How do you furl a large headsail without using roller reefing?

Otter

Otter

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I'm trying to work out how to furl a 400 square feet genoa without installing a complete roller reefing system. A new Wykeham Martin gear costs almost £1k, the Barton units aren't big enough and a code Zero unit is £900.

The sail will be used up to mid F5 so it's an all in or all out sail, after that we have a 280 square foot roller reefing genoa.

Would the bottom drum and top swivel from a used roller reefing unit work with a dyneema luff on the genoa? Maybe it's a dumb question, but would a large snuffer work - the sail is 5.5oz cloth.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
prv said:
How is it set? Hanks on a forestay, or free-flying?

Pete
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It's going to be free flying, I don't think there's enough room to install another forestay that could take hanks and not foul to roller reefing genoa.
 
Lazy Kipper said:
It's going to be free flying, I don't think there's enough room to install another forestay that could take hanks and not foul to roller reefing genoa.
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And it's otherwise a conventional "white sails" genoa?

In that case I think the usual way of getting the thing down is "bloody hard work" :)

Free-flying non-rolling jibs are normally found on the bowsprits of gaff-rigged boats. The technique is to release the traveller so that it comes inboard and is blanketed by the staysail, then manhandled down onto the deck. I guess the equivalent on your boat would be to unroll the existing roller jib and then pull the big one down in its lee. But I can understand that adding more canvas to the equation may not appeal.

How is the luff of the sail constructed? If it's going to be free-flying then it needs a wire (or dyneema etc) luff.

Pete
 
Yes, the sailmaker has said it's going to have to be changed to wire or dyneema. I think dyneema is more tolerant of furling than wire is. I suppose another possibility is to change the luff tape to fit our Harken gear and then fit an inner forestay and cut down the existing genoa about 10% to go on that, in which case the £400 Plastimo gear will be big enough. Hmmmm. Just wish a beefy furler-not-reefer gear existed that cost about £250, it's only a drum and a top swivel after all!
 
This is an idea I have fitted to an asymmetric nylon sail, but have not yet had the chance to test in real situations.

A downhaul from the head of the sail is fed down through eyes at about 1 metre intervals in the luff, through a snatch block on deck and back to a mast winch. When lowering sail ease on halyard and tension downhaul to control the sail. In theory this will approximate to a forestay and hanked on sail. The snatch block can be aft of the tack to bring the sail down on to the foredeck. Leading the downhaul through hanks on the luff would have the same effect but punched metal eyes are neater and lighter. Eyes need to have a significantly larger diameter than the downhaul to allow the slack luff to fold as it comes down. Easy to fit and a lot cheaper than your other options.

As sugested above turning on to a broad reach to blanket the sail with the main when lowering will make things easier.

However, it is still theory as we had head or strong beam winds all the way to the Azores this summer so did not need the chute.

If all else fails stop the boat, drop the sail in to the sea, then haul in over the rail. It works, as I had to do this once with a large cruising chute when singlehanded.
 
Lazy Kipper said:
That's an interesting idea, if you could release the tack then it would gather in.
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A strop from the tack through a block at the stem head (or wherever) and back to a deck cleat will let you ease it when lowering the sail. You could fit the eyes yourself as they are not under great load and will not significantly change the sail or prevent it being used on a furling gear if clear of the luff rope.

You do need something to control and contain the luff when dropping big sails in F4 +. I used to handle bigger hank on genoas singlehanded in the days before roller reefing and would heave too with an eased sheet so that the dropped sail fell across the foredeck and inside the guard rails.
 
It's not that big but if it won't be furled then it's big for F5? We cruise as husband and wife with a blade jib for F4+ and a jenny (bigger than yours) for lighter airs. We just set up the furler for the day and have got used to dropping and flaking them as needed. We can change them on the move but try not to get caught with the big one in too much wind or sea. Part of it is to ensure the sails run very freely in the furler groove, and that the halyard runs freely in the mast too, so that the drop is fast.
 
I'd go for SRM's downhaul to the head of the foresail, with netting on the forward guardrails to contain the sail when lowered.

In light winds, either with engine failure or just for fun it's possible with a downhaul to part lower and depower the sail on downwind approaches to moorings etc with the foredeck crew holding out the leach ( as the clew and sheets will be on deck ).
 
Hadenough said:
How are you short handed? Whenever I see you on the Orwell there are always about five kids on board ��
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And it seems like more all the time. Youngest is three, and when she needs attention I'm single handing. Got to find a way of furling that sail...
 
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