srah1953
Well-Known Member
In furling a foresail, should one try to furl it tight around the forestay or loose?
Furl jib tight or loose?
- Thread starter srah1953
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jwilson
Well-Known Member
Laurie
Well-Known Member
Neither. Furl it to lie flat and smooth without creases, and a couple of turns of the sheets. When leaving the boat secure with a line bound round the furled sail.
Searush
Well-Known Member
I agree no creases, but I also like it as tight as I can reasonably get it. Th last thing you want is a flappy bit of luff - it will be torn to bits & may well unravel the rest of the sail. A couple of turns of sheet around the sail help keep it firm, but much depends on your berth, an exposed swinging mooring may well benefit from a separate line securing it. I happen to be in a sheltered harbour & an extra line has not been needed.
pagoda
Well-Known Member
If you ever have to furl in stronger winds, and it gets furled tight, slacken off and re -furl later if at all possible. I've seen jibs shredded in "summer" due to sloppy securing of sheets. I always put a sail tie round the jib, and secure the sheets when not on board.
Easy, well worth it..
Graeme
Laurie
Well-Known Member
If you ever have to furl in stronger winds, and it gets furled tight, slacken off and re -furl later if at all possible. I've seen jibs shredded in "summer" due to sloppy securing of sheets. I always put a sail tie round the jib, and secure the sheets when not on board.
Easy, well worth it..
Graeme
Too true
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Make sure you wrap the sheet around a few times and tie the furl line up .
www.dufour385.webs.com
www.dufour385.webs.com
srah1953
Well-Known Member
If you ever have to furl in stronger winds, and it gets furled tight, slacken off and re -furl later if at all possible. I've seen jibs shredded in "summer" due to sloppy securing of sheets. I always put a sail tie round the jib, and secure the sheets when not on board.
Easy, well worth it..
Graeme
Thanks for all the replies. I don't really understand this reply, is it being suggested that if it is too tight the sail will be shredded.
But my bigger question is how to furl it without creases. I've never done this successfully, but I would have thought that it would probably be less creased if furled loosely, plus winding the sheets and a sail tie, if necessary.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
In light winds keep some tension on the leeward sheet, just take a lead from the sheet winch, not a turn on the winch, then furl letting the sheet easily run. This should help keep tension in the sail as it furls. In windy weather the sail should tension itself until its about half rolled then repeat the above. With regard to avoiding creases, watch the sail as it furls. If the sail flaps and the leech (or even a baggy luff) folds over at the point immediately before it gets furled on the forestay, it can cause a fold to be wrapped into the furl. In this case just unfurl sufficiently to let the fold out. It's not hard but just hauling in fast to furl the sail, then pulling the slack sheets tight can also cause more creases than necessary. The best way to furl is with light tension on the leeward sheet and to watch the sail as it's furling. On my own yacht I keep the sail firmly furled with one full wrap of both sheets, then pull the sheets taught and secure on the cleats.
After reading vyv_cox's post below, I don't have foam luffed head sail.
After reading vyv_cox's post below, I don't have foam luffed head sail.
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vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
I think this is two bits of advice in one. For the first one: if you have been sailing reefed you should fully unfurl the sail before furling it prior to leaving the boat, especially if the sail has a foam luff. The foam will be crushed if left tight over a period.
For the second, it should not be too tight, nor too loose. It helps a lot if the crew guides the clew of the sail to ensure that the leach and the foot roll on evenly. A couple of turns of the sheets around the sail helps to keep it all together but additionally I have a small carbine hook on a line on the pulpit that clips to the furling drum, preventing it from unwinding.
lotusman
Well-Known Member
good points from Blowing Old Boots
I would add that position of sheet lead is important - too far forward and the foot of the sail will tend to be baggy, too far aft and the leech above the or clew will be baggy.
Halliards tension can also be important, if it is too tight it will increase friction on the drum which interferes with feedback on sheet tension
I would add that position of sheet lead is important - too far forward and the foot of the sail will tend to be baggy, too far aft and the leech above the or clew will be baggy.
Halliards tension can also be important, if it is too tight it will increase friction on the drum which interferes with feedback on sheet tension
rob2
Well-Known Member
I also like to put a sail tie around the furled jib, the furling line secured and there is a hole on the rim of the furling drum (Harken) so I put a padlock through it to lock the drum - one of a set of five Plastimo pass padlocks, so one key opens the lockers as well.
Not so tight that it might stretch, nor so loose that it can flap and a good idea to ease the halyard so the sail is relaxed.
Rob.
Not so tight that it might stretch, nor so loose that it can flap and a good idea to ease the halyard so the sail is relaxed.
Rob.
Poignard
Well-Known Member
If you use a brightly coloured sail tie there's less chance of having to make a trip forward to untie it when you clear the harbour. 
rob2
Well-Known Member
If you use a brightly coloured sail tie there's less chance of having to make a trip forward to untie it when you clear the harbour.
Unlike the drab bit of string I had between the boom end and the backstay in harbour... First time in a long time I was very glad to have a sharp knife in my pocket!
Rob.
pagoda
Well-Known Member
Guilty of confusion.. apologies
As pointed out by others sailing reefed in strong wind does tighten up the sail immensely. (if you have reefing marks- you'll discover they often end up 50cm from the forestay after the event!) You can get huge deep creases if you simply roll in the rest at the end of the day.
Most of the "shredding" I've seen is down to not securing the sheets when leaving the boat, or not taking a couple of turns round the sail. Whether people are lazy or ignorant I don't know , but it happens. Easy sorted. Sailing North and West of the Clyde, you can easily get random serious summer blows. I try to avoid taking chances since sails are expensive to replace & a pain to get repaired when all you really want to do is go sailing
Graeme
Iain C
Well-Known Member
Erm...surely shredded sheets have nothing whatsoever to do with not securing the sheets, "laziness or ignorance"...
It's actually the furling line coming adrift. You could splice loops in your sheets and drop them over your primary winches, but if your furling line chafes through it will start to unwind and you will be disappointed next time you visit your boat!
I have a sail tie around my genoa...just in case...
It's actually the furling line coming adrift. You could splice loops in your sheets and drop them over your primary winches, but if your furling line chafes through it will start to unwind and you will be disappointed next time you visit your boat!
I have a sail tie around my genoa...just in case...
nimbusgb
Well-Known Member
Of course you could be of the opinion that furling is for furling not storing.
Take the sails off when leaving the boat. 30 minutes of effort to make sails last much longer!
Take the sails off when leaving the boat. 30 minutes of effort to make sails last much longer!
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onesea
Well-Known Member
Double secure furling line, ensure its in good condition (last thing you want to have it break when you need a reef!).
Sheets are secure ditch the extra turns of jib sheets around the jib, in fact I used to leave afew inches 3-4? of the clew showing (waiting for the bites on that one).
To me this is sensible keeps the weight on the leach and foot where its designed to be and stops the wind getting under the sail, less creases to.
As I said last time I mentioned this, each to their own.
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Iain C
Well-Known Member
I'd disagree. In effect you have to choice of rolling it up in a nice long ventilated tube with no creases, or dragging it down, wearing out your luff, folding it, and stuffing it in a bag, and putting it in a non ventilated place so the mildew can have a go?
As long as its well furled, well secured, halyard eased and a good UV strip, surely that's better? Granted, take them off for longer periods/winter, but not during "the season"...
