In-mast or in boom furling?

[chrisedwards]

I've found slab with mast cars/fully battened works better than the boom or mast roller systems I've tried.

I could easily drop and reef on an 18m mast in quite windy conditions conditions downwind, sheet in a bit (with preventer) first so it is clear of spreaders.

Maybe the new systems are better as I'm comparing to an old twister boom with the winch handle on the front of the mast!

Just have to mention junk rig here - reefs perfectly in less than a second using gravity which hasn't been known to fail yet.

 

[wklein]

Of course you have "every right to chime in" with the "significant down sides", but it would help if they were detailed, thereby adding something to the debate.

Ok
In boom:
You end up with a very heavy unwieldy boom (even the "carbon" ones)
You need a serious Rod kicker to support it
No out haul control once reefed
Pretty Expensive
If leach stretches can break battens
Can tear off luff rope if hoisted at wrong angle which is very expensive to replace (thinking of larger boats with electric winches here)
Can't reef downwind in emergency
Difficult to get spares in exotic places

In Mast
As bearing get older can be pretty difficult to use
Weight aloft
Vertical battens won't be vertical if leech stretches and can shatter which is major problem to fix
Mainsails generally under spec for boat size as they have limited room in aperture
Noise of mandrel when sail is off
Expense
Poor sail shape (estimated by certain sail-makers at 20%)
Flogging clew block can cause damage
Boom angle has to be correct
Reefed down in heavy weather put large load on mandrel
If anything goes wrong with it your likely going to have to loose mainsail to reduce sail

They do have plus points too but this is why i wouldn't have either. not saying any of them happen on most boats but one some they do. For me if your fit and agile slab reefing all the way, if not too good on your feet SLR. But if i had to choose id go in boom.

 

[BrianH]

Ok
In boom:

Thanks for your comments, most of which I more or less concur with. As I am interested in how others get on with their in-boom systems your points, clearly well-informed, were revealing. Some comments on your comments.

"You end up with a very heavy unwieldy boom (even the "carbon" ones)"
With the mainsail furled I doubt that it has any more weight, or takes any more space, than a stack-pack or lazy-bag. When set, yes, you don't lose the boom shell but that doesn't faze me personally - and it's a superb rain-water collector .
I did read one contributor on another forum who cited ugliness of the boom as a reason for not considering. The ProFurl shell is thin (too thin in my opinion) aluminium and no weight whatsoever - perhaps why another poster criticised the engineering aspect.

"You need a serious Rod kicker to support it"
True, but that is a problem? I wouldn't have thought so and it allows dispensing with the topping lift.

"No out haul control once reefed"
With my sedentary sailing I have not found that a problem.

"Pretty Expensive"
Cheaper than a retro-fit, in-mast system.

"If leach stretches can break battens"
By not rolling parallel to the boom you mean? Rare, I would have thought and anyway, by then a new sail should be needed as both in-boom and in-mast cannot be properly used with out-of-shape sails.

"Can tear off luff rope if hoisted at wrong angle which is very expensive to replace (thinking of larger boats with electric winches here)"
Not really relevant to my modest rig and hand winch. But it does touch on one of my grievances with the system, the friction of the luff rope in the articulating luff groove - the last couple of metres are a sweat to get up.

"Can't reef downwind in emergency"
Here I am fully in agreement and it is an important point. But then I couldn't do it with my slab reefing system either. Firstly the friction of the sail pressed against the luff groove (okay, sliders would have helped) then the battens always seemed to be caught up in the lazy-jack lines. This is where in-mast clearly is better.

"Difficult to get spares in exotic places"
Now I think you are dredging the barrel. Well, may be that is important for some but not where I sail - the non-exotic Adriatic, where a quick and easy, cockpit based, single-handed, reefing system is worth its weight in gold when the sudden, strong and gusting bora hits out of nowhere.

Thanks again for your thoughts, much appreciated.

 

[wklein]

"Difficult to get spares in exotic places"
Now I think you are dredging the barrel. Well, may be that is important for some but not where I sail - the non-exotic Adriatic, where a quick and easy, cockpit based, single-handed, reefing system is worth its weight in gold when the sudden, strong and gusting bora hits out of nowhere.

I only put that one in because i had a friend who had that problem on a contest 48 and was delayed by 4-6 weeks when it broke and had to have a new one shipped from new zealand. luckily it was still under warranty. They had reasonable services where he was and could have fixed most other sail / rigging problems. Can't remember the exact details