The first time I raised the mast on my Precision 21, the aluminum fitting at the base of the CDI Roller Furler snagged on the boat’s rub rail. Luckily, I saw what had happened, stopped the mast-raising, and freed the furler fitting. The lower edge of the fitting is very thin and easy to damage. It’s a ready-made hook, looking for something to grab.

So I made a smooth-sided boot that covers the entire lower assembly. It’s a Gatorade® half-gallon plastic jug, split down one side, with a Velcro® strap to hold it closed. Total price: about 15 cents.

Start by cutting just below the upper rim of the jug to remove the entire threaded neck. The plastic there is so tough, the jug won’t swing open, even if the neck is split. For a vertical cut from the top of the jug to the bottom, I used a box cutter knife. The bottom of the jug was also thick and tough to cut, so I used a hacksaw blade to cut across it. You leave one side of the jug uncut.

Once the jug is split, you simply pull it open and insert the entire lower furler housing. To make sure it doesn’t come off as the boot is dragged along the boat during the raising of the mast, I used a hot-glue gun to stick a One-Wrap® Velcro® strap to the jug. The 15-inch size is a little short to completely circle the jug and have overlap for Velcro® fastening. So I used a short, leftover piece of Velcro® stuck to the 15-inch strap to provide more length.

For other sizes of CDI furlers, wander around a supermarket or discount store looking for other products in round plastic bottles that will fit your furler model.

For details, contact:
Clarence Jones
Precision 21 “Prime Time”
Anna Maria Island, Florida

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