackle. All dimensions on the spec sheet in mm; do not scale.

Accessories & Spares

• Top swivel: top half of the system, matched to the furler load rating; fork designed for the torsion line thimble; maintenance-free factory sealed bearing, retained clevis pin and low profile shackle pin head.
• Snap-shackle adaptor: replaces the shackle on the furler or top swivel for quick attachment to the bow fitting or halyard.
• 2:1 fairlead: replaces the shackle on the furler. The tack line is dead-ended at the deck or bowsprit end, runs up round the fairlead, down to a block and aft to a rope clutch – a popular way to adjust torsion rope (and luff) tension.
• Thimble: terminates the torsion rope at both ends (wrap the rope round it and stitch or splice). Its extra hole takes the tack lashing; lashing the sail to the thimble rather than the furler lets the torsion line and sail be removed easily.
• HR shackle: replacement shackles for both the top swivel and the furler.
• Top swivel lashing pin: replaces the top swivel clevis pin for a more positive drive to the head and a tight furl at the head. The head is lashed to the cotton reels on the pin ends; torsion rope and thimble go on the centre section.
• Quick release pins: ball-lock pins with lanyard that replace the clevis pins in the top swivel and furler, for fast attachment and removal of the torsion line (e.g. swapping sails between upwind and downwind legs).
• Rotation stop: Engage once the sail is fully furled to stop it unfurling if the furling line is un-cleated (sail left hoisted, or lowered to bag it). Screws into the threaded hole in the guide arm; a spring-loaded plunger pin drops into one of the drum through-holes. Operate it at the furler or remotely with a trigger line to a cleat; add a short length of shock cord to the trigger line to keep the pin disengaged as the furler moves with the boat. Designed to fail under high furling line load to protect the furler – simply replace it.

Maintenance

• Rinse regularly with fresh water to remove salt.
• Apply Ronstan RF3000 Sailfast (or a similar silicon based lubricant) over the body and components. Do not use petro-chemical lubricants.
• Periodically remove fasteners and re-apply Tef-Gel (TG-10) to prevent corrosion.
• Factory sealed bearings are maintenance free; bearing and seal replacement can be arranged through a Ronstan re-seller.
• Furlers carry a three year warranty (Ronstan terms and conditions).