Double Luff Grooves

[haydude]

Why is it that just about every headsail roller furler currently produced has twin luff grooves and slab reefing mainsails only have one?

How many people have honestly ever used second luff groove on a headsail? Wouldn't it be much more useful to put a second luff groove on masts for the trysail as they do on in mast systems? Am i missing something here?

The second headsail groove is for long downind passages like the ARC where setting two headsails is more relaxing than taming a spinnaker.

My Selden mast has a second luff groove, but since I have in-mast furling mainsail I will never need it for a trysail.

 

[oldvarnish]

It seems to me that twin-groove luffs add an enormous amount of work to the business of sailing downwind.

For a start, you've only got one halyard (because you've only got one top swivel) so you have to hoist both sails at the same time. That sounds fun.
Then you've got to get equal luff tension - it's unlikely both sails will have exactly the same luff length. Then you've got to get them out on two poles.

Reefing, I agree, is the easy bit because the sails just roll up together.

But as anyone who has done trade wind sailing knows, the wind changes direction more than you might think and you have to get rid of one of the sails. Haven't you then got to drop both sails, remove one and re-hoist the other?

I've got headache already.

 

[wklein]

It seems to me that twin-groove luffs add an enormous amount of work to the business of sailing downwind.

For a start, you've only got one halyard (because you've only got one top swivel) so you have to hoist both sails at the same time. That sounds fun.
Then you've got to get equal luff tension - it's unlikely both sails will have exactly the same luff length. Then you've got to get them out on two poles.

Reefing, I agree, is the easy bit because the sails just roll up together.

But as anyone who has done trade wind sailing knows, the wind changes direction more than you might think and you have to get rid of one of the sails. Haven't you then got to drop both sails, remove one and re-hoist the other?

I've got headache already.

I agree, as most bluewater sailors have an inner forestay fitted for the storm jib wouldn't it be easier to deploy a second headsail on this? Can't reef them both together but much easier to change course. Drop one pole and halyard, trip second pole and carry on sailing. If furler screws up then you can use second sail to get you home.

And who are you guys changing head sails while on the wind during short course racing? Sure its makes sense for longer races but round the cans?

 

[Twister_Ken]

And who are you guys changing head sails while on the wind during short course racing? Sure its makes sense for longer races but round the cans?

Can't talk about current racing practise, but that's the way it was done 20 years ago, and in a way that never left the boat bareheaded.

 

[Blueboatman]

Not saying it is right, wrong, better or worse but,

Hoist 2 nice big headsails on twin luff,, use downhaul multilashing to tension the shorter ones foot to the common foot shackle.

Rig twin poles. One might ( like me) have a second lighter pole that doesn't require an uphaul to offset its weight.

Reef, trim, ease when nec, from the cockpit.

to come onto a single gybe angle, unclip windward pole and let sail come over and lay alongside the loo'ard one.

Reef both together if nec as reqd..

No spi halliard chafe, an even or single sided 'pull' from right at the bow,

Staysail/inner forestay set up remains ready for more inclement stuff

I think it is 'fun' to play with different sail combinations.
I have all of the above, plus asymetric/snuffer and full spi/snuffer and a couple of hank on storm jibs too. But they do take up a berth LOL