staysail CD 36, hank-on or Roller

lhyde · Post by **lhyde** » Mar 15th, '10, 19:54

Hi All,
Anne and I are springing for a new set of sails for our beloved CD 36 "NUTMEG". We are trying to decide between keeping with our hank on staysail or going for a roller furling option. We are imagining the major roller furling advantage as the avoidance of some scrambling on deck in fowl seas. The disadvantages being two more lines running down the deck and of course the added cost. The yankee is roller furled and we lile it allot.

We welcome you thoughts and experience with a roller furled staysail.

Thanks,
Les and Anne
NUTMEG
Tenants Harbor, Maine

Greg Kozlowski · Post by **Greg Kozlowski** » Mar 15th, '10, 21:08

Even single handing, I've just never had any hassle in setting or dousing it in any kind of conditions. Also, being hank on, it is very easy to hank a storm staysail over the doused staysail when you're out there in some serious stuff and want to tuck everything in tight till it blows over.

Best regards,

Greg

Solmar · Post by **Solmar** » Mar 16th, '10, 06:41

We replaced ours last season and decided to go with roller furling. Getting up in years we decided not having to go up on the foredeck would be a good idea. Also after rolling in the sail the boom can be lifted higher to clear the deck.

Como No Cruising · Post by **Como No Cruising** » Mar 16th, '10, 06:54

Aboard Como No we got rid of the staysail boom entirely, went to roller furl on Staysail. Installed sail tracks for the staysail sheets on the cabin top. We felt that the staysail boom got in the way and since we do not have dinghy davits the space is utilized for carrying our 9 foot RIB inverted when offshore.

Not everybody's cup of tea, but we find that the arrangement works well for us and have had no regrets for 50,000 Miles so far.

David van den Burgh · Post by **David van den Burgh** » Mar 16th, '10, 07:24

We were pretty convinced that traditional hank-on headsails were the best approach - and they certainly are simple - but modern furling units have become pretty reliable, especially a unit like Spin-Tec that doesn't use an upper swivel. We made the switch to roller furling last season and we're very happy. You can read about our system and see some photos HERE.

Solmar · Post by **Solmar** » Mar 16th, '10, 07:28

Removing the boom sounds interesting, do you have a picture of your set up. We have davits, but putting the dingy on the deck would be advantageous in certain conditions.

Thank you,
Debbie & Brian

Como No Cruising · Post by **Como No Cruising** » Mar 16th, '10, 08:32

Debbie & Bryan: I may have a few photos & will shoot a few more. I will get those to you in the next day or two, as soon as I can look them up.

We have been very pleased with our set up and it has worked well for us thru out our circumnavigation. We particularly like the sail shape control with the tracks located on the cabin top and the ability to roller reef the staysail in heavy weather conditions. Everybody has an opinion and our methods may not agree with many but we have weathered severe gales going to/from New Zealand and in the Atlantic. What works for us, may not be everyone's solution.
Will & Annie
Puerto Rico

Leonard Lookner · Post by **Leonard Lookner** » Mar 16th, '10, 11:31

I had a post on earlier about using a soft luff or Code Zero furler on a stay sail. I am going to try it. It will give us the option of removing the stay to allow the head sail to tack across the deck unobstructed.
The soft luff is hoisted with the stay sail halyard and it should be easy to lower the halyard and bring the furled sail either back to the mast or furl it on the deck. The cost for one is between 700 and 900 hundred.

Len · Post by **Len** » Mar 16th, '10, 11:58

Brian,
Did you install tracks or blocks for your new furler? Another winch? Did you enlarge the size / shape on your new staysail?
Len

bottomscraper · Post by **bottomscraper** » Mar 17th, '10, 10:15

On Mahalo we have both headsails on furlers, we think it's great. We did add a winch to the cabin top on the stbd side to use for the Staysail outhaul. I think Russel had a better lower cost solution of running the outhaul on the port side cabin top and using a rope clutch to share the staysail sheet winch.

When we purchased Mahalo she had a 2-1 block setup for the staysail outhaul with a cam cleat. We had a hard time getting enough tension and the block attached at the clew of the staysail was problematic when furling the sail.

Solmar · Post by **Solmar** » Mar 17th, '10, 16:48

Len, we just add a block and we didn't add a winch. The sail is the same cut & size as the hank-on. (if you are interested we have the hank-on sail)

Brian

Len · Post by **Len** » Mar 18th, '10, 12:39

Brian,
Just curious. Dont want to drill a hole in dodger; Although I have an extra std winch (missing some replacable parts). Coulld you use it?

Cathy Monaghan · Post by **Cathy Monaghan** » Mar 18th, '10, 14:46

Hi Les & Ann,

After owning and sailing our cutter-rigged CD32 for 13 years, for the 2008 season we replaced the hanked-on staysail with a roller-furling system.

I really started thinking about making the change after sailing aboard Rich and Melissa's CD36 Mahalo and aboard Tom and Lynette's CD31 Kyky. Anyway, we love the change.

<a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... G_1271.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="600" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 1.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... G_1272.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="600" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 2.jpg"></a>

<a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... G_1444.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="600" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 4.jpg"></a>
The two lines running along the cabin top in the photo above are the staysail sheet and the staysail outhaul. They are both run through sheet-stoppers just forward of the staysail winch. And both are used on that same winch, so there's no need for an additional winch.

<a href="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... G_1445.jpg" target="_blank"><img width="600" src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c349/ ... 5.jpg"></a>

CLICK HERE to view more photos of our staysail furling setup.

Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay

The Cape Dory Board

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