Parasail stowage solutions required.

[Oscarpop]

We acquired our Parasail on Friday, and it really is a beautiful piece of kit.

The solution I am try to resolve is how to stow it.

The sail bag has compression straps on it to reduce it in size. However even when fully tightened there could be about 3 or 4 more inches in height removed from the bag.

This means that stowage is difficult.

So I am trying to find ways of compressing the bag a little further.

One Idea I have had is to use cargo straps to reduce its size. However my concern here is that If i over tighten the straps it may damage/crack the snuffer funnel.

A second solution, would be to have one of those vacuum bag thingies that will suck the air out of the bag. However this will need to be industrial in strength.

Anyone got any pointers, ideas?

 

[Blueboatman]

Can't you just cargonet it to the side of the boat somewhere in a less used berth? So it takes up vertical unused space and not valuable horizontal area..
I have a sail ahead of the anchor chain up against the deckhead, also 'stuff' up against the decks aft in the cockpit area, using thick bungee cords. Grade them according to most used of course..

 

[Oscarpop]

Unfortunately not, the bag even when compressed is massive . its about the size of the biggest suitcase you can get, stuffed until it is round.

 

[Blueboatman]

I made a rather curious Sunbrella harlequin large sailbin/bag that straps on the coachroof ahead of the cockpit dodger, with overlashings to compress as and when..- will hold two spare foresails, a spare main, a spinnaker, a cruising chute ( both with snuffers) and sundry well folded awnings.. Being waterproof but at 'mildew free' outside ambient temperatures and humidity, it proved delightfully effective in freeing up cabin space over winter or longer term ashore..The solar panel then sits on top, access is from the rear.

Gaffers carry their spare sails in the dinghy, carried rightside up, with a cover..

Of course extra lashings are de rigeur..

Out of suggestions i'm afraid.

That TCM bloke must know a thing or two about serial parasail use and storage?

 

[oldvarnish]

I've got a Parasail. No problem. I stow mine on the deck just f'ward of the hatch, nicely lashed down. When I leave the boat I just chuck it below.
If you're thinking of stuffing it in a locker you need a pretty big boat to start with.

 

[Topcat47]

Mine lives in the heads compartment above the chain locker,behind a cargo net. Now where do you store your inflatable? That's my problem. It's too darned big to go down the hatch or in either of my cockpit lockers.....

 

[Oscarpop]

The dinghy fits in a locker the code zero also fits in the same locker.
The problem is that the bag is so big it won't fit through the locker opening. We may have to just out the sail into the locker without bagging it .

 

[srah1953]

I made a rather curious Sunbrella harlequin large sailbin/bag that straps on the coachroof ahead of the cockpit dodger, with overlashings to compress as and when..- will hold two spare foresails, a spare main, a spinnaker, a cruising chute ( both with snuffers) and sundry well folded awnings.. Being waterproof but at 'mildew free' outside ambient temperatures and humidity, it proved delightfully effective in freeing up cabin space over winter or longer term ashore..The solar panel then sits on top, access is from the rear.


Any chance of a picture or two?

 

[Blueboatman]

Hmm, the few pics have 'gone' and I am not on the boat. Think of a four sided canvas box almost as wide as the handrail span, then as long as you dare ( mine is around 1m front to back IIRC), sits on the hatch garage forward of the dodger and extends another 40 cm or so ahead of that, the step down in height dont matyter, and if 'full' would be 50 cm high. Flap at back gives full width opening but only 30 cm down from the top, drain holes in each corner, bit of plastic rod to stiffen the flap, velcro and studs, but essentially it can breath a bit. I used some offcuts of tan, navy and green sunbrella judiciously to blend in with the existing boat canvaswork.. The beauty is that when 'loaded' you can put a couple of straps over and really flatten it down hard, it still obscures vision a tad but not 'much'.
Offshore I would add 4 through bolts for the webbing and not rely on my sewn in loops and the teak handrails.. Proven over the winter ( aboard, UK), seems to work a treat..bloddy difficult doing strong corners though and all those folded over seams...better than watching telly possibly

 

[srah1953]

Hmm, the few pics have 'gone' and I am not on the boat. Think of a four sided canvas box almost as wide as the handrail span, then as long as you dare ( mine is around 1m front to back IIRC), sits on the hatch garage forward of the dodger and extends another 40 cm or so ahead of that, the step down in height dont matyter, and if 'full' would be 50 cm high. Flap at back gives full width opening but only 30 cm down from the top, drain holes in each corner, bit of plastic rod to stiffen the flap, velcro and studs, but essentially it can breath a bit. I used some offcuts of tan, navy and green sunbrella judiciously to blend in with the existing boat canvaswork.. The beauty is that when 'loaded' you can put a couple of straps over and really flatten it down hard, it still obscures vision a tad but not 'much'.
Offshore I would add 4 through bolts for the webbing and not rely on my sewn in loops and the teak handrails.. Proven over the winter ( aboard, UK), seems to work a treat..bloddy difficult doing strong corners though and all those folded over seams...better than watching telly possibly

Thanks for this