Bud,

I also have a Schaefer furler system am almost sure the line is 3/8, but really do not know the length.

I replaced the furling line last year after it broke in about 20 knots of wind with the sail rolled up to about 90%; big bang followed by a half hour of excitement trying to get it down. I used 3/8ths line. I've had a problem with it bunching up inside the drum and making it difficult to get the sail completely unrolled. That's with 2 wraps left on the drum when completely furled. The original line was much softer and compressed/flattened out quite a bit as it wrapped around the drum. Then again, it also broke. I purchased the new line at West Marine and am pretty sure it's New England ropes, so good stuff.

I think part of the problem is due to the fact that the block that leads the line onto the drum is too close. When it's under load, it tends to feed the line in one spot on the drum. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there's anywhere else to mount a block further away.

According to the Schaefer manual for the 2100, 5/16" line.

They also suggest 70 feet of line but I don't know how that arrived at that figure - maybe it is the reasonable maximum capacity of the drum?

Something I have read a number of times to consider if you have a problem fitting all the line on the drum:

Using high quality cordage, you can strip the core from a portion of the line nearest the drum. That saves a lot of volume as the line wraps, yet there is still (supposedly) plenty of strength in the cover to carry the load.

I have not had the need to try it, but it is something you can research if you need to use it.

[QUOTE=gmackey;6002]According to the Schaefer manual for the 2100, 5/16" line.

They also suggest 70 feet of line but I don't know how that arrived at that figure - maybe it is the reasonable maximum capacity of the drum?[/QUOTE]

Could be that's what will fit on the drum; then add 30-40 feet to get it back to the cockpit? I don't recall how much I bought; I tied the two halves of my broken furling line together and measured it, then bought about 10 feet extra. The line that failed seemed to have deteriorated in the first 20-25 feet or so. Maybe from getting wet all the time? Shouldn't matter much with synthetic line but I figure I can take a look at it from time to time and cut some off if it looks to be necessary.

Guess I'll get the same amount of 5/16 line and use the 3/8ths elsewhere.

That's what I'd do, rather than speculate. They are extremely helpful. When I had a problem with my furling system they sent me a halyard restrainer for free.

I just installed a new Profurl unit on my boat and it came with 5/16" line. I found it was impossible to hand furl with that line and winching was too slow for my preferences. I took 72 feet of 5/16's line off the Profurl and though I was worried both that 3/8's didn't seem that much easier to grip and that the larger line wouldn't fit, I bought the same amount of 3/8's and it made a huge difference. I can now get enough grip on the line to roll the furler in even without being head to wind in light to moderate wind. My sail is a 150 and with the sail furled and 4 wraps of the sheets around the sail so it stays that way, I still have about 4-6 wraps of the furling line. With the sail out, the drum is full, but not close to jamming (edited to add that you need to keep slight tension on the furling line as the sail is unfurled so it rolls on smoothly). I expect you'd get about the same thing with a 2100 drum. BTW, it appeared to me, the 2100 on my neighbors C350 also had 5/16's line.

If you want 5/16 line, I'll sell you the line I removed (used like 4 times) for 1/2 the going rate plus shipping.

I have a different furler but the core of at least 1/3 of the length has been removed from my 3/8" line.

I just checked the furling line that failed (hanging in my shed out back). It is indeed some sort of plaited line, it is NOT double braid. Probably what allowed it to flatten out so much on the drum. Can't say what size it is, but it is softer than the double braided 3/8".

Having had it fail on me, I'm not sure I'd use it again, though it was 12 years old. Having the reefed genny suddenly go back to 150% in 20+ knots of wind is something I'd rather not repeat. I also don't think I'd be comfortable removing some of the core, for the same reason.

I believe the problem of it bunching up on the drum is due to the fairlead block being so close to the drum. It's a swivel block with a spring hold up, but once you put even a slight load on it, while letting out the sail, it pretty much directs the line directly at the center of the drum. And I've tried it higher and lower on the pulpit, just bunches up somewhere else. Can't see anywhere else to mount a block that wouldn't interfere with the bow cleat.

Not sure how I'll solve this yet.

Bud, you sent me a private message and I replied for you to email me regarding the davits.

Regarding sheets, I prefer properly tied bowlines. Besides the danger that a snap shackle could come open, getting hit with a flogging metal shackle can be extremely bad. The knots are heavy and hard enough, but the metal is much worse.

That happened to me on a friend's boat, which was smaller and used lighter shackles.