Furling Line Length

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Euphonyx

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The furling line on my boat is too short. Every time I go sailing it annoys me. Every time I determine to get a longer one before we go out again. Every time I forget!

What IS the correct length. My one appears to be the same length as the boat and is too short. Twice the boatlength? 1.5 times?

Help please!
 
Had you considered that perhaps the line's the correct length and the sail's too big. ;)


Seriously though, if you start with the sail fully furled and just a couple of turns on the drum, then fully unfurl the sail, where does the end of the line finish up if you let it run forrard? The answer to your question will then be that you need whatever the length of your current furling line is, plus the measurment from where it ends up with the sail unfurled (as above), through any fairleads/blocks/bullseyes to where you'd like it to end up, plus a bit for good measure. NB: If you change the line diameter, the outcome will differ.
 
Thanks!

That of course would be the sensible!!! But am not on the boat and wont get to it till the weekend. If needs be I wuill do that but was just wondering if there was a rule of thumb!
 
Euphonyx said:
Thanks!

That of course would be the sensible!!! But am not on the boat and wont get to it till the weekend. If needs be I wuill do that but was just wondering if there was a rule of thumb!
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Length of boat plus the amount on the drum when furled is a good estimation - but depends on where you want the tail to end up. On my boat it goes to a turning block near the stern and then forward to a cleat, so with the tail is longer than the boat. If your line terminates at the forward end of the cockpit it will need to be shorter.
 
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No rule of thumb as drum diameter, sail measurement,line diameter, route to where you furl it, how tight you furl it all differ.

Measure your existing one and add "some" :D
 
Ruffles said:
If you remove the core from a few metres of the forward end it will take up less room on the drum and may give you a few extra metres.
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Yes - I must do that to mine. I replaced the 6mm line with 8mm on my boat because it's easier to grip but the drum fills up with line whilst a turn of the sail remains around the foil. In light winds I have to help it a bit to get the sail completely unfurled.
 
Also remember that if you furl it in high wind strengths, then the furl will be tighter, therefore more turns required. Not to mention that the 6mm line will stretch with the extra effort too.
So add a couple of metres to your 'calm' calculations.
 
FullCircle said:
Also remember that if you furl it in high wind strengths, then the furl will be tighter, therefore more turns required. Not to mention that the 6mm line will stretch with the extra effort too.
So add a couple of metres to your 'calm' calculations.
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+1

I had the same problem. Last winter I was searching around the internet and found that the recommended length for my Plastimo 608 was 20m (3 x boat length!). Turns aout that the drum capacity on a 608 for 6mm is 13m but ist still sounded like overkill. Bought a new, clean 20m length of 6mm and the difference has been staggering with the Genny furling up nice and tight is all wind conditions.
 
I must be missing something here. If the furling line is the same length as the boat how would that work? Assuming that the line is taken to a cleat in the cockpit, then most of the length is taken up just reaching the drum, presumably somewhere near the bow. I would suggest that you need roughly the length of the boat + whatever length it takes to furl the sail - i.e. the turns on the drum with the sail fully furled + a bit.
 
Measured mine last week, as it needs replacing. 18 m of 8 mm line, and that is on a boat which is a little under 9 m long. So from a sample set of one, that would give you twice the length of the boat as a very rough rule of thumb.

Points to note:
I could probably reduce by a meter or two, but I like to have 3 - 4 turns left on the drum when fully furled.
The Sadler 29 has a mast head rig with a very large overlapping head sail. Other boats could well have a smaller head sail relative to their length.
 
If the one you have is to short and its the same length as the boat then buy one twice the length of your boat and keep the left overs for tying inconsiderate banging halyards :eek:

Mind you I have been known to use their mainsheet :rolleyes: :)
 
I've just bought a new one. 9.4m boat - 17m furling line (8mm) this leaves 6 wraps on the drum when loose furled and one when tight from furling in a blow. Plus of course enough to get hold of to yank it in.

You can cut a bit off but you can't cut a bit on.
 
Euphonyx said:
The furling line on my boat is too short. Every time I go sailing it annoys me. Every time I determine to get a longer one before we go out again. Every time I forget!

What IS the correct length. My one appears to be the same length as the boat and is too short. Twice the boatlength? 1.5 times?

Help please!
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I have a 14m boat and a 28m furling line. It would be hard to need more as I take the furling line right to the back of the cockpit and I still have enough to lead it forward onto a winch.

Of course, all the advice you have received here is worthless (including mine) as I dont think any of us have any idea what size your boat it.

This is not a "mutliple of something" answer.

You need turns on the drum, plus the distance to the turning point, plus the distance from there to wherever you stand when you furl, plus whatever you need for the cleat or winch.

Unless your boat is unique you should probably be able to find a drawing on the internet that would enable you to estimate accurately enough.
 
exfinnsailor said:
If the one you have is to short and its the same length as the boat then buy one twice the length of your boat and keep the left overs for tying inconsiderate banging halyards :eek:

Mind you I have been known to use their mainsheet :rolleyes: :)
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lol I tied some banging halyards in my marina back in April. None of the three boats have used their sails since as all of my work is still in place :)
 
lustyd said:
lol I tied some banging halyards in my marina back in April. None of the three boats have used their sails since as all of my work is still in place :)
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Last year in Chatham Marina we were next to a very neglected yacht, all ropes slack and green with algae and halyards banging horrendously. I went on board tightened everything up that I could and tied them off to the shrouds with some cheap line I had bought in "The Range".

This year we were on the same pontoon, and all my lines were still in place. :D

One of our members keeps a roll of orange binder twine on board to use for this purpose, this way he says he draws attention to the fact they have been a nuisance. ;)
 
A number of posters have suggested that you need 'the length of the boat plus whatever's round the drum when furled' (my emphasis). What I'm sure they all meant to say was the length of the boat plus the amount round the drum when the sail is fully unfurled. Really you need to think in terms of the largest sail you are ever likely to set on the foil, if you have a 120% genoa for everyday use and a 150% for lighter weather you clearly need enough length to allow the 150% genny to fully deploy.
 
Marsupial said:
length is from the clutch to the furler lets call it A

From the clutch round a winch to the sailor lets call it B

The length of the foot of the sail lets call it C

A + B + C + 10% (for stopper knots and a bit of spare)
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This is over-simplified and highly likely to leave you short of line.

The furler drum may be equal if not greater in diameter than the furled sail, so one full rotation of the furling gear may wind a greater length of line onto the drum than that same one rotation unwinds foot length of sail from around the remainder of the sail.

Add to this the fact that the drum gets fatter (and consequently eats up more line for each rotation) as the furled sail gets thinner (consequently freeing less length of the sail's foot for each rotation) and the problem is exacerbated the more of the sail you unfurl.
 
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