Hi
I think i will add a roller furler to my Starlight and i have a few questions.
With a furler will i lose somes degrees when i take a bearing to the wind?.
Actually i use 3 headsails: storm jib, jib and genoa, The roller can it replace all of them, if so could you give me an idea of the size of the sail (120, 130, 150???).
Is it true that a roller block often?
When come the time to unstep the mast can it be done without a crane, i mean can i do it myself?
Thank's to all
Marc
adrenaline@vif.com
Roller furler
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Paul D.
Re: Roller furler
Marc,
If you have a good roller furling sail you should not lose any windward ability with the sail all the way unfurled. We do lose sail shape the more it is reefed. I get OK sail shape down to when the sail is furled about 25%. After that it starts to have too much draft or belly. I have a 150% which works fine for most but not all winds. I need to find a solution for high winds.
I would recommend getting the sail you use the most for your furled sail. Then you can bend on your specialty sail when you need it if it fits the foil of your furler. Do not count on a reefed 150% working as a storm jib! You may get different advice than this though like getting the biggest sail you can get for the furling sail, thinking you can always reduce sail easily.
If you get a good furler like my preference, a Harken, and install it correctly and have a sail that fits correctly, it will not "block" or jam often. There are a few things to consider here such as angle of the halyard to the foil at the top of the swivel, angle of entry of the furling line at the drum, halyard tension and friction of furling line. My Harken which I installed this past spring as a replacement has not failed once in a fair amount of use this year, some in 30 knots of wind.
As far as unstepping the mast, if you don't need a crane now to take it down, you shouldn't need one with a furler. I don't know the size of your boat though. You have to be quite careful of the foil in raising and lowering as it cannot be bent. The Harken foil can support it's own weight whilst being raised.
Good luck and all the best,
Paul Danicic
CD 33 #77 Christine Lynn
MPLS MN
nyeme001@tc.umn.edu
If you have a good roller furling sail you should not lose any windward ability with the sail all the way unfurled. We do lose sail shape the more it is reefed. I get OK sail shape down to when the sail is furled about 25%. After that it starts to have too much draft or belly. I have a 150% which works fine for most but not all winds. I need to find a solution for high winds.
I would recommend getting the sail you use the most for your furled sail. Then you can bend on your specialty sail when you need it if it fits the foil of your furler. Do not count on a reefed 150% working as a storm jib! You may get different advice than this though like getting the biggest sail you can get for the furling sail, thinking you can always reduce sail easily.
If you get a good furler like my preference, a Harken, and install it correctly and have a sail that fits correctly, it will not "block" or jam often. There are a few things to consider here such as angle of the halyard to the foil at the top of the swivel, angle of entry of the furling line at the drum, halyard tension and friction of furling line. My Harken which I installed this past spring as a replacement has not failed once in a fair amount of use this year, some in 30 knots of wind.
As far as unstepping the mast, if you don't need a crane now to take it down, you shouldn't need one with a furler. I don't know the size of your boat though. You have to be quite careful of the foil in raising and lowering as it cannot be bent. The Harken foil can support it's own weight whilst being raised.
Good luck and all the best,
Paul Danicic
CD 33 #77 Christine Lynn
MPLS MN
Marc wrote: Hi
I think i will add a roller furler to my Starlight and i have a few questions.
With a furler will i lose somes degrees when i take a bearing to the wind?.
Actually i use 3 headsails: storm jib, jib and genoa, The roller can it replace all of them, if so could you give me an idea of the size of the sail (120, 130, 150???).
Is it true that a roller block often?
When come the time to unstep the mast can it be done without a crane, i mean can i do it myself?
Thank's to all
Marc
nyeme001@tc.umn.edu