roller reefing racing sail?

[Peter2B]

Have been given a used racing genoa that will fit on my furling gear. It's a mylar/kevlar/scrim thingie. I asked the local sailmaker if I could just roll it up and leave it on the furling gear, maybe take a couple of tucks in it if the wind ever goes above the 10-12 knots that are standard here; he said no, the sail wouldn't last long if I did that. Bearing in mind the fact he's trying to sell me a new sail (which I can't afford till next year), I thought I'd ask if anyone here had done such a thing. I only need it to last me this season.

 

[FullCircle]

If it is a whizzy tech affair, then he is probably not telling porkies.
Why not use it as a normal hank on sail?
Also buy a used No 3 from Seateach or similar and sell it next year....

 

[mikejames]

Its probably also the effect of UV on the sail without a protective strip - you know the bit that shreds off the leech of the sail.$

After all, quite a lot of asymmetric racing boats (J/xxxx series) use roller reefing to get rid of genoas when the spinny is up. Most of them take the genoa down between uses though.

If it only has to last a year then it will probably do. I bought 'racing' mylar/taffeta/pentex sails 10 years ago and I am still winning club races occasionally with the same old sails. Not roller reefing but hanked on, and folded away each time.

 

[AlJones]

He's right in what he says.

The sail, if wound tight may start to de-laminate. Be careful handling it after it has been on your roller, as you may find 'sharp' bits sticking in your fingers!!

Al.

 

[bobgoode]

Sails prefer to be rolled not folded and creased so in theory you should be able to roll the sail away at the end of the day....but don't roll it tightly and don't leave it rolled for long periods . A racing sail in laminate is not designed to be reefed..so don't do it. UV is the biggest problem and the racing sail will not have a sacrificial strip...you will need a genoa sock...but that will be as costly as a cheap sail.

 

[Ecosse120]

Kemp told me the same last year at LBS. I have a laminate sail and basically it is the same as putting two bits of sellotape together, if you roll it up it will delaminate quite quickly.

 

[Twister_Ken]

It'll also designed to be used across a limited wind range, in the expectation that it would be dropped and replaced if the wind rises above x knots. Rolling some of it and using the rest above that wind limit won't work. It'll either stretch horribly, or blow out.

 

[GeorgeP]

When I bought a laminate sail, the sailmaker told me not to roll it.

 

[Jonny_H]

When racers use laminate sails they roll them from the head to the foot (usually around a tube if possible to make the roll diameter as large as possible) - they also roll in opposite directions each time to try and reduce delamination.

I def would not roll one around a forestay - it would fall apart very quickly!

 

[AlJones]

Quantum Built me a gorgeous race sail, main and No 1.

Keep it rolled big, at least a foot and a half in the middle!

( And Tina has caught me stroking them at night! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

Carpet shop always happy to get rid of the big cardboard tubes!

Al.