HOOD YACHT SYSTEMS is a name synonymous with quality marine products.

    Hood has been continuously developing our range for more than 35 years to offer sailors around the world products that can be relied on for sail control whatever the weather. With production and distribution bases in Tampa, Florida, USA and Hayling Island, England we are at the heart of the marine industry.

Furling | Hood Home

New Hood and Furlex Headsail Furlers Stand Out

Hood Sea Furl 5 On the companies mentioned here, Hood and Furlex have made the most changes. Instrumental in Hood’s redesign was Jim Kyle, a designer/engineer who had previously worked for Cape Dory and the powerboat company Carver. He competed in the single-handed transatlantic OSTAR race back in the 1980s aboard a small, torpedo-shaped boat of his own design, Dream Waver. On coming to Hood Yacht Systems, one of his first changes was to update the furler line.

Introduced last year, the Sea Furl 5 is an improved version of the 2535 and 3250 model furlers. Hood also makes the LD line drive and SL series furlers, both less expensive than the Sea Furl 5.

Hood recommends using Yale Cordage ULS Yacht Braid for the best grip in the teeth of the drum. Hood has made a number of the small changes to its LD systems, including the method of securing the top bearing and a new stainless steel feeder casting. Two models now are available: the 705 for headstays to 7/32”, and the 810 for headstay diameters 1/4”-5/16”.

The SL series is sort of an economy version of the sea Furl 5. It’s available in three sizes: 700 for headstay diameters to 7/32”, the 800 for 1/4”-5/16” headstay and the 900 for 3/8”- 7/16” headstay. The same minor changes made to the LD series also were made to the SL series.

Both LD and SL bearings were originally stainless steel, then changed to Torlon at the time of our 1995 report. This, according to the company, was done because plastic bearings had been popularized by its competitor Harken. But when developing the Sea Furl 5, company engineers concluded that the superior load-bearing capability of stainless steel merited a return to metal. Today, they’re stainless and Torlon in open races, which require freshwater flushing. Clark said the Torlon bearings carry no load.

The most significant change made to the 2325/3250 when developing the Sea Furl 5 was to make it more easily installed by the owner. No longer is it necessary to cut the heastay and install a Noresman fitting to the adjuster. The Sea Furl 5 fits over the exiting turnbuckle, which is easier and reduces cost. Bearings are stainless and Torlon in a spherical race, which Clark said allows “almost 360 degrees contact.” And the split drum is now polished stainless steel--very handsome. Plastic clamps hold the fasteners captive. Another significant change was changing from button machine screws set in a thread lock compound. To take apart the old button locks, they had to be cut. Rivets, as used on the LD and SL series, must have the heads ground off.

To see firsthand how it worked, we installed an early Sea Furl 5 on our test boat, Viva, last year, and were impressed with its quality and ease of furling, even under load. Prices have been reduced from the 2325/3250 models so that the Sea Furl 5 now is extremely competitive. The warranty is lifetime to the original owner.

The new Hood Sea Furl 5 is a significant improvement over the older Sea Furl 2325/3250 units and it is priced very attractively. In combination with its lifetime warranty to original buyer, it may represent the best value. We would not consider the Hood Line Drive of SL series for mid-to larger-size boats because they lack features we think are important.

Exerpt from 1999 Practical Sailor's Gear Buying Guide.

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