Control of unfurling with in mast furling

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TimH

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I know some people consider in mast furling to be the work of the devil.....but would be grateful for some advice.

Selden mast, usual setup with outhaul and continuous line inhaul all fed back through clutches to cockpit. The continuous line inhaul goes around a reefing winch on the mast. Ratchet on reefing winch can be either on or off. When ratchet is on sail can not unfurl. When out sailing ratchet set to off.

Generally happy with sail going in and out. However occassionally when unfurling and particularly if boat drifts from head into wind the sail will rapidly unfurl. There is then general flapping, noise and it does not look very seaman like. I try to keep tension on the inhaul line when unfurling but it appears as though there is not enough grip on the inhaul line going around the reefing winch and this will just spin. The line is the right size.

Is there something I'm missing or doing wrong? I would really like to be able to unfurl the main sail in full control and not to be in the position of having the whole sail out when lets say I wanted it reefed, and then having to furl the sail.

Hope this makes sense.....thanks for any suggestions.
 
I find that using the wind in the way you describe to pull the main out is the best way to get it out. Release the main sheet so that it is still easy to wind the sail in tight, then sheet in.

Its good practice to set the ratchet to safe after letting out the sail, so that its ready, if you need to reef in a hurry.
 
That is how it should be. Let the main sheet out so there is no drive when it is coming out if you are worried about control. If you only want part sail out, then use the clutch to hold the inhaul rather than trying to do it by hand.
 
Our approach

When you're unfurling the sail, I assume you have both clutches on the continuous furling line open. As this line only makes half a turn round the furling drive drum, it's not surprising that the line lets go of the drum when left slack like this, and it actually helps to achieve a rapid unfurl as the endless line doesn't have to feed through its two clutches and various turning blocks.

If you want the furling line to recover its grip on the drum (e.g. to set only part of the main in a blow) simply pull on both ends of the line.

On Wild Thyme, our Moody 425, we unfurl by heading close hauled, not dead into the wind, easing the main sheet and kicker, opening both clutches on the furling line then pulling the outhaul by hand until the whole sail is unfurled. We then sheet the sail, set the foot tension / draft to suit conditions using the outhaul on a winch, tension the kicker and we're done. This involves considerably less flapping sail than a conventional halyard hoist and is a controlled operation. You can stop at any point and reset the furling line to hold the luff, if you wish to set the sail reefed.

I'm not a fan of unfurling / furling when headed downwind, particularly in a blow - this seems to be an uncontrolled operation which is much more likely tolead to problems. Of course, you can get away with anything inlight airs.

We don't find any need to adjust the topping lift - it's set to be slack when the sail is set and takes the weight of the boom as soon as the outhaul is slacked away to furl up.

The only issue we have is friction in the traveller for the outhaul block on the boom. Applying a ptfe based lubricant (from a bike shop, half the price of the Selden product, forget the name) has helped this, but I think the wheels on it have passed their sell-by date. Must get round to taking the end out of the boom and replacing them.

Hope this helps.

Pete
 
PeterWright said:
... As this line only makes half a turn round the furling drive drum, it's not surprising that the line lets go of the drum when left slack like this, and it actually helps to achieve a rapid unfurl as the endless line doesn't have to feed through its two clutches and various turning blocks.
Click to expand...

Yes, if so I'd try putting on the classic "round turn" (=1.5 turns in non-sailing parlance). But that might turn (ho, ho) out to be too much friction...

Mike.
 
I'm with Peter Wright with this. It's a case of keeping tension on both parts of the endless line, if you don't want the whole sail out. If you want to sail partly "reefed", you free the sheet, wind in the required amount of sail, and then tension in on the "Out" line. If you don't, the sail will unfurl. Works for me:)
 
NormanS said:
I'm with Peter Wright with this. It's a case of keeping tension on both parts of the endless line, if you don't want the whole sail out. If you want to sail partly "reefed", you free the sheet, wind in the required amount of sail, and then tension in on the "Out" line. If you don't, the sail will unfurl. Works for me:)
Click to expand...

I would also use the Ratchet on the winch to make sure the sail does not slip out again, if you don't have enough tension.
 
Chris_Robb said:
I would also use the Ratchet on the winch to make sure the sail does not slip out again, if you don't have enough tension.
Click to expand...

I have never used the ratchet. I would have to go AWAYYYY up to the mast for that:).

As I say, I've never used it, but thought it was so that a normal winch handle could be used, if something happened to the endless line.
 
NormanS said:
I have never used the ratchet. I would have to go AWAYYYY up to the mast for that:).

As I say, I've never used it, but thought it was so that a normal winch handle could be used, if something happened to the endless line.
Click to expand...

It makes reefing much easier. I always set it to lock, the moment the sail is unwound, so that I don't have to go on deck if the weather changes. Use it regularly or it will cease up!
 
Chris_Robb said:
It makes reefing much easier. I always set it to lock, the moment the sail is unwound, so that I don't have to go on deck if the weather changes. Use it regularly or it will cease up!
Click to expand...

OK I'll give it a try. Thanks.

Mind you, I don't have any bother at present, and to my mind, one of the great benefits of in-mast furling, is fewer trips up forrard.
 
Many thanks for all of the suggestions. Was thinking of going out to try this all out in the next couple of days......but then thought better of it.
 
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