Sails Conundrum

jonathanhsm

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My furling genoa is at the menders. I have to sail the boat about twenty miles to another mooring at the weekend. I also have a hank on jib and genoa with great big bronze hanks which appear to be pressed on and are immoveable. Is there any way I can attach either of these sails to the furler – temporarily – I was thinking of maybe putting some rope loops or collars around the furling rod and hanking onto these. ( I would not expect to reef the sail it would only be fully furled or unfurled.) Alternatively I could rig the spinnaker halyard as a forestay and attach it to a spare position behind the furler and hank a sail onto that . but would that be too bendy?
It should be mainly downwind – and I’ve always got the option of motoring as well/instead.
Any suggestions?
 

jonathanhsm

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Sailing conundrum

I had a look for some slugs in chandlers the other day - they were all much too big - it's a plastimo furler with a very tight slot. And with a 6m wire inside the rod there's not a lot of room! Do you know where I can get some thin ones?
 

sarabande

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there is likely to be a mismatch between the external profile of the aluminium extensions and the internal one of the hanks - which I bet will be stronger than ali anyway. Avoid denting or tearing the furler; sweat up the jib; fly it loose-luffed if the majority of the passage is downwind.
 

ianat182

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I'd use the hank-on jib and spinnaker halyard, tacked to bow-roller and tensioned pretty tight using the genny winch, after all you're not racing and the smaller jib will be handier to let fly, and to secure, if single-handed, when coming up to your mooring under motor or sails.
The Kayospruce phone number is 01489 581696 the reference in their catalogue for the slug is SLI001 for the slug with the jaw size(i.e. slot gap of 2mm) and a body of 8mm dia; there is also a low friction slider SLI110 that will fit a 3mm foil slot and body 7.2mm dia. They are sold in 10's. The bronze hank are easily removed by bending the pointy bit. Use the same cringles to fit the sliders with several loops of waxed twine(also from Kayospruce reference THS010)

Very helpful staff. No connection- I've got their catalogue you could ask for!

ianat182
 

sarabande

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perhaps you might like to consider the possibility that slugs will cause too much point loading on the furler track, and open the slot. Furler grooves are designed to spread tension and torsion through the medium of the luff tape.
 

VicS

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it's a plastimo furler with a very tight slot
I doubt if you will get them thin enough for a Plastimo furler. Its only designed to take a few thicknesses of sail cloth. Worth checking out any suggestions people may offer but you should be able to Google and find what is available yourself.

Frankly I'd use the engine and the mainsail in the circumstances.

20 miles is nothing. Ive motored across the Channel ... more than once! On one occasion all the way from Le Havre to Portsmouth with a Vire 6 two stroke!
 
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prv

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On a boat my size, I'd just set it flying, especially downwind. On my actual boat, the jib is always set flying anyway, with a wire luff and a Wykeham-Martin. I have to slack the jib away to stow the bowsprit.

If yours is bigger, using a halyard as a stay will make it easier to manage as you hoist and lower it.

Pete
 

Poignard

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perhaps you might like to consider the possibility that slugs will cause too much point loading on the furler track, and open the slot. Furler grooves are designed to spread tension and torsion through the medium of the luff tape.


That's an interesting point. Do you know of any instances of such a failure?

I ask because I have been considering using slugs on my furling genoas to make sail changing easier. A friend of mine with a similar boat (28' Twister) and furling system (Rotostay) has had that arrangement for years, and likes it, but I'd like to know of other people's experience.

Reefrite, New Zealand, sell their Kiwi slides which look to be longer than usual so maybe they spread the load better. And no doubt some foils are stronger than others.

http://www.desktopwings.com/

Next time I'm near Rotomarine (Rotostay) Ltd. I'll ask if they think the Rotostay foil is strong enough.
 

Lakesailor

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Just stick it on the spare halyard.
I've never let a slack luff worry me.

Think about it. If it's hank on the tension is in the bolt rope, so your normal headsail halyard should be sufficient on it's own. Use the spare halyard as a belt and braces measure.

If it doesn't work (why wouldn't it?) start the motor. It's an adventure.
 
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simonfraser

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hank it on a spare halyard, but check the hanks for smoothness, don't wana wear out the rope on.

or use some thinner cord and tie the individual hanks round the furler using two loops, makes sure your fuler is smooth, you don't wan't it catching in a loose section.
 
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