"Edgar" wrote in message
...

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...

For the main, I agree... if it's in the mast, well, that's just asking
for trouble... no way to drop it without cutting the sail. For a
headsail, it's easy to drop the jib with a furler... pop the halyard,
you're done. Typically, however, you're right that if bad weather is
forecast, bringing down the furler and using a hanked on storm sail is
safer.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

OK then, what are you going to hank it onto? If you bring down the roller
foresail you are left with a thick aluminium roller which you cannot hank
onto.

You don't have to use a hank on actually. They do make storm sails that fit
around a furled jib. But, underneath the aluminum roller is the headstay.
It's not that hard to remove if you have enough time. And, you don't need a
jib to sail. You can sail under greatly reduced main (e.g., 3rd reef or
storm main).

Moreover, you have to totally unroll the foresail before you can bring it
down so you had best do it before the wind gets up too much.
My boat has two grooves in the roller so you can hoist a smaller sail
before you take the other one down but this is a racing tactic and implies
that you have ample skilled crew, not only on the foredeck, but also back
in the cockpit to work the halliards, while someone else steers..

Well, yes... if you don't have crew that can handle the conditions, then all
the hardware you can carry won't do squat.

I sail with just my wife as crew and such activities are not an option.
I have a very robust furling gear and cannot envisage any situation where
I would not be able to roll the foresail right tightly up. Not only can I
put the furling line on a winch but I have it set up so that after the
sail is totally rolled it puts another two turns of the sheets around it.
No way it is going to unroll after that.

I've never had to put the furling line on a winch... even on a 60 ft boat...
Chances are good that you may roll it too tightly, and thus it won't go all
the way.

If you think that going onto the foredeck in a storm and unhanking one
sail, getting it down the forehatch, and replacing it with another which
you fetch up through the open hatch is a good option I can confidently
assert that you have never been out in a storm with only one other
crewmember.

Never said I did nor would I do such a thing. That's called bad planning.





--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com