Gennaker - furler or snuffer

[richardh10]

Am looking into buying a gennaker, and would be interested in hearing the pros and cons of furlers or snuffers or anything else for that matter. Ease of raising and lowering is paramount. The boat is a Cabo Rico 38, which has a small bowsprit. Weighs 13 tons if that is relevant.

 

[TernVI]

I can see some comedy potential in snuffing a kite on a bowsprit.

Depending on what sort of passages you contemplate, with what crew, a conventional kite might be more useful for a boat of that weight?

 

[Ian_Edwards]

My boat came with a snuffer for the asymmetrical sails.
I found it very difficult to use singlehanded and changed it to a top down furler with a torque rope. I find that much easier to use, I can furl the sail without leaving the cockpit. This comes in really handy when I've left the sail up longer than I should in an increasing wind, which I have to admit I quite often do. The furler controls the sail quickly, where as the snuffer was often a struggle to pull down over and unruly sail, even when taking it aft and to leeway of the main.
Snuffers may work well for a well crewed boat, but for an oldy on his own, it didn't work for me.

 

[thinwater]

I've used both. Furling is nice, except when a light sail doesn't quite furl. A snuffer can double as a sailbag, which has real advantages (I snuff my A-chute and lower it straight into the sail locker, through a hatch that will not fit a sail bag that large), but you really need to be on the foredeck with it for best operation.

For me, it depends on the sail and the boat.

• The snuffer is best for my A-chute on the cat (hard to furl, needs bag anyway, big deck).
• The furler is best for the reacher on the tri (furls well, can sail with it up, skinny bow, bag is not a big problem).

 

[matt1]

I have a North Sails 87 sqm Genneker on a furler, which I fly from an extended anchor roller and it works a treat. Use it solo and can't recommend it enough. Haven't used a snuffer so can't comment on that. Would think a furler would be a lot easier though

 

[TernVI]

I've used both. Furling is nice, except when a light sail doesn't quite furl. A snuffer can double as a sailbag, which has real advantages (I snuff my A-chute and lower it straight into the sail locker, through a hatch that will not fit a sail bag that large), but you really need to be on the foredeck with it for best operation.

For me, it depends on the sail and the boat.

• The snuffer is best for my A-chute on the cat (hard to furl, needs bag anyway, big deck).
• The furler is best for the reacher on the tri (furls well, can sail with it up, skinny bow, bag is not a big problem).

What makes your a-chute 'hard to furl'?
Is it that it's cut too much for reaching deep, with lots of 'shoulder area' and luff curve, or is it just detail design of a sail not intended for furling?

I am not up to date with this, bu I get the impression, if you want a furling sail which will go deep down wind, you have to compromise and/or go to a premium sailmaker like North?
Whereas making a good furling sail biased more to reaching is an easier proposition?

I do wonder how well an asy will furl when it's as 'high mileage' as our asy dinghy kite we use for club racing.

We are curious about furlers at the moment as a mate of mine has looked at the 'reassuringly expensive' furler hardware and said 'nice project for my lathe and mill....'

 

[thinwater]

What makes your a-chute 'hard to furl'?
Is it that it's cut too much for reaching deep, with lots of 'shoulder area' and luff curve, or is it just detail design of a sail not intended for furling?

I am not up to date with this, bu I get the impression, if you want a furling sail which will go deep down wind, you have to compromise and/or go to a premium sailmaker like North?
Whereas making a good furling sail biased more to reaching is an easier proposition?

I do wonder how well an asy will furl when it's as 'high mileage' as our asy dinghy kite we use for club racing.

We are curious about furlers at the moment as a mate of mine has looked at the 'reassuringly expensive' furler hardware and said 'nice project for my lathe and mill....'

I think the answer depends on the AW angles you think you will use the sail. Most cruising boats need a sail that can go quite deep, though they often do not realize it. It also depends on whether you are more intested in performance or convenience. Yes, Volvo boats can furl reaching sails, but they are not cruising boats and don't often sail with the wind aft of about 70 degrees. A boat that is limitied by hull speed, on the other hand, needs a sail that can rotate to windward and get out of the shadow of the main.