I had twin Wykemham-Martin type furlers on a 42' cutter. Like someone already posted you cannot (actually should not) furl with units that have the sail seized to the wire. Wire systems are made to tighten the strands when furling the sail (and you want to make sure the sail is wound in the correct direction when installing one). Opening the sail reverses the process but it stops unwinding the strands when all the way out and they relax. Partial opening(reefing) can make the wire strands want to keep unwinding to the point of stress and possible damage. I also vouch for sail shape being very poor if trying to reef...it makes a nice downwind balloon. The good side of wire luff furling gear is sails can be hanked on, raised, lowered, changed, coiled and stowed very easily. Loosen the halyard and the sail drops to the deck as a noodle, etc, etc. Also, I have the small boat Harken roller gear on my 20' trailer sailer. It's great and I would do it again. I personally don't have a need to reef or change headsails enough to warrant going to gear with a foil. Reefing headsails with roller gear also puts the CE up high and does it exactly when you want the CE to be lowered. Bill P.
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