I'm adding a roller furler to my CP25 this spring. I have had CDIs in the past and am comfortable with the system and installing it. I know that the FF4 is the correct size. What I'm not clear on, is the value of the bearings vs the additional hassle of maintaining them. Cost is a couple hundred dollars up front for the bearings. Do any of you have first hand accounts of the difference between the FF4 with bearings vs. the FF4 without? My inclination right now is to do without and not have another thing that can (and most likely will) go wrong.
Thanks!
I currently have a CDI furler on my Compac 23.
That being said, if I was using a boat that I didn't take the mast down much or at all I wouldn't use the CDI. I would go with Harken or Profurl. I had a Profurl on my Catalina 30 for 8 years and it was an awesome unit that held up to a lot of abuse. When I needed parts they were covered under warranty and they were even shipped for free. These are better units.
Just my 2 cents.
Thanks for the input. I do need to put the mast up and down a couple of times a year, and I don't have a crane every time. I have used a CDI on 22&23 foot boats and they worked fine for my purposes, hence the desire to keep using them.
I have done some additional internet searching and I see people start recommending them in the 25-28 ft range per a Benneteau(sp) first site and a Catalina 25 site, so I'm going to go with the bearings.
I have a CDI FF2 on my 23 that does not have bearings. It is 12 years old and doing fine. In this size I just don't know what they bring to the party. Bearings are supposed to reduce resistance in high speed or side load use. The resistance I see is from any number of other sources but not the drum itself. I've had furler lines jam in the drum, high wind roll ups, the top drum knob catching a halyard and wrapping same, and various other problems related to the use of the CDI. I've solved all those problems, however, none of them would have been prevented by the addition of bearings. But, then I cannot speak to the larger furlers.