Roller main in mast furling and performance

[Phoenix of Hamble]

3 or 4 years ago, in foul windy weather, in a big disturbed sea, the clew on my main exploded.... With in mast it wasn't a drama... Just furled it in.... With a slab system it would have been a trip on deck to try and control and pull down a viciously flogging sail...

A well cut furling main can be a terrific sail... Don't base your opinions on old sails cut like simple triangles!

 

[Seajet]

I'm basing it on the set-up of the whole system; let's just agree I don't fancy it.

 

[jordanbasset]

Have in-mast furling and would not go back. Yes when I first had it I did jam it but that was down to me. In the 3 1/2 years since not done it again. I do not think I am particularly clever so cannot see it being a problem for anyone else. As for passage times not seen any real drop in times. Advantage of in-mast furling is you can furl or unfurl in seconds so always have the right amount of sail out for the wind. When I had slab reefing used to reef early and take the reef out late so lost time there. Bit horses for courses, as a couple we would not be without it now.

 

[chrisedwards]

Well, you are part way there - you just have to go the next step and experience the benefits of in mast furling and then maybe you will be like many others who would never go back.

What you all seem to forget is that battened sails are relatively modern ideas, brought on to deal with the shortcomings of triangular shaped sails rather than proper loose footed, roachless gaff sails!

The next step is to experience the benefits of Chinese fully battened sails which have been around for over two thousand years which certainly deal with the shortcomings of triangular shaped sails. - and yes they are faster.

 

[lw395]

The next step is to experience the benefits of Chinese fully battened sails which have been around for over two thousand years which certainly deal with the shortcomings of triangular shaped sails. - and yes they are faster.

To say they are faster is a bit of a stretch, they've been tried and marginalised in singlehanded ocean racing.
The old rigs have more potential than some would give them credit for though, Bethwaite's views on Gaff rig in 'High Performance Sailing' are worth a read. I suspect some of the knowledge of how to get the best out of such rigs is either lost or scarce these days.

 

[Tranona]

The next step is to experience the benefits of Chinese fully battened sails which have been around for over two thousand years which certainly deal with the shortcomings of triangular shaped sails. - and yes they are faster.

In principle I agree - however they have had more than enough opportunities to make an impression on the market, but have failed in that no volume producer has taken them up. In general volume producers follow the market, and if people wanted that type of rig somebody would produce it, but demand has been always at the margin.

Incremental developments of the Bermudan rig to improve its efficiency and ease of handling (whether it be better sail handling of battened sails or use of furlers) seems to satisfy most peoples' requirements and the benefits of alternatives do not seem so attractive for the risk involved (usually concerns about being able to sell a non-standard boat).

 

[KellysEye]

>I can see that worn out flat sails on an old charter boat might not be to your liking.
However, with custom built high quality properly shaped sails I can assure you things are very different.

We always charted boats betwen one and two years old. We chartered a number of boats less than one year old and some brand new and all had problems that left us losing a day sailling. In the second year the bugs have been ironed out everyhing is in good condition including the sails.

To put our charter experience and thus experience of different types of rig in context, we chartered two or three times a year for 22 years. We came to various conclusions, size for size fractional rigged boats are faster. Jeanneaus are better upwind than Beneteaus because they have a deeper keel, Beneteaus are better offwind with their shallower keel and wider transom. And we don't like in mast furling but everyone to their own.

I can't see how you can have a shaped main with in mast furling, it would jam. In boom furling is a different matter and can accomodate fully battended mains.

 

[kevink 6771]

I had a Junk rig for a year, at in was a bit of a mare IMHO. i think it was because i only played in the bay, and never really got far enough out to enjoy the downwind performance.