PS First Look: Selden’s Code X Furler

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In Practical Sailors last review of Code 0 furlers, in the March 2008 issue, testers found many benefits to incorporating light-air sails in a sailplan and to using a continuous furler rather than a sock to control some of those sails.

A new player in the endless-line furler market is Selden Mast, a well-known spar and furling systems manufacturer. We got the scoop on the companys latest products during the Miami International Boat Show where they launched the Code X trio of continuous furlers. All should be available by this spring.

The endless-line Code X furlers-designed for safe working loads from 15kN to 40kN-can be used to control all types of code sails, making sail-handling easier. Their furling lines can be made long, to be led to the cockpit, or can be kept short for race boats with foredeck crew. According to Selden, a narrow line guide, a wedge-shaped line stripper, and a custom Tandem block (fiddle block with two cam cleats) make furling a sail seamless and securing it easy. The new furlers-the Code X15, CX25, and CX40-will be competitively priced, according to Selden reps.

Our top pick in the 2008 test was the Facnor FX2500. Well be testing the new Selden Code X on the workbench and on the water this spring (Once the Northeast thaws out!) to see how it compares to the Facnor and other Code 0 furlers we tested. Stay tuned.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him at darrellnicholson.com.