How much will an in furling mast cost?

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Oscarpop

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As we look to the future of our cruising, it looks as if we will get a couple more years from our mainsail.

With most of the sailing we intend to do being downwind, I am considering changing the mast for an in mast reeling unit when we come to change the sail.

So assuming you need a totally new mast and not a boom, what would be the rough cost? Mast is for a 40 ft yacht. Aluminium . About 18m.m

I reckon 7-8k sterling. Plus the cost of a new mast.

Any thoughts?
 
With a question like this, you'd be better to get a quote from a mast maker, sail maker and rigger. That way you'll end up with an accurate, up to date price.
 
Think you will also require a boom. Get a quote from a sailmaker and Selden agent like Kemps. You may also need extra controls and new rigging. The £12-15k is about right depending on how sophisticated a sail you want.

Not sure why you think it is worth changing just because you are doing a lot of downwind sailing, presumably with twin headsails as you just drop the main. The big advantage with in mast is in ease of handling and the ability to vary sail area to match conditions. Neither of these are particularly important when sailing long downwind legs.
 
Might be cheaper to talk to Northshore about the cost of a furling boom, more expensive from scratch than in mast, but as a replacement it might work out cost effective vs a new mast/boom etc. Also worth a chat with Brendan at Martin Leaning Rigging since he will probably know what needs doing in both cases. (He probably commissioned your boat when built) PM if you want their details.
 
You wil almost certainly need a new mast, boom, and main sail and doubtless some additional blocks and jammers.

I would have guessed all in at least £15K.
 
Oscarpop said:
With most of the sailing we intend to do being downwind, I am considering changing the mast for an in mast reeling unit when we come to change the sail.
Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

As Tranona implied, the best place for a main when downwind sailing is down or furled, so why bother with in-mast?. A dedicated downwind set-up would be much cheaper and more user-friendly than anything you might do with the main. (I'm assuming that you're anticipating Trade Wind sailing, and not just refusing to sail unless the wind's aft the beam. The latter is a resolution that never seems to work out in practice :ambivalence:)
 
What make of boat do you have? Most common boats have dedicated owners forums and groups - you may well find somebody who wants to swap the other way.

I agree with your reason for wanting to make the swap. I have in-mast reefing and regularly reef the main while going downwind, single-handed and without leaving the cockpit.
 
I'm just being a lazy so and so.
But 10k plus on top of a new main is not goi to happen.
If we trade up at any point will look to in mast furling .
Cheers
 
Oscarpop, have you considered in boom reefing? There is a lot to be said for it. I have been sailing for sixty years and I remember the ON-boom reefing of small boats from 40 years ago. I was prejudice against the modern IN-boom reefing for larger boats, until I read Tom Cunliffe’s article in Yachting Monthly March 2016.

It maybe expensive but I would have thought no more so than replacing the mast with in-mast reefing.

See also the American magazine article Practical Sailor 3rd February 2011 “In Boom Furling – Five Systems”. And see many posts on this old thread here http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?434535-In-boom-reefing&p=5358428&highlight=#post5358428

Let is all know what you decide to do, George
 
I've just been putting the mainsail onto the mast this arvo ready for launch next week.

It took me four attempts to get the three pennants correctly reeved.

I think I should fit an in-master!
 
Looking at the in mast system on a boat here. The boom is clearly from an earlier reefing arangement, as it has lots of unused pulleys and places for reefing kit. The in mast stuff appears to have been rivited on the back of an conventional mast. Owner very happy with the result, having sailed her around the Med for a while. All sail handling from the cockpit.

Oh, and the vertical batterns are lashed to the toe rail. Not sure how one inserts them...
 
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