In Practical Sailors last review of Code 0 furlers, in the March 2008 issue, testers found many benefits to incorporating light-air sails in a sailplan and to using a continuous furler rather than a sock to control some of those sails.
A new player in the endless-line furler market is Selden Mast, a well-known spar and furling systems manufacturer. We got the scoop on the companys latest products during the Miami International Boat Show where they launched the Code X trio of continuous furlers. All should be available by this spring.
The endless-line Code X furlers-designed for safe working loads from 15kN to 40kN-can be used to control all types of code sails, making sail-handling easier. Their furling lines can be made long, to be led to the cockpit, or can be kept short for race boats with foredeck crew. According to Selden, a narrow line guide, a wedge-shaped line stripper, and a custom Tandem block (fiddle block with two cam cleats) make furling a sail seamless and securing it easy. The new furlers-the Code X15, CX25, and CX40-will be competitively priced, according to Selden reps.
Our top pick in the 2008 test was the Facnor FX2500. Well be testing the new Selden Code X on the workbench and on the water this spring (Once the Northeast thaws out!) to see how it compares to the Facnor and other Code 0 furlers we tested. Stay tuned.
