Hanked on, would you change?

[PhillM]

Paean has always had hanked on sails. I've stuck to that for the last 6 years. I did fit a downhaul so we can drop the foresail without having to go forward, which is useful when coming into busy places like the Hamble at rush hour (where wake will always hit you the moment you go forward -oh and we dont have guard rails).

Also there is never enough sea room for a sail change mid Solent, so we have to plan which sail to cover all eventualities for the day. Usually means we are under canvassed in light winds, that are predicted to rise.

I'm expecting to spend more time single handing and proabably only day sailing for the next year or so. I'm not too fussed about prep and pack up time but there is somthing attractive about changing sail size on the go. But, and it's a big but, we do get better shape and I guess performance with the "right" sail hanked on in a f5/6 than some of the heavily rolled sails we see.

So, would you go roller reefing and if you would, which unit would you fit?

 

[sailorman]

Paean has always had hanked on sails. I've stuck to that for the last 6 years. I did fit a downhaul so we can drop the foresail without having to go forward, which is useful when coming into busy places like the Hamble at rush hour (where wake will always hit you the moment you go forward -oh and we dont have guard rails).

Also there is never enough sea room for a sail change mid Solent, so we have to plan which sail to cover all eventualities for the day. Usually means we are under canvassed in light winds, that are predicted to rise.

I'm expecting to spend more time single handing and proabably only day sailing for the next year or so. I'm not too fussed about prep and pack up time but there is somthing attractive about changing sail size on the go. But, and it's a big but, we do get better shape and I guess performance with the "right" sail hanked on in a f5/6 than some of the heavily rolled sails we see.

So, would you go roller reefing and if you would, which unit would you fit?

First had it on my previous boat Co32 some 30yrs ago & the present boat from ownership,i would be without it now,go for Harken,mine has given 17yrs of faultless service since i had it fitted

 

[pyrojames]

I'd stick with hanked. I had a suit of about 5 sails on a previous boat and swapped them as required. The current boat has a roller headsail and a hanked staysail. I still have to choose whether I want the Genoa or Yankee for the roller, and changing them is much more time consuming. The sail shape half rolled, drives me nuts.

 

[PetiteFleur]

My previous boat had a genoa with a padded luff by Gowen - superb sail which would still set well even ¾ rolled. My current boat has a Jeckells radial cut genoa without a padded luff and it's ok up to about ½ rolled then it's baggy.
I would never go back to hank on, I'm getting too old for getting bounced about on the foredeck and a furler is much easier when singlehanding.

 

[charles_reed]

Paean has always had hanked on sails. I've stuck to that for the last 6 years. I did fit a downhaul so we can drop the foresail without having to go forward, which is useful when coming into busy places like the Hamble at rush hour (where wake will always hit you the moment you go forward -oh and we dont have guard rails).

Also there is never enough sea room for a sail change mid Solent, so we have to plan which sail to cover all eventualities for the day. Usually means we are under canvassed in light winds, that are predicted to rise.

I'm expecting to spend more time single handing and proabably only day sailing for the next year or so. I'm not too fussed about prep and pack up time but there is somthing attractive about changing sail size on the go. But, and it's a big but, we do get better shape and I guess performance with the "right" sail hanked on in a f5/6 than some of the heavily rolled sails we see.

So, would you go roller reefing and if you would, which unit would you fit?

Definitely - though I still use non-roller reef sails, like my solent.

It's a fallacy, however to think that one foresail + roller reefing will accommodate all your needs - I have 3 roller genoas - 150%, 110% and 65% and find that Bf 1 - 4 are covered by the biggest, 3-6 by the 110% and 3-9 by the 65%. The latter rolls down to a much more effective storm jib than the one that came with the boat.

The boat came with a Rotostay, changed early on to a size larger Rotostay E.
That particular English roller reefer is no longer made - my vote go with the Harken - one point ALWAYS go for one size larger than you the boat demands - worked for reefing gear, autopilot and winches.
Alternatives are Furlex, (the world's most popular) or Facnor. Plastimo appear attractive from price but are pretty universally denigrated.
The Rotostay has done about 32K nautical miles over 25 years of use, mostly single-handed, just had to turn a new top bearing for it and put in its 2nd replacement forestay.
I haven't used hanked on since my 2nd boat when a return from Cherbourg during the Jubilee gale proved hanked on sails were for the birds. I'd be changing away from hanked on as a matter of principle, to foil.

 

[jamie N]

I changed from a roller to hanked on my Folkboat. It was an easy decision to make; I sail solo most of the time and couldn't afford a problem with a furler, should one occur. I also have a downhaul, which can't (really) be anything but 100% reliable, and easy. I converted my 110% genoa to hanks, and had the very unsightly blue UV protector removed, as well as having a set of reef points put into the sail. The sail reefed, sets SO much better than on a furler, but is more work to reef of course, which I don't mind. There are advantages within both systems, but my choice was easy for me.

 

[Bobc]

Paean has always had hanked on sails. I've stuck to that for the last 6 years. I did fit a downhaul so we can drop the foresail without having to go forward, which is useful when coming into busy places like the Hamble at rush hour (where wake will always hit you the moment you go forward -oh and we dont have guard rails).

Also there is never enough sea room for a sail change mid Solent, so we have to plan which sail to cover all eventualities for the day. Usually means we are under canvassed in light winds, that are predicted to rise.

I'm expecting to spend more time single handing and proabably only day sailing for the next year or so. I'm not too fussed about prep and pack up time but there is somthing attractive about changing sail size on the go. But, and it's a big but, we do get better shape and I guess performance with the "right" sail hanked on in a f5/6 than some of the heavily rolled sails we see.

So, would you go roller reefing and if you would, which unit would you fit?

What's the boat?

 

[PhillM]

What's the boat?

cheverton caravel mk2

 

[TQA]

Single handed in crowded waters like the Solent calls for a roller furler IMHO.

An inner forestay carrying a 90% staysail would be a worthwhile addition, it gives you a balanced rig with the headsail rolled away.

I single hand a 44 ft cutter in changeable conditions and cope with most changes by varying the amount of genny.

 

[dunedin]

I'd stick with hanked. I had a suit of about 5 sails on a previous boat and swapped them as required. The current boat has a roller headsail and a hanked staysail. I still have to choose whether I want the Genoa or Yankee for the roller, and changing them is much more time consuming. The sail shape half rolled, drives me nuts.

Does it have a foam luff? If not that is the problem.

Probably not essential on the OP's boat, but I would always have a furling foresail (with foam luff). And never change the sail on it - only have one jib

 

[jwilson]

With older softer sailcloths hanked-on is practical: tie large genoa along guardwires and put up smaller or vice versa: clear away and pack original sail whenever you like.

Today though took down two year old fairly heavy duty roller genoa on current masthead rig 35-footer: no way that area of stiff cloth could be tidied away neatly at sea, bad enough on a pontoon with a moderate breeze.

 

[johnalison]

A Caravel lies between the sizes where a furler is unnecessary or essential for cruising. I'm the long run, you will gain more speed from having a furling jib by virtue of always having the right sail area, compared with a hanked one, where you will often find yourself having to slow to change sails or be under-canvassed having set out with too small a sail. There are a few occasions where a good hanked sail will give an advantage, but a decent furling jib with a foam or rope luff can perform very well, especially if laminate, even with a few rolls in. For single-handing, it's not even worth thinking about.

 

[Seajet]

On my 7/8ths rig 22' boat I am a firm believer in separate hanked sails; they give better pointing to windward than roller jobs, and the sailbags can be tucked under one's arm to carry forward.

However, when I had a masthead rigged 30' cruiser / racer, the headsails were as much as I could carry to and fro, and I'd have given anything for a reliable headsail roller reefer, as long as I could have a separate attachment for a storm jib...

 

[oldharry]

There's nodoubt that a well set hanked foresail performs better in every respect. Fine if you are fit or have crew capable coping when the going gets tough. Older, not quite so fit single handers like me depend on our roller reefing jibs to keep sailing, and just have to put up with the poorer performance. The same probably applies to the average husband -wife team on their annual cruise, or any boat that is shorthanded.

 

[RupertW]

There's nodoubt that a well set hanked foresail performs better in every respect. Fine if you are fit or have crew capable coping when the going gets tough. Older, not quite so fit single handers like me depend on our roller reefing jibs to keep sailing, and just have to put up with the poorer performance. The same probably applies to the average husband -wife team on their annual cruise, or any boat that is shorthanded.

When I took over my first GK24 in the early 90s from my father then furling, autohelm and GPS were my 3 early changes. We had a double slot rather than hanks so could do sail changes by hoisting before dropping which was neat but labour intensive.
Always inherited a roller with each boat since and now prefer the combination of a robust high cut genoa with foam luff and an asymmetric for, say 5-15 knots. That seems to give us the best moderate to strong wind performance at all points of sail and close reach to full run in light winds (or just engine in light winds if we are particularly lazy). The asymmetric is snuffed but I wish I'd spent a little more on getting a rolled one with fittings as we would use it much more often.

 

[Seajet]

Another advantage of roller headsails is, one doesn't have to stow loads of sails below - or on the foredeck, remember that common sight - however as I usually sail with one chum I have the space to spare.

One can make up for the advantage roller headsails have of being quickly deployable - or snuffed, including partially - by a light downhaul line to the head of the sail.

What I really fancy, and top of my wish-list, is a roller furler in front of the forestay and blade jib, for the asymmetric chute; I reckon that would be the optimum rig for me.

 

[Kukri]

Very interesting thread. I have just acquired a boat with my first roller reefing headsail. Since she is a masthead rigged 38 footer, I am dreaming of fitting a portable inner forestay from the upper pair of spreaders (she has a two spreader rig) and runners (forty two years of gaff cutters mean that I have no fear of runners!) and having a roller Yankee and a hanked staysail, to make her easier to single hand.

Am I over thinking the issue? Would welcome comments.

 

[RupertW]

Very interesting thread. I have just acquired a boat with my first roller reefing headsail. Since she is a masthead rigged 38 footer, I am dreaming of fitting a portable inner forestay from the upper pair of spreaders (she has a two spreader rig) and runners (forty two years of gaff cutters mean that I have no fear of runners!) and having a roller Yankee and a hanked staysail, to make her easier to single hand.

Am I over thinking the issue? Would welcome comments.

With a masthead 42 footer and I suspect even if I had one a few feet longer I would still see far more advantage in the simplicity of a single sail short handed especially when tacking as an inner forestay makes it more complicated. Having (or investing) in a good sized double speed winch makes a bigger sail entirely manageable, especially as you realise the extra way a bigger boat carries, which gives you more time.

Where I would love to have an inner forestay is a temporary one, normally clipped against the mast so that a storm jib could be fitted when needed. Haven't ever needed it but I'd like the extra flexibility.

 

[Kukri]

With a masthead 42 footer and I suspect even if I had one a few feet longer I would still see far more advantage in the simplicity of a single sail short handed especially when tacking as an inner forestay makes it more complicated. Having (or investing) in a good sized double speed winch makes a bigger sail entirely manageable, especially as you realise the extra way a bigger boat carries, which gives you more time.

Where I would love to have an inner forestay is a temporary one, normally clipped against the mast so that a storm jib could be fitted when needed. Haven't ever needed it but I'd like the extra flexibility.

Thanks. She's got big two speed winches. I was thinking of having the inner forestay portable and clipping it out of the way, so I will take your advice and just get a staysail with reef points (aka storm jib!) made and stick with the roller genny.

 

[doug748]

Another advantage of roller headsails is, one doesn't have to stow loads of sails below - or on the foredeck, remember that common sight - however as I usually sail with one chum I have the space to spare.
.....

The very point I was going to make. With a smaller boat, depending on your outlook, you can get away with a couple of sails - a small un and a biggun, one of which you will seldom use. Lugging wet sails up and down was a misery.

Stick with hanked on if you mainly daysail or sometimes race but otherwise for singlehanding the reefing gear is up there with the autohelm. I like my Harken.

Minn that sounds a great plan for offshore, it might be tempting to put the second sail on a furler as well, maybe leaving it is position most of the time, if you can bear it when tacking......

.....I have been overtaken by events and see RupertW has posted a slightly different view, to which I will defer as he seems to be infinitely more qualified than me