Furling Technique

Seashoreman

Seashoreman

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 Apr 2012
Messages
2,481
Location
Aldeburgh, Suffolk. River Alde
www.pianotuning.uk.com
I sail singlehanded most of the time, and have done for many years.
Today it crossed my mind in a fairly stiff breeze that letting go my genoa with a breaching wind it would have probably made better sense to turn into the wind and get a better roll of the string on the drum?
Cant go back and check as its now storm conditions.
I furled the sail into the wind at 25 knts, which of course works.
Would be interested in any comments. Please note I do not let sail GO but ease out. Which of coarse involves two ropes and a tiller and keeping an eye out for direction in a narrow river. It just crossed my addled brain that I should turn into wind as opposed to easing out?
 
NO!!!

Turn away from the wind. Put the headsail into the lee of the main and furl the jib/genoa quickly with no effort and no flogging, thus extending the life of the sail by ten years.
 
johnalison said:
NO!!!

Turn away from the wind. Put the headsail into the lee of the main and furl the jib/genoa quickly with no effort and no flogging, thus extending the life of the sail by ten years.
Click to expand...

Absolutely correct, but the OP was in a narrow river, in which case winding in whilst controlling the sheet so that the sail does not flog too much may have been his only safe option.
 
Norman_E said:
Absolutely correct, but the OP was in a narrow river, in which case winding in whilst controlling the sheet so that the sail does not flog too much may have been his only safe option.
Click to expand...

The Alde winds more than a grandfather clock. You just have to anticipate events and make things easy for yourself. Yes, there are some exceptions, but I am always seeing folks struggling to furl jibs when a simpler technique will actually work. At least it provides good business for sailmakers.
 
johnalison said:
NO!!!

Turn away from the wind. Put the headsail into the lee of the main and furl the jib/genoa quickly with no effort and no flogging, thus extending the life of the sail by ten years.
Click to expand...

The dreadful reality and not fully explained was that I sail under headsail only when the conditions seem right. Lazy sailing on genoa.
 
I find the jib rolls sweetly if it's kept just off trimmed, so let a bit of sheet out, pull a bit of furler in.
Loads are less downwind, but they're less that the genoa sees in normal use anyway.
You need a furler which turns freely under load.

Some boats it seems you can head up and furl with the genoa flapping, others this will result in an untidy roll. I prefer to minimise sails flapping.
 
Seashoreman said:
The dreadful reality and not fully explained was that I sail under headsail only when the conditions seem right. Lazy sailing on genoa.
Click to expand...

So do I, quote a lot in fact. JohnAlison's point still applies though. You’ll find it takes much less effort to furl when the wind's behind you and the sail is full, than when it’s before you and the sail flies aft. Keep just little tension on the sheet as it fuels up - you don’t want it flogging away before the boat any more than you do towards the mast.

In response to your later question, yes, for reefing it too. Same principle. And it’s a whole lot kinder to your sail. It’s the flogging - rapidly changing shape under tension - that ages it. I shudder to think of the abuse I’ve caused to mine.
 
I'm often sailing under genoa along if the wind is from astern. I'm not going to haul up the main when the time comes to furl the genoa and it isn't going to furl when it's filled by the wind so turning into the wind is the only way I'm going to get it done. :)

Richard
 
RichardS said:
I'm often sailing under genoa along if the wind is from astern. I'm not going to haul up the main when the time comes to furl the genoa and it isn't going to furl when it's filled by the wind so turning into the wind is the only way I'm going to get it done. :)

Richard
Click to expand...

Bear off, engine on, speed up, reduce apparent wind. Less force on sail, rolls up nicely.
Helps to have Harken furler which allows winching the furling line of course.

In Portsmouth, the trick is sometimes to whip the jib in while in the wind shadow of the tower blocks or a handy ferry.
 
lw395 said:
Bear off, engine on, speed up, reduce apparent wind. Less force on sail, rolls up nicely.
Helps to have Harken furler which allows winching the furling line of course.

In Portsmouth, the trick is sometimes to whip the jib in while in the wind shadow of the tower blocks or a handy ferry.
Click to expand...

Wind speed 20 knots. Engine speed 5 knots. Apparent wind speed 15 knots. It 'ain't furlin' without winchin'. ;)

Richard
 
On a breezy day, it's always going to be kinder to the sail to furl with the sail drawing just a little. If you can turn downwind, you can let out a lot more sheet and, therefore, wind in a lot more genny at a time, but the trick is to keep it drawing, whether it's a little boat like mine, where one hand is enough much of the time, or a big one that needs a winch.

As a confirmed coward who doesn't like excitement, especially on a boat, if conditions are in any way marginal, I'll get rid of the sails while I have plenty of space to faff around, and use the motor to dodge other boats in narrow confines.
 
Rolling the jib in the shadow of the mainsail also eliminates the chance to run out furling line on the drum in the case of a very tight roll under the pressure of the wind when the jib is flapping. In breezy conditions if there is no mainsail up and not enough spare turns on the drum when rolling the jib by pulling/winching the furling line, there is a risk of overtightening the jib on the forestay (more rolls on the forestay) with the last part of the jib unable to be rolled because of running out of turns on the drum. It has happened to me several times.

Rumen
 
Olianta said:
Rolling the jib in the shadow of the mainsail also eliminates the chance to run out furling line on the drum in the case of a very tight roll under the pressure of the wind when the jib is flapping. In breezy conditions if there is no mainsail up and not enough spare turns on the drum when rolling the jib by pulling/winching the furling line, there is a risk of overtightening the jib on the forestay (more rolls on the forestay) with the last part of the jib unable to be rolled because of running out of turns on the drum. It has happened to me several times.

Rumen
Click to expand...

if it’s possible to run out of turns on your furling drum, you should put a couple on yourself while the sail is furled, so you can always furl the genoa right up.

But regardless of blanketing the foresail with the main, if you’re having this problem (' a very tight roll under the pressure of the wind when the jib is flapping'), the solution is as has been stated many times: you are causing extra work, an over-tight roll, and significant ageing to the sail, by furling it while its flapping rather than downwind and eased. Porthandbuoy put it perfectly: 'Usually I ease the sheet to the point it’s almost flogging but not quite, then roll away as much as required.'

 
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