maxi roach sail

[willtaylor]

I am negotiating for a Moody 333 with Maxi Roach in mast (retro fit) vertically battened reefing. All that seems like a good idea for an ageing sailor like me. However, on a trial sail it seemed rather stiff to operate, needing a fair amount of winch power.

Does anyone have any experience / observations / warnings?

Thanks

Will T

 

[robp]

If it's set up right it will be fine. When did you need to winch? Should only be to set the outhall or maybe tighten the roll a little when just fully furled. Halyard tension needs to be right - not too tight. Best to unfurl with the boom high. If the owner doesn't have the set-up sheet, MaxiRoach will probably send you one. It's worth reading.

I'd consider it a definite plus on the side of the boat purchase.

 

[Celena]

Tend to agree; definitely a lot more powerful than the battenless main it replaced. You could check top and bottom moving parts of furling gear are properly lubricated. We also find on ours (Kemp Reefin' Plus) that it pays to be on a starboard tack otherwise, as the add-on slot is off-set, the battens can snag on entering when furling. Overall, we're pleased with ours...(2 seasons use; 28 footer)

 

[cynthia]

We've had a Maxi-Roach for two seasons and are very pleased with it, both from a performance and handling perspective. No snags, jams or other problems so far. There was a slight amount of wear on the batten pockets at the end of the season, but this only cost a few pounds to reinforce at the local sailmaker. This was caused when the sail was out against the spreaders when running downwind, and had nothing to do with the furling system.

 

[samwise]

Cannot recommend it too highly
We have a Maxi on our Sadler 29 and it works like a dream.
The makers say you don't have to turn into wind to take it in, but with a bit of a breeze going it can help. With some wind in it you might need a bit of help from the winch, but it has never been what I would call hard work.
It does offer a very controllable mainsail, easy reefing and no slatting or banging about. Perfect for the shorthanded.

We did have a concern about extra weight aloft and the possible effect on righting moment, but EasyReef are very reassuring about that.