Headsail Reefing Gear

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Jeva

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In the literature for most headsail rollers, the size of the roller is generally recommended by the size of the boat in terms of length or weight of the yacht. Since the sail is supported by the forestay which is integral to the roller, why is the size of the boat relevant? Is it because of the drum diameter? The dimension of the bolt rope? or something I'm missing? Can a small roller be used on a big boat with a strong crew?
 
Jeva said:
In the literature for most headsail rollers, the size of the roller is generally recommended by the size of the boat in terms of length or weight of the yacht. Since the sail is supported by the forestay which is integral to the roller, why is the size of the boat relevant? Is it because of the drum diameter? The dimension of the bolt rope? or something I'm missing? Can a small roller be used on a big boat with a strong crew?
Click to expand...
Why would you do that..
The larger furlers can normally take greater head stay diameter, going for undersized headstay is a bad idea.
Larger furlers will also have larger foils designed to take the larger loads from a larger sail.
 
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Jeva said:
In the literature for most headsail rollers, the size of the roller is generally recommended by the size of the boat in terms of length or weight of the yacht. Since the sail is supported by the forestay which is integral to the roller, why is the size of the boat relevant? Is it because of the drum diameter? The dimension of the bolt rope? or something I'm missing? Can a small roller be used on a big boat with a strong crew?
Click to expand...

You are missing one important point and that is the dia and size of the roller reefing drum 'is relative to the boats length' because of the storage of the Jib sheet to operate the roller reefing system from the boats cockpit can vary boat to boat depending on the boats length to start with plus the number of turns you need to reef the Genoa.

IE if the drum is not capable of storing the jib sheet when the Genoa is pulled 'out' then you will not be able to pull it back 'in again'
 
Caer Urfa said:
You are missing one important point and that is the dia and size of the roller reefing drum 'is relative to the boats length' because of the storage of the Jib sheet to operate the roller reefing system from the boats cockpit can vary boat to boat depending on the boats length to start with plus the number of turns you need to reef the Genoa.

IE if the drum is not capable of storing the jib sheet when the Genoa is pulled 'out' then you will not be able to pull it back 'in again'
Click to expand...

Isn't that only dependent on the sail size irrelevant of the boat length?
 
The larger foil does not take forestay loads but its diameter determines how many turns it would take to roll up the sail neatly. This number of turns plus the length of the boat will influence the size of the drum that will be required to accommodate the furling line.
 
PuffTheMagicDragon said:
The larger foil does not take forestay loads but its diameter determines how many turns it would take to roll up the sail neatly. This number of turns plus the length of the boat will influence the size of the drum that will be required to accommodate the furling line.
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Nothing to do with length of boat. Only size of sail and, as you say, diameter of foil. And, strictly speaking, thickness of the sail.

Pete
 
sailorman said:
on good systems the foil does not take forestay loads
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Should have written.
Larger furlers will also have larger foils designed to take the larger loads from a larger sail.

My boat fall between two models in the sizing guide with LOA 12 m
9->12 and 11->13 but I needed the larger model because my headstay is 10mm


 
prv said:
Nothing to do with length of boat. Only size of sail and, as you say, diameter of foil. And, strictly speaking, thickness of the sail.

Pete
Click to expand...

Yes, you're perfectly right about that; the line from the drum to the cockpit will still be there, out in the open, whether the sail is furled or not. I must have been very sleepy when I wrote.
 
So it would seem that the consensus is that you need to pay more for a bigger line drum? The foil is not, or should not, be taking the load that's for the forestay. If the sail is tall and narrow (blade type, not overlapping) then a smaller gear would work?
 
Jeva said:
So it would seem that the consensus is that you need to pay more for a bigger line drum? The foil is not, or should not, be taking the load that's for the forestay. If the sail is tall and narrow (blade type, not overlapping) then a smaller gear would work?
Click to expand...

A smaller gear might possibly work in those circumstances. Larger furling systems have larger foils, which would reduce the number of revolutions required to furl a given size of sail. They have larger drums, but generally specify larger furling lines too, so the volume of line on the drum is going to be bigger.
 
this is interesting. so use of thinner line might allow fitting of a smaller drum. plastimo seem to use the same foil for their entire range, but different drums depending on sail size/boat length
 
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