Kukri
Well-Known Member
After much thought I bought a Harken Mark IV. My reasoning being that, at my age, I don’t want to do it all again.
Replacement Foresail Roller Furling?
- Thread starter neil1967
- Start date
lw395
Well-Known Member
The question was '
Kukri said:
Why would anyone not furl the headsail with the sail in the lee of the mainsail, ie downwind?'
Lots of people find, lots of times, furling without the main blanketing the jib to be a good idea or even necessary.
lw395
Well-Known Member
Good choice IMHO.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
I usually leave the genny till last as its the easiest to get rid of at last minute !! Its also the real driving force of my boat ...
I drop the main while I have space and sea-room ... then run with genny ....
michael_w
Well-Known Member
I fitted a Harken Mk IV when my boat's ancient Hood system wore out. On a previous boat I had a Selden Furlex which was an awful lot of trouble, mainly owing to a discrepancy in the assembly instructions between the Swedish and English versions.
The English instructions, if followed to the letter lead to a 100mm gap in the internal spacers. This would allow the foil to part above the swivel so the sail could be neither furled or lowered. This was despite two whole systems being installed my Selden approved riggers, one in UK, the other Florida.
The English instructions, if followed to the letter lead to a 100mm gap in the internal spacers. This would allow the foil to part above the swivel so the sail could be neither furled or lowered. This was despite two whole systems being installed my Selden approved riggers, one in UK, the other Florida.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
All good business for sailmakers at least.
Kukri
Well-Known Member
That takes me back forty years and more, to my father quoting Thomas White Ratsey on the Wykeham Martin jib furling gear -
“The Sailmaker’s Friend!”
Last edited:
lw395
Well-Known Member
Cobblers.
Furling a sail while on a closehauled heading causes no more wear than a tack.
Whereas letting it flap behind the main may not be good.
The only way I'm giving my sailmaker more business is by using my sails more.
Kukri
Well-Known Member
I’m a bit puzzled by this post.
I’m assuming we are not racing. If so, then:
- a headsail blanketed by the main may flap gently but it certainly won’t flog hard.
- if the sail is being furled when close hauled and full of wind, and the sheet is freed to help the rolling up, it may well flog hard.
- in tacking it should be possible to avoid more than minimal flogging, although this will depend on the gorilla power available and on how important it is not to lose any ground.
I suppose we all sail our boats in different ways. I am very much a cruiser concerned to avoid wear and heavy loads on the gear if I can, so I tend to sail that way.
Last edited:
lw395
Well-Known Member
Not if it's done with a small element of skill and care.
We're not all navy types doing things by numbers....
michael_w
Well-Known Member
If the conditions are right I tend to furl the jib in the process of tacking. Pressure is off and it can be accomplished very quickly. The car will be moved prior to the tack so it's in the right place for the new sail area.
Refueler
Well-Known Member
I agree.
I have read the advise about blanketing genny by main when furling ... but generally do not see it as needed.
What I do not like to see - is the 'loose' way some furl their gennys .... letting sheets loose and then genny flogging hard as they haul in the furling line ... not only does it whip the sheets about - it hurts you get whacked by one ... but also puts stress on the sail ... and leads to a crappy roll of sail on the foil.
I always control both sheet and furling line to have a sail that is furling without flogging .. without sheets whipping about and I have a much better even roll of sail on the foil.
Its not hard ...
Kukri
Well-Known Member
Like this??
