On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 22:47:32 GMT, "Maxprop"
wrote:


"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
Man I hate those things. Talked to a couple of people who have them, and
they like them in light air only.

I hate the ones that furl into the mast. They eliminate the ability to use
battens (yeah, I know that someone--North, maybe--is putting vertical
battens in their furling mains now), they eliminate the ability to carry a
significant roach, thanks to no battens, and since there are only two
bearing points--top and bottom--to carry the load of the sail, one or both
are going to fail eventually. And when they do you can count on it
occurring when you are least likely to be able to deal with it, such as well
offshore, or during the approach of a squall. Then you're screwed, blued,
and tattooed.

I like some of the furling booms, however. You can still lower the main if
you have a bearing failure, and the other limitations of furling mains are
eliminated.


I was on a delivery crew for a pilot house ketch that had in mast
furling on both masts. I did not like it. It was fairly new, yet had
a tendency to bind on occasion. And we only used it in relatively
good conditions.

I also owned a boat that had a rolling boom furl. The sail wraps
around the boom. Hated that too, ended up never using it.


My point was that if Bubbles had a furling main, then he'd negate the need
for sail covers entirely. A more attractive arrangement for a dockside
condo.

Excellent point. If the boat never leaves the dock and the furling
is only used in good weather and never in a crisis situation where
execution speed is a factor, it is a good choice.

Max