furling line thickness

That would depend how you are measuring "half full". Theoretically the outer "half" will have a much larger volume than the inner "half"
 
Hi
It does not work that way. The cross sectional area of the rope goes up with the square of the diameter that is d times d. You want about 5.0 mm. I must have another gin - sums make my head hurt.
 
I'd have thought even 5mm is a bit uncomfortable on the hands (and 3.5mm must be murder). One common dodge is to strip out the core of that part of the furling line which winds round the drum, so it becomes a flat tape which occupies much less volume. The loss of strength isn't significant in such an application, since the sheath will still be far stronger than the furling gear should take.
 
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I'd have thought even 5mm is a bit uncomfortable on the hands (and 3.5mm must be murder). One common dodge is to strip out the core of that part of the furling line which winds round the drum, so it becomes a flat tape which occupies much less volume. The loss of strength isn't significant in such an application, since the sheath will still be far stronger than the furling gear should take.

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That's an interesting idea, I have 6mm and a full drum 140% genny. Using your idea I could go up to 8mm. But, I wonder if 8mm hollow line will actually feel any different to 6mm solid.

Also, how do you pull 18m + of core out of braided line, I don't image it would be very easy?
 
3.5mm bet that hurts when the reefing gets tough! IMHO 8mm is the ideal balance between comfort and overloading the drum. Hadn't heard the idea of stripping out the core. Surely it must compromise the strength?
 
"I wonder if 8mm hollow line will actually feel any different to 6mm solid"

The idea is that you don't strip the core out of the entire line, just the part that goes round the drum (and not necessarily all of that), so from the cockpit you're actually handling the full thickness.
If you don't fancy stripping out the line yourself (basically, by 'keyhole surgery'), I'd have thought any decent chandler could do it for you.
 
Stripping out core ?

The core is actually possibly the strongest part of the braided rope - the outer is the wear sheath.
Second ... my furling line when sail furled ... is all in cockpit past my hands except for the last turn or so on drum and that which goes up deck ... so taking out the core would hurt my hands with flat sheath while using .....

Sorry - don't get it ... no advantage to just do the last few turns ???

Anyway most furling lines I see are 7 - 8mm with occasional 6mm on real small stuff. Larger boats would have 8+ ... going up as boat size etc.
 
ah, would not work for me, mast in centre of centre cockpit boat, so only last 12ft of line would be able to be stripped. As I leave around 4 turns on the drum, this is prolly 10ft.

6mm is ok, but it would definitely be nicer if it was 8.
 
"Surely it must compromise the strength?"

Of course a stripped line has a lower breaking strain but, as prev post says, the loss of strength isn't significant in such an application, since the sheath will still be far stronger than the furling gear should take.

Most running rigging isn't sized on the basis of strength but for comfort and ease of handling. The breaking strain of your genoa sheets is probably 3 or 4 tons, far more than your sails could ever handle.
 
Re: Stripping out core ?

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with occasional 6mm on real small stuff

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ooer, should I take offence? My real small boat seems to have real big bills, how's that work then?
 
Re: Stripping out core ?

You would get it if your furling line became coil-bound -- if only just. It doesn't take many thinner turns to make all the difference. If it's not advantageous in any particular application, then obviously, no need to do it. But sometimes it can be the difference between furling gear that works and furling gear that's forever jamming up. Believe me, I've been there.
 
Has anyone tried a single endless line? Coupla turns around drum and you could furl hectares of genny and use big thick juicy line. No ? Yes ?
 
I've used 5mm Dyneema for a number of years as a furling line. When I bought the boat it had 8mm braided but the drum filled up too much, so I replaced it with the 5mm. I am forever reefing and unreefing my foresail and have no trouble with the thinner line. And often if I come up on deck to furl I won't have gloves on, and have had no problems with abrasion from the thinner line on my hands.
The thinner line also means that I can always have a couple of wraps on the drum and still wrap my sheets around the furled sail about three times for security.
 
Glad I'm not the only one happy handling smaller lines. I agree that lines are more comfortable to grip, but is it really a big deal for a line that spends most of its time cleated? I'd rather handle a thin free-running line than a thick one that adds friction.
 
furling line Hardness

My Furlex (original ) furling line is amazingly hard compared with other lines on the boat. I think the hardness/elasticity compromise will affect the likelihood of getting a turn jammed between two of the earlier turns so causing a jam. I've no idea what type of line is optimal but no doubt some other frum member can advise.
Mine rerely jams but is certainly hard on the hands.
 
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