Furling Main

[NormanS]

I reckon I sail pretty efficiently. I sailed and raced dinghies for many years and have done a fair bit of ocean racing.

On a bigger boat that buyers are probably never going to race seriously in-mast is almost standard these days and has advantages. Apart from anything else, it avoids tiptoeing or having to stand on mast steps to zip up the top of a stackpack cover. Even on my present 35 ft boat, that job on tiptoe on the coachroof is probably the most dangerous job on board, because I'm quite short.

I suspect some posting here have never met modern in-boom setups - a world away from old roller reefing booms. You can have fully battened mains with lots of roach, almost any degree of reef, not just 2 or 3 fixed slabs, and once the sail is rolled up you pull one string and the slot in the top of the boom is covered to completely protect the sail. And if the mechanism fails you can still lower the sail and tie it down like people did before stackpacks. Unfortunately it's not often offered as an "option" with new boats as the systems are at present much more expensive than in-mast or slab reefing and a stackpack.

You still have to hoist the sail every time, before you can use it. ?

 

[Baggywrinkle]

You still have to hoist the sail every time, before you can use it. ?

Yep, but you're pulling it up the mast instead of pulling it along the boom ..... so perhaps not so much of an issue?

Depends very much on how the sail is attached to the mast - I've never sailed an in-boom system so don't kow if it can jam in the mast track which would make life quite difficult and would be a disadvantage over in-mast - my outhaul never jams by comparison.

Anyone got experience of in-boom and feels qualified to comment on the relaibility when hoisting the sail?

 

[Daydream believer]

couple of bigger modern Oysters and Southerlies with grey laminate sails took some catching).

Dunno about the boats, should have tried catching the directors- They would have given you a run for your money

 

[NormanS]

Yep, but you're pulling it up the mast instead of pulling it along the boom ..... so perhaps not so much of an issue?

Depends very much on how the sail is attached to the mast - I've never sailed an in-boom system so don't kow if it can jam in the mast track which would make life quite difficult and would be a disadvantage over in-mast - my outhaul never jams by comparison.

Anyone got experience of in-boom and feels qualified to comment on the relaibility when hoisting the sail?

"Not much of an issue"??? Ever heard of gravity?

 

[geem]

You still have to hoist the sail every time, before you can use it. ?

And the issue with that is?

 

[Baggywrinkle]

"Not much of an issue"??? Ever heard of gravity?

You are right, you're fighting gravity and unfurling the sail from the boom at the same time ... I guess you need a winch on the halyard but don't know.
I use a winch on my furling outhaul, especially when reefing under load - I assume I'd use one on the main halyard too if I had in boom furling .... if that's how it's supposed to work?

I really need to try it before I pass comment I think.

 

[Mikedefieslife]

One issue with a furling a main is people using them cheap dacron sails. These sails are still a triangle after five years or however long, but but will be stretch potentially leading to issues.

Anyone with a furling main could do themselves a favour by getting a modern laminate sail. Not only will it furl much more smoothly but it will offer better shape and performance.

 

[geem]

One issue with a furling a main is people using them cheap dacron sails. These sails are still a triangle after five years or however long, but but will be stretch potentially leading to issues.

Anyone with a furling main could do themselves a favour by getting a modern laminate sail. Not only will it furl much more smoothly but it will offer better shape and performance.

Unless you sail in the Caribbean where the UV destroys laminate sails quickly. I British guy here just had to replace a laminate main after just three years due to delamination

 

[BrianH]

You are right, you're fighting gravity and unfurling the sail from the boom at the same time ... I guess you need a winch on the halyard but don't know.
I use a winch on my furling outhaul, especially when reefing under load - I assume I'd use one on the main halyard too if I had in boom furling .... if that's how it's supposed to work?

I really need to try it before I pass comment I think.

In the Profurl system I had installed the small diameter luff line that runs in an articulated aluminium extrusion held away from the mast by supports slotted into the original mast luff-line slot - see photo below. In nine years of use it never gave a hint of jamming raising or lowering, despite some friction in the way the luff-line is held in the slot.

Because I ran halyard and mandrel reefing line back to the cockpit, using a ST Genoa winch to raise the mainsail, it did need some hard winching when nearing the top, due mainly to having a block to guide the halyard from mast exit up and then aft. If I had kept the boat (sold last year due to ill-health) I would have dispensed with that and used the mast winch. Of course, no winch was needed to roll down the sail.

In almost 60 years of sailing I have had old-style roller boom, stack-pack and sailed extensively with a friend's in-mast, reefing and would choose in-boom again if I ever had another boat ... very unlikely now at age 85.

​

 

[dunedin]

"Not much of an issue"??? Ever heard of gravity?

I would guess that perhaps 80-90% of modern boats of 40foot and over have an electric halyard winch nowadays. Don’t often need to use it, but if solo or been a hectic day it really saves any effort.

 

[jordanbasset]

With our in-mast furling, both myself and my wife can furl the sail in and out single handed without a winch

 

[Laminar Flow]

A few years ago I sailed a classic 43' Robert Clark across the Pacific and back. The boat had an aftermarket, covered and behind the mast furler. In my estimation the now well over 30cm wide mast not only ruined the sail's efficiency, but the added top hamper made the boat extremely tender. Originally the boat was designed with a keel-stepped, tapered and hollow wooden spar. This was later replaced with a deck-stepped aluminium one and then the furling main and headsail were added. The boat was never designed to carry that kind of topweight. Modern designers, who are under restraints to not only to keep weights down but also meet certain capsize screening factors, have been known to fudge the numbers to keep things in the green zone. Furling systems add considerable topweights as compared to traditional systems and at the very moment when one should be bringing the weight down. A while back, a well-known AWB capsized in the Biscay, drowning a crew member. The inquiry showed that the "added" topweights had reduced the vanishing point of stability to a dangerous level. The designer, apparently, had not allowed for the addition of furlers and such. On a happier note, we never had any issues with the functionality of the furler on the Clark. I do know of a 50' Hunter whith a mid-ocean in-mast furler fail when, irony of ironies, the stick-on racing numbers gummed up the system. The efficiency of roller reefed sails is abysmal compared to traditional hank-on or slab-reefing. Best, A.

 

[srm]

I have sailed with a modern in mast furling main on a 40ft boat, but only while being paid as skipper. It was nice and convenient to wind between full sail and fully furled. The problem was when the wind got up and I wanted a reefed and fairly flat sail; difficult even when using a winch for the reefing line or outhaul.

I remember watching a very experienced sailing couple spend an afternoon in a sheltered anchorage sorting out a problem with their furling main before it would run in and out freely. On another occasion the guy attacking the top of his mast with a lump hammer while trying to free his furling gear was perhaps not as experienced.

Some years ago YM concluded that in mast furling allowed elderly sailors a few more years on the water. Perhaps, but even with my advancing years I still prefer, and feel more in control with, slab reefing combined with lazyjacks and drop in sail bag. A system I first set up about 40 years ago on a heavy traditional boat with a big main so that I could sail it sailed single handed.

But then the nice thing about sailing is the freedom to make ones own decisions from so many different possibilities and solutions.